Religion in Senftenberg
Until the Reformation Senftenberg was Catholic. By Duke Heinrich der Fromme in 1539, the
Protestant faith was introduced in Senftenberg, as in all parts of Albertine Saxony. The main
Protestant church was the Peter and Paul Church in the market sqare near the Wendish
Church.
Only with the industrialization and the associated influx of industrial workers from other
areas, the percentage of Catholic population increased. The first Catholic church service
after the Reformation took place on 20 November 1887 in the former Hotel Baranius near the
railway station. Soon after that, a Catholic interim church in the north of the city in Calauer
Street was hallowed. When it became too small, too, they began to build a new church. Due
to the currency devaluation the building work was delayed and the Catholic Church of St.
Peter and Paul was consecrated by the Bishop from Breslau on 25 May 1925.
In 1900 4455 Protestants, 912 Catholics and six Jews lived in Senftenberg.
Besides the two large churches in Senftenberg there are a Free Evangelical church, the
community of Seventh-day Adventists, the Church community and the country's Independent
Evangelical-Lutheran Church (SELK). The Church of SELK is located near the old cemetery
in the former suburb Jüttendorf. It was consecrated in 1900 as the Old Lutheran Church.
When this church was built, it stood on an open field, now it is surrounded by blocks of flats.
Today, about 2,300 Protestants live in Senftenberg, they represent about 8 per cent of the
population. Senftenberg is part of the deanery Lübben-Senftenberg of the Catholic Diocese
of Görlitz. They aren´t any Jewish and Muslim communities in Senftenberg.
History of the Peter and Paul Church Senftenberg
The church was probably built in the second half of the 13th century. At the end of the 15th
century the sacristy was added in the northeast. At the beginning of the 16th century the
church was completed.
In all the great fires, including 1509, 1641 and 1717, the church was damaged and destroyed
as well as the tower with the bells.
In 1539 the Reformation was introduced in Senftenberg. A year later, for the first time a
Wendish Church in Senftenberg is mentioned. In contrast to the Wendish church the Peter
and Paul Church is also called the German Church.
The church was rebuilt in the 17th and 18th centuries. An extensive renovation was designed
by architect Zieetz from Eutin in 1891 and 1892. Instead of the low pitched roof the church
got a tower structure with a clock tower. The height of the tower is about 60 meters. The pew
and the gallery were created in Gothic Revival style.
During World War II, the church was badly damaged by artillery fire on 20 and 21 April 1945.
The cupola, the tower, the roof of the church and the nave were destroyed. The church was
rebuilt between 1951 and 1958.
In the years 1985 and 1986 a tower roof, which was missing up to this point was placed. This
hip roof reminiscent in shape to the original form of the church tower.