Step into the rich tapestry of Hamburg’s history. Before you stands the Evangelisch-Reformierte Kirche in Hamburg a testament to faith resilience and a fascinating journey through time.
This isn’t just a church. It’s the culmination of centuries of unwavering belief. Its story begins not in Hamburg itself but 40 kilometers away in Stade in 1588. Walloon refugees from the Spanish Netherlands established a Reformed community there. Services were held in French and Flemish.
Imagine these brave souls clinging to their faith amidst turmoil. They weren’t alone. In 1601 Count Ernst von Schauenburg granted religious freedom to the Reformed and Mennonites in Altona. A pivotal moment. The Altona Reformed community was founded in 1602. Its members included Huguenots from France Dutch and German people. Services were conducted in French Dutch and High German. The first church in Altona was built the following year. It was situated on what is now known as Kleine Freiheit.
The community in Stade eventually dissolved. The Reformed Dutch however assimilated linguistically. They attended services in German. The Hamburg Reformed community established a poorhouse in 1686. This grand building on Kohlhöfen sheltered the poor and the sick. It was later relocated in 1887 to Winterhuder Weg. It remains a testament to the church’s enduring commitment to social welfare.
Internal divisions occurred. In 1686 the German-Reformed and French-Reformed communities separated. Even with Altona under Danish rule Hamburg residents continued attending services in Altona. Years later in 1716 the German-Reformed community and in 1761 the French-Reformed community split into Altona and Hamburg congregations.
The Hamburg Reformed did not gain the right to free religious practice until 1785. Prior to that services were held in the private chapel of the Dutch envoy. This chapel could accommodate over 500 people. The French Reformed met in homes. They were forced to move their church benches and pulpit to Altona. The Hamburg Senate had requested a stop to their meetings and sermons. When private meetings were banned in 1725 the French community sought extraterritorial protection.
The Prussian resident Jean Destinan offered them a private chapel. He later built a larger one on Königsstraße. In 1786 the Senate granted permission for new meeting spaces. However there was a condition: The building could not have towers bells or other conspicuous signs of a public church.
The French army seized the embassy chapel during the occupation. The architect Petitjean acquired the property and built a new chapel. He rented it to the congregation. In 1843 the church sold a nearby plot because of financial difficulties after the Great Fire of 1842. They bought the lodge house on Hohe Bleichen.
On May 17 1831 the German and French Reformed communities in Altona merged. In 1923 they joined the Reformed Church of the Province of Hanover. In February 1963 they founded the Reformed City Synod in Hamburg.
The Evangelisch-Reformierte Kirche in Hamburg formed in 1976. This united the German Reformed congregation the Hamburg-Altona Reformed congregation and the French Reformed congregation in Hamburg. Altona previously withdrew from the Reformed Church in Northwest Germany.
The three church buildings were lost in World War II. Modern churches and community centers were built in the 1960s. Altona received a new organ in 1969. Hamburg got a community hall in 2011.
On January 1 2012 the Evangelisch-Reformierte Kirche in Hamburg joined the Reformed Church with headquarters in Leer East Frisia. Reflect on this remarkable journey. The Evangelisch-Reformierte Kirche in Hamburg is more than bricks and mortar. It is a living testament to faith perseverance and the enduring power of community.