St. Nikolai, Kiel

St. Nikolai, known locally as Nikolaikirche, stands as the oldest building in Kiel, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. This magnificent edifice is not just a place of worship but a testament to centuries of history, architectural evolution, and cultural significance. Located at the heart of the Old Market (Alter Markt), St. Nikolai has been a silent witness to the city's transformation over the ages.

The History of St. Nikolai

The origins of St. Nikolai date back to shortly after the founding of Kiel by Count Adolf IV of Schauenburg and Holstein around 1242. Initially constructed as a Gothic hall church, it underwent significant renovations a century later, inspired by St. Peter's Church in Lübeck. This transformation included the addition of a long choir, resulting in a brick hall church with a nearly square nave and a single-aisle choir. However, in 1486, a lightning strike caused a devastating fire, necessitating a complete rebuild.

In the early 16th century, the church saw further modifications with the integration of the tower and the addition of the Rat and Rantzau chapels. The Reformation reached St. Nikolai in 1526, led by Marquard Schuldorp. The following year, Melchior Hofmann's apocalyptic sermons stirred unrest in the city, further fueled by accusations of corruption among the city's elite and the Catholic parish priest Wilhelm Pravest from the Augustinian monastery in Bordesholm.

St. Nikolai's history is marked by several dramatic events. On February 2, 1771, during a service attended by Archdeacon Meißner, lightning struck the tower. Although the lightning did not ignite a fire, it caused injuries that led to Meißner's death days later. Another significant incident occurred in 1760 when a nearby house fire threatened the church. Quick action by Pastor Konrad Bruns and his helpers prevented a disaster by extinguishing the flames on the church's roof.

The church underwent a neo-Gothic transformation between 1877 and 1884, which included a new facade and the removal of 17th-century burial chapels. The interior was also redesigned to reflect contemporary tastes. However, World War II brought severe damage to St. Nikolai. An Allied air raid on May 22, 1944, left the church in ruins, with the burning tower and roof collapsing through the vaults of the nave and southern aisle. The subsequent reconstruction, led by architect Gerhard Langmaack in 1950, introduced modern elements like concrete pillars and a steel-reinforced concrete ceiling, while the exterior received a simple gable roof.

The Treasures of St. Nikolai

St. Nikolai houses several priceless art pieces and historical artifacts. The oldest is the bronze baptismal font by Hans Apengeter, dating back to 1344. This masterpiece is one of the oldest of its kind, following the fonts in Wismar (1331) and Lübeck (1337). Other notable artworks include the Patriarchs' Altar from around 1460, featuring 16 panels with 20 carved reliefs depicting scenes from the lives of the patriarchs. This altar originally belonged to the Franciscan monastery church and was moved to St. Nikolai after the Reformation in 1542.

The church also boasts a late Gothic triumphal cross and a retable depicting the Baptism of Christ, both from around 1490. A late Gothic crucifix from the second half of the 15th century resides in the Room of Silence. The baroque wooden pulpit, crafted by Theodor Allers in 1705, was donated by Henning von Wedderkop to replace an earlier pulpit from 1522. Additionally, St. Nikolai is home to the oldest Coventry Cross of Nails in Germany, a symbol of reconciliation and peace, presented in 1947.

The Bells of St. Nikolai

St. Nikolai's bell tower houses the heaviest and deepest-sounding bells in Kiel. In 1722, Lübeck's city bell founder Lorenz Strahlborn cast a new bell with a strike note of C, which remains in the tower today. In 1922, the Schilling foundry in Apolda added three more bells with the strike notes G, B, and D. The largest of these, named the Resurrection Bell, is the heaviest in Schleswig-Holstein. Remarkably, all four bells survived World War II intact and continue to ring out from the tower today.

The Spirit Fighter

The Spirit Fighter, a bronze sculpture by Ernst Barlach, is one of St. Nikolai's most intriguing features. Commissioned by the city of Kiel, this expressionist piece depicts an angel wielding a sword, symbolizing the triumph of spirit over evil. Despite initial public rejection, the sculpture was installed without ceremony in 1928. The Nazis removed it in 1937 as degenerate art, but it was saved from destruction and hidden in Schnega by Barlach's friend Hugo Körtzinger. After the war, the city repurchased the sculpture, and it was placed at St. Nikolai in 1954. Additional casts of the Spirit Fighter can be found at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts and the Gethsemane Church in Berlin.

The Organs of St. Nikolai

St. Nikolai boasts three impressive organs. The main organ, created by Detlef Kleuker in 1965, features three manuals and a pedal with 45 stops. Despite technical issues due to its plastic wind chests and electrification, it was renovated in 1998 by Ulrich Babel and re-intoned by Eppo Rynko Ottes. The organ contains 3,288 pipes, with the lowest note being C (16.35 Hz) and the highest G (12.54 kHz).

The church also houses a two-manual choir organ by Charles Mutin, built in 1920 and originally located in a church in Tourcoing, France. After the church was deconsecrated in 1995, the organ was restored and installed at St. Nikolai in 2003. This side-playing organ can also be played electrically from the main organ console.

The Pomeranian Chapel

In 1954, Schleswig-Holstein adopted a sponsorship for displaced Pomeranians, leading to the re-dedication of the former council chapel as the Pomeranian Chapel. The chapel floor features mosaics depicting the province of Pomerania and its cities' coats of arms. A tapestry created between 1959 and 1961 by Else Mögelin and Brigitte Schirren illustrates the connection between Kiel and Stettin, highlighting the 1542 church ordinance handed to King Christian III by the Pomeranian reformer Johannes Bugenhagen. The chapel also contains a memorial stone for Stettin cantor Carl Loewe, who spent his last years in Kiel and served as an organist at St. Nikolai. Two stained glass windows, donated by the Pomeranian Landsmannschaft and created by Stettin artist Lotte Usadel, were installed in 1957 and 1958. One window depicts Loewe's organ in St. Jacob's Church, Stettin, while the other connects the suffering of flight and expulsion with the crucifixion of Christ.

St. Nikolai is not just a church; it is a living museum of history and art, a place where the past and present converge. Whether you are a history enthusiast, an art lover, or simply a curious traveler, a visit to St. Nikolai in Kiel offers a profound glimpse into the rich tapestry of human history and culture.