Imagine: Dominikan monks walking through Hamburg. This is the story of the Klosterkirche St. Johannis. It stands in Hamburg-Barmbek-Süd. You can find it at the corner of Weidestraße and Elsastraße near St. Sophien Church. The church and monastery are dedicated to John the Baptist and John the Evangelist.
Let’s jump back to the 13th century. Around 1236, the medieval monastery was founded. It stood where the Rathausmarkt is today. In the 16th century, records show 41 monks and 13 novices lived here. After the Reformation in 1529, the council dissolved all Catholic monasteries.
What happened to the Klosterkirche? The Gelehrtenschule des Johanneums used the buildings. Nuns from the former Herwardeshude monastery also moved in. Then in 1613, the newly founded Akademische Gymnasium joined them. The Klosterkirche, with its Thomas Altar by Meister Francke, remained a Protestant church. It served this purpose until the French occupation of Hamburg.
Later, the church became a warehouse. Then, it served as a gym for the Hamburger Turnerschaft. It even became a parade ground for the Hamburg citizen militia. In 1829, they demolished the church. The remaining monastery buildings were torn down in 1840 and 1841. The Damenstift moved to a new building on Klosterwall. The educational institutions relocated to the new Johanneum on Speersort.
Fast forward to 1962. The Dominican Order returned to Hamburg. The Catholic Church wanted to connect with an existing parish. They chose St. Sophien in Barmbek. It had a large enough property in a central location.
In 1966, Bishop Johannes von Rudloff consecrated the new monastery. He handed it over to the first six Dominicans. These monks now do parish work at St. Sophien. They also preach at other Catholic churches in Hamburg. Theological education and counseling are key focuses.
The modern Klosterkirche connects to the choir of St. Sophien Church. Architects Rau, Bunsmann, and Scharf designed it. They built it between 1964 and 1966. The brick facades and brutalist-influenced eaves create a blend of traditional and modern architecture. Building was difficult. A deep bunker on the edge of the property could not be altered or damaged.
The Klosterkirche has a modest appearance. The almost windowless cloister runs along the outside. Most rooms face the inner courtyard. This courtyard also serves as a monastery garden. Only the entrance area and the two-story event hall have large windows facing outward.
The ground floor and lower level hold the monastery’s work spaces. There are guest rooms, common rooms, dining rooms, and a library. The upper floor houses living quarters for 13 monks. This area is not open to the public. The chapel is a five-sided extension facing northeast. It connects to other rooms via the staircase.
Inside the Klosterkirche, you can find art by Hermann Stehr. He created the aluminum door decorations. He also designed the “Große Predigt I” sculpture in the courtyard. This artwork references the central mission of the monastery. In the refectory and common rooms, there are paintings. A crucifixion scene by Karl Goris stands out. There is also a depiction of Dominikus by Gerd Winner. Albert Reck painted a picture of St. Sophien Church. Jes Bundsen created an oil painting of the old Johanniskirche.
Rudolf Krüger designed the altar in the chapel. It features motifs from the Book of Revelation. An 18th-century painting by Johann Christoph Achert hangs in the chapel. It shows Dominikus and Katharina von Siena. Near the entrance to the chapel, there is a modern, Mexican-influenced Madonna and Child by the Native American artist Nan Cuz.
In the stairwell, a mural displays an excerpt from the Dominican Order’s constitution. The text “in pace continui, in studio assidui, in praedicatione ferventes” reminds the brothers to be “steadfast in peace, diligent in study, and fervent in preaching.”
The Hamburg monastery belongs to the Province of Saint Albert. This province includes Germany and Austria. The monks elect a Prior every three years.
Dominicans engage in pastoral care, education, and university chaplaincy. They also serve the Ghanaian community. Daily life includes shared prayer times. They celebrate Holy Mass twice a day in St. Sophien Church. They also share meals together.
These preaching brothers do not own possessions. They move to different Dominican communities. Their private rooms are simple. Only members of the order can access them. The spiritual community means sharing life together. They participate in services and the Liturgy of the Hours. The monastery also has a common living room. The Klosterkirche St. Johannis continues to be a place of faith, community, and service.