In 1939 the Rostock District of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was small. It was only the second-smallest district in the East German Mission. But its territory was vast. It encompassed the historic provinces of Mecklenburg-Schwerin and Mecklenburg-Strelitz. A small part of western Pomerania was also included.
This is the Kirche Jesu Christi der Heiligen der letzten Tage in Rostock. Imagine the challenges faced by its members. The district’s landscape was flat and sandy with few cities. Many towns were near the Baltic Sea. Rostock itself was a key city of the old Hanseatic League.
The Church in Rostock wasn’t always large. In 1939 it had only 248 members across four branches and two groups. The Barth Branch was a considerable distance away. Demmin was further east. Stralsund and Wolgast were also home to smaller groups of Latter-day Saints.
The leadership of the Kirche Jesu Christi der Heiligen der letzten Tage in Rostock changed frequently during those years. Walter Czerny was the president in 1939. Rudolf A. Noss took over in 1940. Arno Dzierzon became president in 1941. We know little about their service.
The Rostock District’s isolation became more pronounced during World War II. On February 15 1942 the district was annexed to the Stettin District. The announcement during a sacrament meeting in Rostock lacked detail. Perhaps the Stettin District presidents Erich Berndt and Ernst Winter needed to take a more active role. There was a lack of priesthood leadership in Rostock’s branches.
Despite the war’s hardships Latter-day Saints in Rostock persevered. They continued holding meetings often in private homes. Few members fled the advancing Red Army. Life was difficult but the Saints managed to keep their homes. The Stralsund group faded into obscurity. One family in Wolgast did however remain. The Kirche Jesu Christi der Heiligen der letzten Tage in Rostock quietly endured a time of great change and uncertainty.