Gazing up, who would guess that the Evangelische Kirche Eichwalde holds a secret about metal? This church is not just a building. It is a landmark with stories etched in its walls. Let’s explore the Evangelische Kirche Eichwalde. It stands on Händelplatz in Eichwalde. This location places it in the Dahme-Seenland region.
The history of the Evangelische Kirche Eichwalde starts in 1893. The knight’s estate Radeland was divided among settlers. These settlers founded the rural community of Eichwalde. They were still part of Schmökwitz parish then. Eichwalde’s population grew quickly thanks to good train connections. The location on the Dahme River helped too. Services were held in a building on Romanusplatz. This building no longer exists today.
In 1896, a church building association formed. In 1899, the Evangelische Kirche Eichwalde separated from Schmökwitz. It became its own parish. Plans to build a church began. Kaiserin Auguste Viktoria supported the construction. The foundation stone was laid on October 18, 1906. Carl Zaar was the architect and Rudolf Vahl the builder. The topping-out ceremony was on August 12, 1907. The church was consecrated on December 15, 1908. Kabinettsrat Karl von Behr attended. The Kaiserin gifted a Bible with a dedication.
During World War I, the Evangelische Kirche Eichwalde gave up organ pipes for metal donations. After the war, the church choir funded new pipes. In 1927, an electric drive was installed for the bells. The steel bells remained during World War II. An attack on December 24, 1943, damaged the church. Bombs fell on Waldstraße and destroyed almost all windows. The middle window in the choir survived. It is also called the Christ window.
In the 1950s, the interior’s original colors were painted over in white. A storm in 1976 caused the cross to fall from the tower. It crashed into the church roof. In 1987, the church tower’s roof was covered with copper. The Evangelische Kirche Eichwalde was listed as a protected monument in 1993. The windows were renovated in 1999. In 2002, the organ was restored by Christian Scheffler. The church roof was renovated in 2008. The church was repainted in 2013.
The Evangelische Kirche Eichwalde is built mainly of reddish brick. It has a base of rough fieldstones. The polygonal choir is stabilized by buttresses. Inside the Evangelische Kirche Eichwalde, the altar and pulpit came from the Jerusalem Church in Berlin. The altar retable is made of Indian teak with a scene of Christ’s burial. Otto Rohloff created it in 1907. Paul Schmidt donated the altar. A semicircular attachment with cartilage work sits above. It contains a figure of Jesus Christ. The font was donated by Hofsteinmeister Schilling. The middle window in the altar shows the Last Supper. The Kaiserin donated it. Other windows were donated by Eichwalde families.
Friedrich Weigle (son) and J. & P. Schiedmayer built the organ in 1908. It cost 10,000 Marks. It is the only surviving Parabrahm organ. Christian Scheffler restored the instrument in 2002. Three bells hang in the Evangelische Kirche Eichwalde tower. They are a gift from Hugo Hoffmann. The bells read “Fear God”, “Honor the King” and “Love the Brothers”. The largest bell says: “The Hugo Hoffmann family donated us in 1907”. Karl Lützow was the first pastor. Mayer & Kühne made the bells from cast steel. They were operated manually until 1927. The Evangelische Kirche Eichwalde stands as a testament to faith. It reflects the history of Eichwalde.