Remember the devastation of war. That’s part of the story of Kirche Berlin-Wartenberg. The original village church of Wartenberg was built in the 13th century. German settlers founded the village around 1230. The village became part of Berlin in 1920.
But the old Dorfkirche Wartenberg suffered a terrible fate. In the final days of World War II it was blown up. The Soviets were approaching. The German Wehrmacht destroyed the church to prevent the Soviets using it as an observation point. After the war all that remained was removed.
For decades, Wartenberg was without its historic church. A group of trees marks the spot where it stood. A wooden bell frame stands nearby. Since 2010, a plaque has commemorated the old church.
After the political changes a new church was built. It’s a modern building. It stands in the middle of the Neu-Hohenschönhausen housing estate. The Kirche Berlin-Wartenberg is part of the Malchow-Wartenberg parish.
The old church had a unique design. It had a nave and a chancel with an apse. It also had a wide rectangular west tower. Only three churches around Berlin had this layout. The stonework was carefully crafted. The small windows had rounded arches. Experts dated it to 1250 or earlier. People considered it the most beautiful village church in Berlin.
In the early 16th century, a late-Gothic rib vault was added. A sacristy extension was also built. Later, a baroque roof tower was added. In 1848, the windows were enlarged.
Very little survived the destruction of the old church. The weather vane from 1795 and two epitaphs were saved. Artists were commissioned to create a new altar, pulpit and font. Anna Franziska Schwarzbach created them from cast iron. The pieces have irregular surfaces. The church community wanted a uniform design.
The new Kirche Berlin-Wartenberg was consecrated on January 19, 2000. It is located on Falkenberger Chaussee. It is in Berlin-Neu-Hohenschönhausen but close to Wartenberg.
In 2010, the parish celebrated the church’s tenth anniversary. The artist Schwarzbach displayed her other works. Diego Gortaire, an Ecuadorian painter and poet, was also invited. He presented ink paintings of nature and landscapes on old maps.
The parish includes the Berlin-Neu-Hohenschönhausen estate. It also includes the former villages of Wartenberg and Falkenberg. In 2014, the parish had over 2000 members.
The Kirche Berlin-Wartenberg is also a venue for cultural events. It has a small organ built in 2002. The bell tower has two cast iron bells from 1959. One bell is inscribed “Peace on Earth”. The other says “God with us”.