St.-Christophorus-Kirche

Amidst the hustle of Lübeck, a beacon of faith and community stands tall: St.-Christophorus-Kirche. St.-Christophorus-Kirche’s story begins in the mid-20th century. The eastern suburb of Lübeck, Eichholz, was sparsely populated. Residents initially belonged to St. Jakobi or Aegidienkirche. The journey to St. Gertrud-Kirche was quite long. Many Eichholz residents attended services at the closer Herrnburg village church. The Brandenbaum estate officially belonged to Herrnburg parish. St.-Christophorus-Kirche emerged from the changing landscape of post-war Germany. Homes were built for Schlutuper Werke workers. Lübeck residents, displaced by the 1942 bombing, found refuge here. The area also housed camps for prisoners of war and displaced persons. These refugees, from Danzig-West Prussia, East Prussia, and Pomerania, settled permanently, creating a new diverse community. St. Gertrud parish established a separate position for Eichholz and Brandenbaum (St. Gertrud IV). Services initially took place on the veranda of the Kaninchenberg manor. Later, a barrack on Im Fuchsloch street, named St. Johannis Brandenbaum, served as a worship space. After St. Thomas parish was founded in 1952, Eichholz-Brandenbaum became its second district. Just two years later, in 1954, Eichholz received its own church. The St.-Christophorus parish became independent on April 1, 1955. The continued development of Eichholz led to a second pastoral position and a new community center on Huntenhorster Weg. This also housed the second kindergarten. In the 1970s, social housing was built around the Brandenbaum estate. In 1979, a third community center, the Ansverushaus, was built on Mercatorweg, named after the Ratzeburg saint, Ansverus. Today, it serves for social and intercultural work. Neighborly relations with Herrnburg parish, severed by the German division, were re-established in 1989. Since the closure of the nearby Liebfrauenkirche in November 2024, St.-Christophorus-Kirche serves as a shared church for both Catholic and Protestant congregations. Designed by Lübeck architect Heinz Bahr, St.-Christophorus-Kirche was built in 1954, alongside a community hall, pastorate, and kindergarten. The cost-effective Trautsch-Pieper method, named after Lübeck contractors Erich Trautsch and Klaus Pieper, was used in its construction. Concrete arches form the framework of the nave and support the roof. The arches were filled with cinder blocks, whitewashed inside and out. The roof, covered with red tiles, features a ridge turret as a bell tower. The church’s simple design reflects the austerity of the post-war era. The interior is reminiscent of the Nissen huts that once housed refugees. St.-Christophorus-Kirche was consecrated on October 31, 1954. It was dedicated to Saint Christopher because a St. John’s church already existed in Lübeck. The parish received a carved wooden statue of Saint Christopher by Otto Flath. St.-Christophorus-Kirche stands as a testament to resilience and community, a place where diverse histories converge under a shared faith.