382:. He ignored the preaching ban to which he was subjected and refused to be intimidated. From the perspective of one Christian commentator, "He continued to bear witness to the living God before the young people who were faced with a system that poured scorn and ridicule on a God that it tried to present as a fantasy figure". Supporters are convinced that, even though no other Catholic preacher was as openly critical of Communist ideology as he was, it was precisely on account of his popularity with his listeners that
312:) it was agreed that a monthly sermon directly expressly at young people should be delivered in the Leipzig deaconate. Father Gordian Landwehr was allocated the first of these. The reaction of listeners to that first sermon was so positive that the next time the priests met together the priest from "Leipzig South" proposed that Landwehr should take on the entire series of "youth sermons". The meeting agreed. Landwehr's reputation as a preacher grew rapidly. His regular "youth sermons" at the
428:"Eine großartige Leistung: Vielen Zehntausenden von Menschen Mut gemacht zu haben in einer Zeit, in der aller Anlaß bestand mutlos zu werden. Zehntausenden von Menschen aus dem Glauben Kraft gegeben zu haben in einer Zeit, in der es schon ein Risiko bedeutete, sich offen zu bekennen. Für Zehntausende von Menschen in diesem Sinne da gewesen zu sein, wer kann das schon von sich sagen?"
424:"A great achievement: to have given many tens of thousands of people courage at a time when there was much reason to despair. To have given tens of thousands of people the power to believe at a time when it was a risk openly to stand up . To have been there for tens of thousamds of people in this way, which of us can say that we did so much?"
533:
almost completely unscathed. Landwehr preached regularly at the church to his youth congregations, and he spoke out against the decision to destroy the church. The decision processes moved slowly, and it was only in
January 1968 that the architectural competition for the redevelopment took place.
538:
was nevertheless dynamited on 30 May 1968. Landwehr's opposition to the destruction of the church was widely supported, and a number of students and concerned citizens ended up in prison following street protests against it: Gordian
Landwehr again remained at liberty, however. The redevelopment
467:
became more impenetrable, but for most of the decade it remained possible to cross the border between the "two halves" of Berlin, although movement restrictions, chiefly from the eastern side, became progressively more obstructive. Neither his high public profile nor the candour of his preaching
638:
passed to a younger generation. After this partial retirement he nevertheless continued to preach at St. Albert and to other
Catholic congregations in the city. Commentators assert that his longstanding fearless preaching, and his refusal to "keep out of politics" where the theme of a sermon
349:. Nevertheless, the ruling parties could not be expected to welcome signs that a church organisation might be presenting itself as an alternative source of ideas or influence. Father Gordian Landwehr's popularity as a preacher did not go unchallenged in the media. An article appeared in the
337:
and a number of smaller towns. Young people seeking guidance remained a particularly important audience. There is an estimate that by the mid-1950s, beyond
Leipzig, he was preaching in fifty towns and cities, and was reaching nearly 20,000 older teenagers and young adults a month with his
369:
in West
Germany expected that Landwehr would be arrested at any moment and requested his return to the Federal Republic. He himself was certain that the East German authorities would have welcomed such an outcome. But with the backing of the recently appointed
316:
became a popular institution. Landwehr had always seen his move to East
Germany as something of a missionary project. He now began to travel extensively across the south of the country as a missionary-preacher, addressing congregations and listeners at
1122:
496:
who managed to make the trip across the border. (Friars in
Czechoslovakia generally had to conceal their religious connections from the authorities and undertake full-time day jobs in the secular world.) Appropriate special powers
476:. It would be a source of enduring regret that he was not even allowed out in order to be with his mother while she died or for her burial. The authorities also prevented him from attending his brother's funeral in the west.
