- The controversial garrison church is opened by Steinmeier
Those who climb the stairs to the observation platform in the new Garrison Church tower can read the names of many donors on the mortared brick stones. Among the most prominent is Angela Merkel. But even Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom took on the patronage of a stone in 2015. At that time, the dispute over the Garrison Church in Potsdam and the question of whether it is permissible to rebuild the house of worship with such a difficult past was already in full swing.
It was considered a symbol of the connection between Prussianism and National Socialism. However, after a seven-year construction period, the opening of the tower with a Baroque facade and a modern interior is now imminent.
On August 22, it will be inaugurated with a ceremonial act, to which the federal president and patron of the reconstruction, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, is expected. This was announced by the program director of the Garrison Church Foundation Potsdam, the Protestant pastor Jan Kingreen, and the administrative director Peter Leinemann.
New observation tower with a view over Potsdam
Visitors can enjoy a 360-degree view from the 57-meter-high observation platform for the first time on August 23 – accessible by stairs or elevator. On a clear day, the view extends to Berlin. "New highlight in the heart of Potsdam" is the slogan on advertising posters that are also to be hung in the capital. The foundation hopes for 80,000 to 90,000 visitors in the tower per year.
A permanent exhibition titled "Faith, Power, and Military" will critically examine the difficult history of the former military church and political developments. There is also a chapel and seminar rooms for educational work in the tower. The Protestant Church wants to create a place for peace work and democratic education with this.
Church in the GDR blown up
The Garrison Church, built between 1730 and 1735, was a prominent feature of Potsdam's cityscape. It was heavily damaged during World War II and blown up on the orders of the GDR leadership in 1968. Work on the new tower, which is externally modeled on the historical original, began in 2017 – accompanied by protests from opponents. The first initiatives for the project date back much further.
Critics fear a meeting place for the right
The reconstruction of the historical Garrison Church has been controversial for years. Critics see it as a symbol of militarism and a meeting place for right-wing forces. They point to the historical "Day of Potsdam" in March 1933, when Reich President Paul von Hindenburg shook hands with the new Reich Chancellor Adolf Hitler in front of the Garrison Church.
Critics such as the initiative "For a Potsdam without Garrison Church" and the "Learning Site Garrison Church" of the Christian Martin Niemöller Foundation have been campaigning against the rebuilding since the beginning of the plans, fearing that it will once again become a meeting place for the right.
Administrative director Leinemann said: "I find what the AfD is doing with its campaigns, lies, and provocative statements absolutely intolerable. But it is also a challenge. And we want to face this challenge at this location – with facts and mediation."
The million-dollar construction project is being funded with federal funds and donations.
Construction costs, amounting to approximately 42 million euros according to the foundation, are primarily funded by the federal government. Around 30 percent of this sum has been raised through donations, according to program director Kingreen. Interested parties can donate not only for bricks (100 euros) but also for staircase steps (2,500 euros and 5,000 euros) in the tower, of which there are 365. Many supporters have already had their names immortalized on plaques on the staircase. Around 6,000 donated bricks have been laid, Kingreen said.
Construction continues
The tower is not yet fully complete. A 30-meter high cap with a weather vane still needs to be fabricated. It is scheduled to be placed on the structure in 2026, making it almost 90 meters tall, the highest building in Potsdam. The eight tower windows, currently sealed with Plexiglass, serve as a provisional measure. Originally planned wooden louvers were initially deemed too expensive, costing around 300,000 euros, Kingreen said. Talk of rebuilding the church nave has also largely ceased among the foundation's board.
Tickets are now bookable online
Tower tickets are already bookable online via the new website. Admission costs 12 euros for the exhibition and observation platform, the "Potsdam Panorama". Reduced tickets are 7 euros. The visitor platform can accommodate a maximum of 60 people at a time.
The Commission, in its consideration of the ongoing projects, decided to include the Garrison Church Foundation Potsdam in its funding scheme, thereby acknowledging their significant contribution towards historical preservation and peace promotion. After the adoption of this decision, the foundation announced that all donors, including prominent figures like Angela Merkel and Queen Elizabeth II, will have their names highlighted on the observation platform of the new tower.
