Baptists from Russia in Germany

[Carsten Schermuly]

Ruth told me via phone,
she had been in a house in a village near Bad Gandersheim, Lower Saxony, that was serving as Guest house, bar, hotel and dancing floor. It was bought by immigrants from Russia two years ago. It is large (in relation to homes in Lower Saxony) - and was reconstructed, today do live in five families and the large dancing hall does serve as church.
She was very moved "I could feel the presence of the Lord, talking to the inhabitants".

The background is,
the people from Russia do not really come from Russia, they mostly do come from Kasachstan and have been citizens of the former Wolga Republic, Stalin has destroyed. They are germans with german personal papers, returning now to the country of their ancestors. In contrast to the empty traditions of the russian orthodox church they are known as Baptists - they do talk about themself as Baptists. They do follow by a clear and strictly life stile the teachings of holiness - without to follow a specified theology. It is the same like the Wesleyan theology - but was formed during generations by laymen.

We germans do in this case not differ and talk about the germans from Russia - and often people do talk about Russians - they are not - they are german. They do have my highest respect - because their upright mind in faith questions. I had some colleagues with this background. Once I return to Bad Gandersheim (now for some months in Berlin), I will see them - just to say "Hallo!" to come nearer to another.

They are a blessing for this country.

[Carsten Schermuly]

The name of that village is Sebexen.
Sebexen - east side (coming from the Harz Mountains) with the lutheran church


http://synergy-deutsch.de/cs/fuji1300/08dapr08/640/dscf0107a.jpg
larger copy 1280 x 960
http://synergy-deutsch.de/cs/fuji1300/08dapr08/1280/dscf0107.jpg


The white house with the scaffolding at left is it - Sebexen west side (in direction to Bad Gandersheim)
This photos I took on April 8th this year without to know what is going on in Sebexen.
The truck and workers in warning dress did come from the ground of the new owners - behind the main building is hidden the large dancing hall building (large like a barn), used now as church with a wide, comfortable parking lot.


http://synergy-deutsch.de/cs/fuji1300/08dapr08/640/dscf0108a.jpg

larger copy 1280 x 960
http://synergy-deutsch.de/cs/fuji1300/08dapr08/1280/dscf0108.jpg

[Dave McClung]

Ruth told me via phone,
she had been in a house in a village near Bad Gandersheim, Lower Saxony, that was serving as Guest house, bar, hotel and dancing floor. It was bought by immigrants from Russia two years ago. It is large (in relation to homes in Lower Saxony) - and was reconstructed, today do live in five families and the large dancing hall does serve as church.
She was very moved "I could feel the presence of the Lord, talking to the inhabitants".

The background is,
the people from Russia do not really come from Russia, they mostly do come from Kasachstan and have been citizens of the former Wolga Republic, Stalin has destroyed. They are germans with german personal papers, returning now to the country of their ancestors. In contrast to the empty traditions of the russian orthodox church they are known as Baptists - they do talk about themself as Baptists. They do follow by a clear and strictly life stile the teachings of holiness - without to follow ca specifies theology. It is the same like the Wesleyan theology - but was formed during generations by laymen.

We germans do in this case not differ and talk about the germans from Russia - and often people do talk about Russians - they are not - they are german. They do have my highest respect - because their upright mind in faith questions. I had some colleagues with this background. Once I return to Bad Gandersheim (now for some months in Berlin), I will see them - just to say "Hallo!" to come nearer to another.

They are a blessing for this country.

Carsten

There were a lot of people of German heritage living in Romania. When the Iron Curtain came down, most of them returned to Germany, leaving behind dozens fo beautiful "Saxon" Churches.

Here are some pictures I took of Saxon Churches in Romania.

[Carsten Schermuly]

Thank you for your hint to the "Siebenbürger Sachsen".
It was a conclave of german culture for some centuries - untruthful reason for the Nazis to say, it were a part of the Deutsches Reich and to connect it.

Correctly - it was an independent country - more bound on Hungary as contract partner than to any german country.

See Transylvania on WikiPedia english
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transylvania

Today the german population (just named as Saxonians, their ancestors are not really from Saxonia, they did come from many german countries) of Transylvania is very small, I remember to two percents, maybe I am wrong. Under respressalias of the Romanian state during socialism alot of germans did flee and after the wall felt, a big rest did leave Romania.

Many did disappear without tracks in socialistic KZs.
Because the many collaborateurs during WWII, the romanians did hate the german population.

The Siebenbürger Sachsen do live in general as lutherans - and there is an in Germany well known german talking lutheran highschool of theology, a theology seminairy. It is good to follow their announcements, well known theologicians do teach there or did come from.

[Carsten Schermuly]

More about the german minority in Romania from WikiPedia (not easy to find) - the country Banat or Siebenbürgen. Sieben - seven after the seven german towns, represented in heraldic as seven towers.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transylvanian_Saxons



Webpage of the lutheran theology seminairy Evangelische Akademie Siebenbürgen EAS
http://www.eas.neppendorf.de/akademie/pages/menue.htm


--- edited
a complete list of all german villages and towns in Romania - a mighty photo collection, including many aerial views
http://www.siebenbuerger.de/ortschaften/ortschaften_a_c.html


Example from first page under "A",
the end of a 850 year history - empty buildings, nobody is interested in. Parts are broken down as a source of building material - Romania today is still one of the poorest countries of Europe.

photo from 2004

http://www.siebenbuerger.de/ortschaften/abtsdorf_agnetheln/bilder/Schnappsch%FCsse_275c.JPG


photo from 1993

http://www.siebenbuerger.de/ortschaften/abtsdorf_agnetheln/bilder/CCI00012.jpg

[Carsten Schermuly]

Back to Sebexen

I always have in mind to look for contacts on a higher level.
The desire is to make the church stronger.
What were, such a "homeless" group of christians does pray for the connection to a church?
This were a chance to get the wesleyan bench to Bad Gandersheim.
Who knows?

See the former Sebexen guesthouse on Google maps
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=de&geocode=&q=&ie=UTF8&t=k&ll=51.824091,10.014312&spn=0.001767,0.005021&z=18
I guess, the meadow at left (unto the railway line) is part of.
The dancing hall is a wing on back of main building.
This town Bad Gandersheim is not my hometown, otherwise I could know a bit about its history. The parking lot does look as to be in the past the yard of a farm. I guess, it was a farm, later the guesthouse business was added.