462:
in, respectively, May and
October 1949. There was no sudden erection of barriers in 1949, however, and through the first part of the 1950s it remained possible for people to pass between West and East Germany. After 1952 the
727:
Pater
Gordian Landwehr wäre dieser Tage hundert Jahre alt geworden .... Der Leipziger Dominikanerpater Gordian Landwehr wäre am 30. Dezember 100 Jahre alt geworden. Pater Ralf Sagner erinnert an den DDR-weit bekannt gewordenen
479:
As vicar of the
Dominican province covering an East German state that was becoming ever more effectively sealed off from the west Father Gordian became progressively more autonomous in taking on full responsibility for all
488:. His activities as priest and overseer meant he was master of students and novice priest alike, as well as the order's point of contact for brother friars living and working - often "underground" - in the country's
539:
for which the church had been destroyed finally got under way in 1973 and was completed in 1978. Meanwhile, the venue for father Gordian's sermons to the students and other young people was switched to the city's
386:
did not move more decisively against Landwehr. In his autobiography he himself later recalled an off-the-record remark from a party official in the late 1970s: "Father, here you have the freedom of the
77:. The family were deeply religious. Two of his brothers also became priests and one of his sisters became a nun. When he was 13 he switched from the local middle school to the residential
660:"Er konnte damit den jungen Menschen, die sich einem System gegenübersahen, das Gott als Hirngespinst verächtlich und lächerlich zu machen versuchte, weiter diesen lebendigen Gott verkündigen"
448:
152:
by German soldiers. In his autobiography, which appeared in 1995, he wrote of the mass murder of Jews, because of which his medical unit had not handed Jewish servicemen over to
1117:
1112:
595:
406:
513:". (Travel restrictions for westerners wishing to cross to the east were never as severe as those imposed on most East Germans wishing to visit the west.)
879:
687:"Was würde es erst für einen Zusammenklang geben, wenn eine Jahrhunderte alte Sehnsucht endlich in Erfüllung ginge: Die Einheit der Christen in der Welt.
1087:
290:
956:
Stephan Lehnstaedt (22 November 2011). "Kirche und Kneipe: Unerwünschte Aktivitäten & "Aus der Osteuropäischen in die westdeutsche Verwaltung?".
297:. At the same time the bishop elevated the existing Roman Catholic pastoral ministry to the status of a full parish, under the sponsorship of the
1102:
216:
122:
988:
Statistics on church membership in German cities may be affected by the imposition on registered church members of compulsory state administered
156:
units accompanying the army. But he would nevertheless bitterly reproach himself that he did not have the courage to protect more people from
289:
in Saxony. A foundation stone was placed in October 1951 and just over a year later, on 15 November 1952, the church was consecrated by the
967:
937:
603:
551:
414:
819:
492:. There were extensive contacts with Dominicans in Poland, and a welcome in Leipzig for any of the small number of Dominican friars from
371:
148:, which he was able to combine, unofficially, with extensive pastoral work. He became aware very early on of war crimes committed in the
853:
468:
did anything to earn Landwehr any special travel privileges. Like (almost) all East German citizens, the unexpected appearance of the
635:
619:
587:
506:
278:
33:
530:
61:
Gorgian Landwehr was born fourth of the twelve children of Heinrich and Anna Landwehr. Heinrich Landwehr was a businessman-trader in
559:
452:
586:
in Leipzig was a practical demonstration of this. He was always happy to accommodate and Protestant pastors who asked to join the
521:
In or before 1964 it became known that the city authorities' plans to redevelop the entire university complex had been approved by
502:
383:
342:
622:: "There would be real harmony only if a centuries old yearning could finally be fulfilled: Christian unity in the world".
78:
583:
200:
176:
with congregations that included both local worshippers and off-duty German soldiers: this was strictly forbidden by the
1092:
615:
543:
204:
145:
983:
232:
1097:
485:
259:
169:
45:
993:
274:. Leipzig was (and remains) traditionally a Protestant city, but with a substantial Roman Catholic minority.
