- One year after the church fire - Grosröhrsdorfer before the new beginning
A year after the devastating fire at the Protestant city church of Großröhrsdorf, optimism prevails regarding the rebuilding efforts in the municipality east of Dresden. The intention to rebuild the house of worship has led to a shift in the prevailing mood - "from shock and horror to confidence and anticipation," describes Stefan Schwarzenberg, pastor of the Evangelical parish, just before the anniversary of the disaster.
The jubilee on this Sunday will be celebrated with an open-air service and remembrance. "It's an important day to look back, express grief and gratitude, but also to seek God's blessing for the decisions ahead," said Thilo Daniel from the regional church office in Dresden. Many communities of the Saxon regional church also collected and donated - the support has been "overwhelming."
The late Baroque church was destroyed in the night of August 3-4, 2023, by arson. A third of the tower visible from afar collapsed, the flames destroyed the interior fittings, including historical art treasures and architecture - only the outer walls of the nave remained.
A week later, a family man with ties to the parish and the place was arrested as a suspect. The Regional Court of Görlitz sentenced him to nine years in prison for arson, with an appeal pending. The court was convinced that the man acted out of frustration over his family situation - causing damage of around 32 million euros.
A decision to build a new church on the same site was made as early as August 2023 - ideally incorporating the historical remains. The ruins have since been cleared of rubble and debris, covered with emergency roofs, and the stone floor from the 18th century secured. What can be integrated will be open after a stability check, said Jens Großmann, chairman of the church board.
The four heavily damaged, fire-cracked bells stand as silent witnesses to the inferno on the meadow in front of the entrance to the burnt-out shell. "People miss the ringing and the beautiful church space for major festivals like Christmas," said Schwarzenberg. But there is also grief mixed with looking ahead. "Some have rediscovered their faith," as shown in baptisms and re-entries.
Solidarity with committed Großröhrsdorf residents
The city and the parish stand together for their church, which is seen as a shared landmark, "a piece of identity and home," the pastor told. And the donation account shows that the sympathy and solidarity of Christians and non-Christians continues - with a total of 511,800 euros received by July 26.
Großmann reports "outstanding voluntary commitment" for the future of the city church. "Many members are investing significantly more time and energy than would normally be expected - this strengthens the sense of community." The survey on what it should look like will close at the end of August. "It's a great task, but really a century-building," said the pastor.
The arson that destroyed the Baroque church in August 2023 led to a significant loss, with damage estimated at around 32 million euros. Despite this tragedy, a family member of the parish was later arrested and sentenced to nine years in prison for the arson.
The arsonist acted out of frustration over his family situation, causing significant damage to the historical church and its valuable art treasures. Despite the devastating incident, the community and parish remain hopeful, with plans to rebuild the church on the same site, incorporating historical remains.
