Can a church be a refuge? For the Mennonitengemeinde zu Hamburg und Altona, the answer is a resounding yes. The Mennonitengemeinde zu Hamburg und Altona began in 1601. The community found its first home in Altona, under the protection of Count Ernst of Schaumburg and Holstein-Pinneberg. He granted them refuge in a district called “Grosse Freiheit,” meaning “great freedom.” This freedom wasn’t just religious, but also economic. Mennonites were allowed to practice their trades and bury their dead without interference. The Mennonitengemeinde zu Hamburg und Altona thrived. Skilled merchants, shipbuilders, and even whalers bolstered the local economy. They built their first meetinghouse in 1674 on Grosse Freiheit, but it was destroyed by fire in 1713 during the Great Northern War. Undeterred, the community rebuilt in 1715, again on Grosse Freiheit. This new church stood as a testament to their resilience. The Mennonitengemeinde zu Hamburg und Altona wasn’t without internal conflict. A group called the Dompelaars, who practiced adult baptism by immersion and foot washing, split from the main congregation. They even built their own church on Grosse Freiheit, under the leadership of Jakob Denner, a charismatic preacher whose sermons drew people from all faiths. This division lasted for decades until the Dompelaars eventually rejoined the main congregation. The Mennonitengemeinde zu Hamburg und Altona faced challenges from outside as well. The Lutheran clergy in Hamburg saw them as a threat and tried to restrict their activities. But the city’s secular authorities recognized the Mennonites’ economic contributions and defended their right to worship. During World War II, the historic church on Grosse Freiheit was destroyed by bombing in 1944. But the community had already built a new meetinghouse in 1915 on Mennonitenstrasse, which remains their home today. The Mennonitengemeinde zu Hamburg und Altona continues to be a vibrant community. It stands as a symbol of resilience, a testament to the enduring power of faith and community in the face of adversity.
Allerheiligen Kirche
Hidden within Hamburg’s Neugraben-Fischbek district lies the Allerheiligen Kirche. It serves as a spiritual home for Ukrainian immigrants. The Allerheiligen