98:
722:
808:"Glaubensmut unter den Bedingungen des Sozialismus anhand der Predigten des Paters Gordian Landwehr (review)"
1006:. Geschäftsstelle der Forschungsgruppe Weltanschauungen in Deutschland und der Welt, Berlin. 18 October 2016
535:
526:
444:
313:
255:
251:
1035:
578:, the changes to which Father Gordian became particularly committed during the 1970s were those involving
254:
into which the western two thirds of Germany had been divided in 1945 were relaunched as respectively the
29:
266:. Landwehr accepted the request and during the first half of 1951 he made the journey from the west to
350:
639:
incorporated political issues, made him an important prophet for the leaders and participants in the "
1132:
1127:
1001:
730:. St. Benno Buch und Zeitschriften Verlagsgesellschaft mbH (Tag des Herrn), Leipzig. 21 December 2012
575:
402:
505:. To the extent that travel restrictions permitted, Father Gordian also encouraged the use of his
262:. In 1951 moving from west to east still involved a move in the opposite direction to that of the
640:
591:
464:
379:
239:
780:
133:
963:
957:
933:
901:
375:
141:
823:
358:
286:
161:
130:
86:
345:
to organised religion was not as relentless as that of sister parties in some of the other
1107:
611:
522:
481:
433:
417:
366:
298:
236:
25:
294:
215:. In May 1946, after approximately a year of captivity, he was able to return to his
493:
263:
173:
172:
remained (discreetly) the religion of a significant minority, he frequently celebrated
114:
79:
St. Joseph's Dominican Mission school (as the St.Thomas College was known at that time)
62:
41:
614:. In his brief reply Landwehr referenced the harmony between the church bells of the
1081:
220:
208:
153:
126:
118:
74:
121:
on 27 July 1938. Having concluded his studies he was transferred, in 1939, to the
997:
510:
489:
473:
472:
during the week of 13 August 1961 meant that for many years he was unable to visit
459:
455:
346:
149:
203:, he had become a prisoner of war. In the Autumn/Fall of 1945 he was moved to a
70:
902:"Geschichte der Pfarrei St. Albert in Leipzig-Wahren .... Pater Gordian Landwehr"
787:. St. Benno Buch und Zeitschriften Verlagsgesellschaft mbH, Leipzig. 21 June 1998
469:
271:
1034:
Prof. Dr. Peter Zimmerling (compiler) i.A. Universitätgottesdienst (May 2018).
301:. Gordian Landwehr became one of three priests responsible for the parish of
989:
330:
223:
where he quickly built a name for himself as a particularly effective priest.
106:
191:. Early in 1945 Gordian fled with other German soldiers and civilians from
1060:
579:
571:
555:
184:
177:
137:
1123:
Commanders Crosses of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
827:
250:
in order to take on a broader pastoral and missionary role. In 1949 the
509:
as an international meeting point for Dominicans from both sides of the "
326:
188:
110:
594:
and ecumenical training sessions. After reunification he received the
168:, where he was stationed for some time, and the surrounding area, where
334:
318:
267:
247:
212:
196:
102:
37:
136:
in September 1939 and on 1 November 1940 Landwehr was conscripted for
1036:"Pater Gordian Landwehr –"Mutiger Prediger in der Universitätskirche"
631:
607:
547:
388:
322:
302:
282:
192:
157:
140:. Between 1941 and the end of the war he served with the army as a
82:
66:
807:
1041:. Theologische Fakultät, Institut für Praktische Theologie, Leipzig
959:
Okkupation im Osten: Besatzeralltag in Warschau und Minsk 1939-1944
443:
The future division of Germany was implicit in the creation of the
378:, Gordian Landwehr chose to stay where he was, to the east of the
165:
40:. According to at least one source he was the most high-profile
673:
277:
In summer 1951 work began on the construction of what became the
984:"Religionszugehörigkeit der Bevölkerung in ausgewählten Städten"
354:
24:: 30 December 1912 – 11 June 1998) was a German
550:
and in the public eye during the late 1989 as the focus of the
308:
At a meeting of the priests of the Leipzig Catholic community (
781:"Dominikanerpater und Prediger Gordian Landwehr: Verstorben"
187:
was being relentlessly pursued back towards Germany by then
904:. Kloster, Konvent & Kirche St. Albert Leipzig-Wahren
634:
on health grounds in 1987, and in 1991 leadership of the
880:"Vesper und Festakt zum 10. Todestag von Pater Gordian"
630:
Father Gordian gave up his parish responsibilities in
447:
in 1945: it was made explicit with the launch of the
602:, and was honoured with a laudatory address from the
582:. His practical co-operation with pastors from the
380:
internal frontier between the two versions of Germany
285:. It was the first new church to be built after the
1000:(which included Leipzig) in 1956, but reimposed in
365:). After such an unsubtle rebuke, leaders of the
962:. Oldenbourg Verlag. pp. 177–187, 328–329.
