Kloster der Karmelitinnen

Whispers of faith. This is what echoes through the walls of the Kloster der Karmelitinnen in Witten. The story of this monastery begins not here amongst the Ruhr’s gentle slopes, but amidst the bustling energy of Breslau, now Wrocław, Poland, in 1933. Countess Prashma, known as Mother Marianna de Deo, and Countess Stolberg-Stolberg, known as Mother Marie-Elisabeth a Jesu, along with several other sisters, journeyed from Cologne to establish a new Carmelite presence. They transformed a rented house into a temporary haven, laying the cornerstone for a permanent monastery in 1934, completed in two phases between 1935 and 1937. The Kloster der Karmelitinnen, dedicated to Mary, Mediatrix of all Graces, once housed a treasured statue of Mary, a gift from Johann Adam von Garnier in 1671, originally residing in the Carmelite monastery in Groß Strenz. This statue, restored by sculptor B. Tschötschel, became a symbol of the Breslau Carmel. Sadly, its fate remains unknown after the sisters were forced to evacuate in 1941, given a mere 24 hours to abandon their spiritual home. For five years, the sisters sought refuge in various shelters around Wrocław until their expulsion westward in 1946. They found temporary solace in Neuburg at the Kammel River, their hearts yearning for a permanent home. Their prayers were answered in Witten, where in 1952 the Kloster der Karmelitinnen found its new beginning. The cornerstone ceremony on July 13, 1952, held a unique significance. It employed a historical hammer, the very one used by Emperor Ferdinand II in 1641 during the cornerstone laying of the first German Carmelite Monastery in Regensburg. In 1956, the monastery church received Archbishop Lorenz Jäger’s blessing, who proclaimed the profound spiritual significance of each new church. The Kloster der Karmelitinnen in Witten continues the Carmelite tradition of prayer and contemplation, a legacy stretching back to Mount Carmel in 12th-century Palestine. The Discalced Carmelite order, reformed by Teresa of Avila, emphasizes a life dedicated to prayer, work, and spiritual reading. This rhythm of devotion echoes within the monastery walls, connecting the sisters to a global community of faith. Even today, they offer prayers and spiritual support for those facing life’s challenges, continuing the legacy of the Carmelites.