Built on the site of a post-war internment camp the Kreuzkirche stands as a testament to resilience. Its foundation was laid on November 24 1962. A year later on December 1 1963 it was officially opened. This wasn’t just any church. It was a haven for refugees from Eastern Europe and beyond. Many found temporary shelter in the former prison camp. A simple barracks church served as a place of worship for Catholics Orthodox Christians and Protestants alike. The growing number of Protestant refugees in Regensburg led to the need for new churches. The Kreuzkirche was one answer.
The Kreuzkirche’s design is unique. Architect Franz Gartner of Munich created a striking equilateral triangle shape for the nave. This motif is repeated throughout the church. Look at the hexagonal baptismal font the pulpit the windows even the door handles. The church’s steeple rises fifteen meters above the ground. It’s connected to the main building via the sacristy. The altar is made of dark Wallenfelser marble. To its left is the pulpit to its right the blue-grey Jura marble baptismal font. The floor is a beautiful mix of Wallenfelser and Solnhofener marble. The roof’s underside is paneled in red pine.
The altarpiece designed by Fritz Heidingsfeld is a masterpiece. The crucified Christ is depicted in glass mosaic. Below him is the symbol of a fish. The crossbeam shows ears of wheat and grapes symbolizing bread and wine. Above the altar a colorful window depicts the heavenly Jerusalem. Another mosaic above the entrance portrays an ark symbolizing the church itself. The church also boasts four bells. Each has a biblical verse inscribed on it. The heaviest bell weighing over a ton sounds the tone f.
For years the Kreuzkirche served its community. It was a center for Transylvanian Saxons. They enriched the congregation with their brass band choir folk dance group and annual Kronenfest celebration. But times changed. In 2018 the Evangelical Lutheran congregation held its last service. The church was deconsecrated in 2022. The congregation had shrunk. Maintaining two church centers was no longer financially viable. The decision to close the Kreuzkirche was difficult but necessary. It marked an end of an era but not the end of the church’s story. The building was sold. It will soon be used for social housing. The site’s future includes a family center. Though the church is gone its spirit and legacy continue. It stands as a symbol of hope and community in the Regensburg’s east end.