951:
949:
231:At the start of 1951 he received a request from
854:"Zum 100. Geburtstag von Pater Gordian (+1998)"
775:
773:
771:
769:
767:
765:
399:
1061:"Chronologie der Universitätskirche St. Pauli"
763:
761:
759:
757:
755:
753:
751:
749:
747:
745:
717:
715:
713:
711:
709:
707:
705:
8:
1029:
1027:
1025:
1023:
1021:
117:. He was ordained into the priesthood by
89:). He graduated from the school in 1932.
1118:20th-century German Roman Catholic priests
923:
921:
919:
848:
846:
844:
501:) were delegated to Father Gordian by the
490:"fraternal neighbouring socialist states"
310:"...von Priestern im Leipziger Oratorium"
260:German Democratic Republic (East Germany)
97:That same year, on 12 May, he joined the
1113:20th-century German Catholic theologians
820:The Catholic University of America Press
264:main current of migration across Germany
246:) Province", that he should relocate to
930:Was ich erleben durfte (Autobiographie)
723:"Sein Predigen machte DDR-Obere nervös"
701:
652:
858:Festprogramm der Leipziger Dominikaner
529:which, miraculously, had survived the
525:. The plans involved blowing up the
405:Father Gordian was a recipient of the
256:German Federal Republic (West Germany)
160:. He took the opportunity to learn
7:
1004:as part of the reunification process
806:Donald J. Dietrich (January 2002).
65:, a small industrial town between
14:
546:, one of the largest churches in
1088:People from Oldenburg (district)
363:"Natoprediger im Jesuitengewand"
233:Father Dr. Wunibald Brachthäuser
576:political reunification in 1990
119:Auxiliary Bishop Joseph Hammels
1103:Members of the Dominican Order
812:The Catholic Historical Review
616:great Protestant parish church
445:four military occupation zones
252:four military occupation zones
34:St. Albert Dominican Monastery
1:
822:, Washington, D.C.: 143–145.
620:catholic St. Albert Monastery
460:"German Democratic Republic"
347:Soviet Bloc socialist states
28:and, for over a decade, the
357:preacher in the robes of a
235:, who at that time was the
158:National Socialist savagery
113:and, in May 1936, made his
1149:
996:). This were abolished in
676:; Sie können alles sagen."
486:German Democratic Republic
391:; you can say anything".
353:describing Landwehr as a "
227:German Democratic Republic
211:, near the coast north of
57:Provenance and early years
46:German Democratic Republic
928:Gordian Landwehr (1995).
456:"German Federal Republic"
1063:. Wieland Zumpe, Leipzig
499:"...eigenen Vollmachten"
343:East German ruling party
279:St. Albert parish church
207:prisoner of war camp by
932:. Verlag Styria, Graz.
882:. Bistum Dresden-Meißen
860:. Bistum Dresden-Meißen
672:"Pater, Sie haben hier
598:"Großes Verdienstkreuz"
409:"Großes Verdienstkreuz"
183:By the end of 1944 the
618:and those at his own
440:
154:Nazi paramilitary (SS)
828:10.1353/cat.2002.0014
552:Monday demonstrations
73:in the north-west of
636:St. Albert Monastery
588:St. Albert Monastery
570:While welcoming the
341:The approach of the
1093:Clergy from Leipzig
641:Peaceful Revolution
584:Protestant churches
560:return to democracy
544:St. Nicholas Church
503:Master of the Order
242:for the "Teutonia (
240:Provincial Superior
123:Dominican Monastery
109:) where he studied
99:Dominican community
604:Minister-President
592:spiritual retreats
484:activities in the
415:Minister-President
351:Sächsische Zeitung
201:time the war ended
