Do you hear the echoes of a community’s resilience in the stones of Ev. Kirche Konz Karthaus? This church stands not just as a building but as a testament to faith in a changing world.
Ev. Kirche Konz Karthaus is located in Konz, in Rhineland-Palatinate. It is the spiritual center for the Protestant church community. The church was built in the late 19th century. It was intended for the new diaspora community.
Let’s step back to the mid-19th century. Industrialization brought an influx of evangelical Christians. They settled in Conz, Merzlich, and surrounding villages. Railway workers and officials were among the first. The officials came mainly from the Saarbrücken area. The workers came from St. Wendel and the Hunsrück region. The expansion of the Karthaus central station further increased their numbers. By 1884, they numbered about 120 to 150.
The nearest church was nine kilometers away in Trier. The journey was difficult. So the pastors sought a suitable space in Conz for services. This proved difficult in the predominantly Catholic area. After these efforts failed, Superintendent Klein successfully appealed to authorities in Trier. The Royal Railway Operating Office provided the dining room. It was located in the administration building of the Royal Secondary Workshop. The first service took place on August 17, 1884. Superintendent Klein preached from the Acts of the Apostles 17. From then on, services were held in Konz every four weeks.
By 1889, the evangelical community of Conz-Karthaus had grown. It became a vicarage for over 200 Christians. In 1895, it became an independent parish. Supported by the State of Prussia, construction began. The foundation stone was laid on July 9, 1896. The church was built between Konz and Merzlich. The Petry Brothers construction company carried out the work.
An architectural competition was held in Berlin in 1892. The design by Georg Lübke was selected. The Prussian Ministry of Public Works modified the design. Trier district building inspector Brauweiler executed it in 1896-1897. The church was inaugurated on September 19, 1897. Together with the parsonage and the evangelical school, the Ev. Kirche Konz Karthaus formed a harmonious ensemble.
The church construction cost 27,600 marks. The bells cost 2275 marks. Kaiser Wilhelm II supported the construction with 10,000 marks. This was considered a gracious gift. Each of the 130 seats in the nave cost 212 marks.
The parish extended beyond Conz and Merzlich. It included Oberemmel, Wasserliesch, and other communities. In 1930, Conz and Merzlich merged to form Konz. The name of the evangelical community changed to Konz-Karthaus.
During a bombing raid on Konz in 1915, a bomb fell near the Ev. Kirche Konz Karthaus.
The church underwent renovations in 1966. Architect Nils-Wolff Hammer led the renovation. The neo-Gothic altar table and high pulpit were removed. They were replaced with a stone altar table. The artist Manfred Freitag designed it. A lectern-style pulpit was also added. The original stained-glass windows were replaced. Manfred Freitag also designed the new windows.
The Ev. Kirche Konz Karthaus stands as a symbol of faith and community. Its history reflects the changing times. It has adapted to meet the needs of its congregation. The Ev. Kirche Konz Karthaus remains a beacon of hope.