Hear ye hear ye tales of St Georg Kirche. This church stands proudly in Lubeck Genin. It’s a story woven through centuries. A testament to faith resilience and Lubeck’s rich history.
St Georg Kirche isn’t just a building. It’s a living history book. Its earliest mention dates back to 1286. Imagine a simpler time. This church was the heart of Genin. It served the villages of Genin Oberbussau Niederbussau and Vorrade. Later Moisling and nearby settlements joined its parish. For centuries these villages belonged to Lubeck’s cathedral chapter. Only in 1804 did they fully become part of Lubeck. St Georg stood as a guardian. It was dedicated to St George protector of knights and a symbol of hope against the plague. Located within Lubeck’s Landwehr defensive walls it truly resembled a fortress. The tower with its numerous cross-shaped anchors still evokes that sense of security.
The oldest part the chancel dates back to the Middle Ages. It has square additions on the north and south. The southern one is the sacristy. The northern one served as a mortuary until 1928. The original church featured five narrow high windows. One east-facing window remains sealed. A tower was added later. In the 15th century the church expanded westward. It kept its width but gained height. This created a long nave with a flat beamed ceiling.
Around 1600 the impressive tower was finally built. The church was further enlarged to the south and north. The new nave became significantly taller. A simple altar piece remained. Sadly only one panel survives. It bears the inscription ANNO 1661 HINRICH WOL ER HINRICHIES HINRICH RODE CLAUS STUDE. The colourful pulpit in the style of the late Renaissance is another surviving feature. The tower received its clock in 1691.
The church’s interior as it looked in 1600 lasted only about a century. In 1703-04 a storm caused significant damage to the roof. This led to a major reconstruction giving the church its Baroque appearance. The wooden barrel vault ceiling was added. It features stucco work including the cathedral chapter’s coat of arms. The windows boast Baroque shell ornaments. The eastern wall of the ceiling shows an elaborate crucifixion scene. The church also acquired its current roof shape.
The year 1719 saw the replacement of the late Gothic high altar. A Baroque altar by Lubeck artist Hieronymus Jacob Hassenberg took its place. It features a marble communion relief in the base and a white marble crucifixion group. It was donated in 1717. The imposing grey sandstone baptismal font from 1731 is another masterpiece. Lubeck sculptor Hermann Andreas Elleroth created this. It was a gift from Lubeck merchant Meno Frobse. His father Georg Frobse had been the pastor in Genin from 1654 to 1690.
In 1754 the landowners of Moisling and Niendorf requested private boxes. These were added in 1759 by Lubeck’s city architect Johann A Soherr. The three-part closed Rococo gallery on the north wall was created. The left box was for the Niendorf estate. It displays its coat of arms. The middle one was for the cathedral chapter. It now features the Lubeck eagle. The right box belonged to the Moisling estate. The north wall windows were converted into doors. A wooden staircase allowed separate access. In 1850 this was replaced by a brick extension with mullioned windows. Another wooden gallery was added in 1770. It was removed during renovations in 1956.
The 19th century saw mainly repairs. The tower was often affected. In 1850 its helmet was re-roofed. Shingles were replaced with slate. In 1882 the weathervane was regilded after storm damage. A major restoration took place from 1974 to 1978. The altar received a new top. The Gotland sandstone tiles were relaid. The entire room was painstakingly restored. St Georg Kirche in Lubeck. A place of enduring faith and history.