Perhaps it’s the clean lines that first catch your eye. We are standing before the Matthäuskirche. This church represents a fascinating chapter in Osnabrück’s history. It embodies the growth and changes of the Sonnenhügel district.
Let’s step back to the mid-20th century. Osnabrück-Sonnenhügel began its urban development during the Weimar Republic. After the Second World War, large residential areas arose here. Many housed members of the British Osnabrück Garrison. They withdrew in 2009.
By the mid-1960s, the population was diverse. Skilled workers, mid-level employees and civil servants lived here. There were also academics and self-employed individuals. The area’s population has shifted over the years. In 1961, about 12,400 people called Sonnenhügel home. By 2016, that number had decreased to around 8,900.
Before the Matthäuskirche, the district’s Protestants belonged to St. Marien parish. Since 1952, some belonged to the Paul-Gerhardt congregation. The Catholic community was under the Dompfarre. The Reformed community belonged to the Bergkirche. The 1950s saw these congregations build their own churches. They became independent.
Early on, the Protestant community held services in the “Goldeck” restaurant around 1950. From 1954, they gathered in the Paul-Gerhardt congregation’s kindergarten. Starting in 1955, pastors from Mariengemeinde preached in the Renthe-Fink-Haus. From 1957, the community met in the Albert-Schweitzer-Schule. Pastors from Mariengemeinde, Paul-Gerhardt and Bergkirche shared preaching duties.
Caroline Ebeling gifted the land for the Matthäuskirche. The building plans were approved by Mariengemeinde’s church council. Shortly after the cornerstone was laid on September 20, 1959, the Ev.-luth. Matthäus-Kirchengemeinde in Osnabrück was founded on October 1, 1959.
The new congregation included areas from Mariengemeinde and Paul-Gerhardt-Gemeinde. It also took over St. Marien’s sixth pastorate. Peter Rassow was the first pastor. He served from 1959 to 1964. Bishop Hanns Lilje consecrated the Matthäuskirche on October 30, 1960. The parish also maintained the Am Vogelsang kindergarten.
In 1965, Superintendent Kurt Degener called Matthäusgemeinde one of the city’s most important Lutheran congregations. It mainly consisted of young families with children. It was rapidly growing. The congregation had about 6,000 members. Plans were already in place to split it into two congregations.
By 1961, the parish had a second pastorate for Dodesheide. In 1965, a community center was inaugurated. On January 1, 1966, the second parish district separated. It became the Ev.-luth. Thomas-Kirchengemeinde in Osnabrück.
In the late 1960s, Pastor Hans-Neithardt Hansch held modern services. These services appealed to young attendees. By the 1980s, ecumenical activities led to the Ökumenischer Arbeitskreis. A fire destroyed large parts of the Matthäusgemeinde’s archive in 1989.
In the early 1990s, the Matthäusgemeinde expanded its partnership with Gedächtniskirchengemeinde in Leipzig-Schönefeld. The Osnabrück Thomasgemeinde also participated. In 2001, the Matthäus and Thomas congregations began cooperating in youth work. In April 2002, the Förderverein Kirchengemeinde Matthäus e. V. was founded.
The Matthäusgemeinde and the Thomasgemeinde founded the Ev.-luth. Gesamtkirchengemeinde An der Nette on January 1, 2024.
The Matthäuskirche itself is a rectangular brick building. It faces south-southwest. The community center connects to the northwest corner. Werner Johannsen designed it in 1959/60. The church features a pitched roof and horizontal window bands. A glass-brick wall marks the altar area. A large glass window is on the west side. Above the northeast entrance is a mosaic of concentric circles. Inside, a wood-paneled ceiling slopes in two directions. There are side balconies to the west and organ balcony to the north.
Klaus Arnold created a monumental mural on the altar wall in 1960. It depicts the parable of the wise and foolish virgins. The mural was restored in 1998. The community hall can be opened to expand the church space.
Colored glass mosaic windows by Klaus Arnold also depict the parable of the virgins. Oil lamps are in the western windows. Virgins are in the eastern ones. The rectangular brick tower stands before the southeast corner. It has a flat, copper-covered roof. A ball, cross and rooster adorn it. Vertical wood slats cover the bell chamber.
The Matthäuskirche stands as a testament to community. It reflects faith and resilience. Its story continues to evolve with Osnabrück.