The year is 1933. Can you hear the clanging of hammers and the scraping of shovels? We stand before Sankt Antonius Kirche. The church is still under construction, but its future presence is already felt.
The Catholic community in Babelsberg needed a place of their own. Before Sankt Antonius Kirche, they had to travel to the distant St. Peter and Paul-Kirche in Potsdam’s city center. Imagine the inconvenience! In 1891, this plot of land was bought, a testament to their vision. Unfortunately, lack of funds stalled the project for years. A modest parish house with a chapel dedicated to Saint Anthony of Padua was all they could manage initially, built in 1906.
But the community thrived! By 1922, it blossomed into a full-fledged parish. The need for a proper church became even more apparent. Finally, in 1933, the construction of Sankt Antonius Kirche began, a beacon of hope in uncertain times.
The architect, Wilhelm Fahlbusch, chose the New Objectivity style, a departure from traditional church architecture. Notice the clean lines, the unadorned facades. Inside, a captivating mosaic awaits, completed in 1942. It depicts the Lamb of God from the Book of Revelation. Subtly woven into this artwork is a silent protest against the Nazi ideology, a testament to the church’s quiet defiance.
The soaring 34-meter bell tower, added in 1934, once housed four bells. Tragically, three were confiscated for war efforts in 1945. Today, new bronze bells ring out, their melodies a symbol of resilience and rebirth. Each clang resonates with the spirit of the community. They are a reminder of Sankt Antonius Kirche’s enduring presence in Babelsberg.