UNESCO adapter Saaxon town Herrnhut
Herrnhut in Saxony emerged in 1722 - under the "Lord's Hat" the church settlement was supposed to stand. Since then, it has developed great radiance far beyond the country's borders. Now UNESCO recognizes this and makes the small town in Upper Lusatia number 53 on the German World Heritage List.
The UNESCO, the UN organization for education, science, culture and communication, has designated the Saxon town of Herrnhut as part of the Settlements of the Moravian Church as a new World Heritage site. The responsible committee of UNESCO made the decision known at this Friday's 46th session in New Delhi, India.
Herrnhut is the origin of the Evangelical Moravian Church. Refugees of the faith from Moravia founded the place in 1722. The missing "d" in the name of the community "Brethren Church" is due to the language of the time, as one still spoke of Gemeine.
New Settlements in other countries
Later, as the Moravian Unity spread worldwide, missionaries from Upper Lusatia also brought the building plans for new settlements to other countries. One of them, Christiansfeld in Denmark, was already acknowledged as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2015.
Herrnhut is now on the list itself through a transnational extension application. The city in eastern Saxony applied for recognition together with Bethlehem in Pennsylvania, USA, and Gracehill in Northern Ireland.
"United in diversity"
The president of the German UNESCO Commission, Maria Böhmer, was pleased with the decision of the World Heritage Committee. "The settlements of the Moravian Church stand for cultural and spiritual exchange across country borders and continents. They are united in diversity and thus a symbol for the World Heritage idea."
Count Nikolaus Ludwig von Zinzendorf (1700-1760) once offered the Protestant refugee settlers from Moravia land for settlement in Upper Lusatia. Exactly on June 17, 1722, the carpenter Christian David felled the first tree to build the new place under the "Lord's Hat".
Germany now has 53 World Heritage Sites.
The UNESCO World Heritage Committee is still in session until Wednesday. A decision on another possible German World Heritage Site is expected on Saturday. It concerns the Residenzensemble in Schwerin, which consists of approximately 40 different buildings. The center is Schwerin Castle, in which the Landtag of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern has its seat today. Schwerin's state capital has been on Germany's World Heritage List nomination list for ten years.
The recognition of Herrnhut as a World Heritage site by UNESCO underscores its significant impact beyond Saxony, reflecting the international spread of the Moravian Unity. The Moravian Church, which originated in Herrnhut, has also influenced the establishment of new settlements in other countries, such as Christiansfeld in Denmark, which was recognized in 2015.
The successful transnational application for World Heritage status by Herrnhut, Bethlehem in Pennsylvania, USA, and Gracehill in Northern Ireland, showcases the global unity and diversity that the Moravian Church embodies.
This international recognition of Herrnhut aligns with UNESCO's commitment to promoting cultural and spiritual exchange across borders, as emphasized by the German UNESCO Commission President, Maria Böhmer.
