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Herrnhut belongs to the World Heritage - great success

Herrnhut, often called the 'Little Town of the World', has developed great influence over the more than 300 years of its existence. It has now been rewarded with an esteemed title.

,   and  Anne Legman
3 min read
The party was well-attended.
The party was well-attended.

heritage, cultural - Herrnhut belongs to the World Heritage - great success

Since Herrnhut became part of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites of the Herrnhut Brothers Community on Friday, the responsible committee of the UN Organization for Education, Science, Culture and Communication (UNESCO) made the announcement at its 46th session in New Delhi, India. The Saxon town is now the third site in the Free State with a World Heritage title.

The citizen festival was celebrated on Saturday evening in Herrnhut. Among the guests was the Saxon Minister-President Michael Kretschmer (CDU). He wrote on the platform X: "Without the people here, this great success would not have been possible." Work on the application started in 2017. "Saxony will still benefit from this important work and passion that led to the UNESCO World Heritage title for many years to come."

The mayor of Herrnhut, Willem Riecke, expressed his joy. "I'm glad that we can touch this matter here in the town and in the region and make something good out of this World Heritage status," he told MDR.

Brotherhood founded in Herrnhut in 1722

Herrnhut is the origin of the Evangelical Brotherhood. Refugees from Moravia founded the place in 1722. The missing "d" in the name of the Brotherhood is due to the language of that time, the term "community" came later.

As the Brother-Unit spread worldwide, missionaries from Upper Lusatia also brought the building plans for new settlements to other countries. With Christiansfeld in Denmark, one of them was already acknowledged as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2015. Through a transnational extension application, Herrnhut in Upper Lusatia was added to the list, along with the settlements Bethlehem in Pennsylvania, USA, and Gracehill in Northern Ireland.

The focus of the Brotherhood on communal living

The settlements of the Brotherhood feature a simple, clear architecture with a focus on communal living, work, and faith, said Saxony's State Chancellor Conrad Clemens. He has been a member of the Herrnhuter Brotherhood since birth, in which his father is a pastor, and followed the UNESCO World Heritage Committee session on site.

"It's an idea of communal living that is based on openness, equality, and almost familial togetherness," he said in an interview with the German Press Agency. The title is "a beautiful sign for Saxony, especially in a time when we experience a lot of division and polarization."

The Brother-Unit – Herrnhuter Brotherhood was also pleased with the recognition. "We see this as a recognition of the values for which our church stands: spiritual life in community, connection beyond borders, trusting listening to God's Word," said Pastor Peter Voigt. They did not want to be a museum. "For us, World Heritage means shaping the Herrnhuter tradition for the present and filling the old buildings with life."

53 World Heritage sites in Germany

On Saturday, the committee in New Delhi decided on another German application: The Residence Ensemble Schwerin also received the title. The Schwerin Castle and other parts of the historic old town form the Residence Ensemble. It suffered no bomb damage during World War II and extends to the main train station with its formerly reserved room for the ruling family, the Fürstenzimmer.

The World Heritage Committee usually decides annually on the registration of new cultural and natural sites in the World Heritage List and deals with the condition of inscribed sites. On the World Heritage List there are over 1,200 cultural and natural sites in 168 countries. 56 of these are considered endangered. Germany currently has 53 World Heritage Sites.

  1. The Herrnhut Brothers Community, established in 1722 in Germany, has recently been recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the town of Herrnhut.
  2. The announcement was made during the 46th session of the UNESCO's responsible committee for Education, Science, Culture, and Communication in New Delhi, India.
  3. The Ore Mountains town of Herrnhut is now the third site in Saxony to hold this prestigious title.
  4. The Saxon Minister-President Michael Kretschmer (CDU) attended the citizen festival in Herrnhut and acknowledged the role of the local community in achieving this achievement.
  5. The Brotherhood's focus on communal living, work, and faith is reflected in the simple, clear architecture of its settlements, which spread worldwide, including Christiansfeld in Denmark, recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2015.
  6. The Herrnhuter Brotherhood, originating from Herrnhut, appreciates the recognition as a sign of their values: spiritual life in community, connection beyond borders, and trusting listening to God's Word.
  7. The World Heritage Committee also recognized the Residence Ensemble Schwerin in Germany during their meeting in New Delhi, expanding the country's total to 53 World Heritage Sites.
  8. The committee's annual session involves the registration of new cultural and natural sites in the World Heritage List and addressing the condition of the currently listed sites, totaling over 1,200 in 168 countries.

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