1098:German Dominicans
969:978-3-486-70658-1
939:978-3-22212-307-8
531:wartime air raids
527:university church
465:physical barriers
314:university church
1140:
1073:
1072:
1070:
1068:
1057:
1051:
1050:
1048:
1046:
1040:
1031:
1016:
1015:
1013:
1011:
980:
974:
973:
953:
944:
943:
925:
914:
913:
911:
909:
898:
892:
891:
889:
887:
876:
870:
869:
867:
865:
850:
839:
838:
836:
834:
803:
797:
796:
794:
792:
777:
740:
739:
737:
735:
719:
690:
684:
678:
669:
663:
657:
596:Order of Merit (
453:Soviet sponsored
407:Order of Merit (
372:Bishop of Berlin
295:Heinrich Wienken
291:Bishop of Meißen
270:, traveling via
138:military service
22:Hermann Landwehr
18:Gordian Landwehr
1148:
1147:
1143:
1142:
1141:
1139:
1138:
1137:
1078:
1077:
1076:
1066:
1064:
1059:
1058:
1054:
1044:
1042:
1038:
1033:
1032:
1019:
1009:
1007:
982:
981:
977:
970:
955:
954:
947:
940:
927:
926:
917:
907:
905:
900:
899:
895:
885:
883:
878:
877:
873:
863:
861:
852:
851:
842:
832:
830:
805:
804:
800:
790:
788:
779:
778:
743:
733:
731:
721:
720:
703:
699:
694:
693:
685:
681:
670:
666:
658:
654:
649:
628:
612:Kurt Biedenkopf
580:Christian unity
568:
558:East Germany's
523:Walter Ulbricht
519:
441:
437:
434:Kurt Biedenkopf
430:
418:Kurt Biedenkopf
397:
395:Divided Germany
367:Dominican Order
299:Dominican Order
229:
178:German military
142:medical orderly
95:
59:
54:
26:Dominican friar
12:
11:
5:
1146:
1144:
1136:
1135:
1130:
1125:
1120:
1115:
1110:
1105:
1100:
1095:
1090:
1080:
1079:
1075:
1074:
1052:
1017:
975:
968:
945:
938:
915:
893:
871:
840:
798:
741:
700:
698:
695:
692:
691:
679:
674:Narrenfreiheit
664:
651:
650:
648:
645:
643:" of 1989/90.
632:Leipzig-Wahren
627:
624:
567:
564:
518:
517:Paulinerkirche
515:
494:Czechoslovakia
439:
438:
431:
425:
420:paid tribute:
398:
396:
393:
376:Julius Döpfner
303:Leipzig-Wahren
283:Leipzig-Wahren
228:
225:
199:where, by the
115:religious vows
94:
93:The Dominicans
91:
58:
55:
53:
50:
44:priest in the
42:Roman Catholic
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1145:
1134:
1131:
1129:
1126:
1124:
1121:
1119:
1116:
1114:
1111:
1109:
1106:
1104:
1101:
1099:
1096:
1094:
1091:
1089:
1086:
1085:
1083:
1062:
1056:
1053:
1037:
1030:
1028:
1026:
1024:
1022:
1018:
1005:
1003:
999:
995:
994:Kirchensteuer
991:
985:
979:
976:
971:
965:
961:
960:
952:
950:
946:
941:
935:
931:
924:
922:
920:
916:
903:
897:
894:
881:
875:
872:
859:
855:
849:
847:
845:
841:
829:
825:
821:
817:
813:
809:
802:
799:
786:
785:Tag des Herrn
782:
776:
774:
772:
770:
768:
766:
764:
762:
760:
758:
756:
754:
752:
750:
748:
746:
742:
729:
724:
718:
716:
714:
712:
710:
708:
706:
702:
696:
688:
683:
680:
677:
675:
668:
665:
661:
656:
653:
646:
644:
642:
637:
633:
625:
623:
621:
617:
613:
609:
605:
601:
599:
593:
589:
585:
581:
577:
573:
565:
563:
561:
557:
553:
549:
545:
542:
537:
532:
528:
524:
516:
514:
512:
508:
504:
500:
495:
491:
487:
483:
477:
475:
471:
466:
461:
457:
454:
450:
446:
436:
435:
429:
426:
423:
422:
421:
419:
416:
412:
410:
404:
394:
392:
390:
385:
381:
377:
373:
368:
364:
360:
356:
352:
348:
344:
339:
336:
332:
328:
324:
320:
315:
311:
306:
304:
300:
296:
292:
288:
284:
280:
275:
273:
269:
265:
261:
257:
253:
249:
245:
241:
238:
234:
226:
224:
222:
218:
214:
210:
206:
202:
198:
194:
190:
186:
181:
179:
175:
171:
167:
163:
159:
155:
151:
147:
146:Russian Front
143:
139:
135:
132:
129:. However,
128:
124:
120:
116:
112:
108:
104:
100:
92:
90:
88:
84:
80:
76:
72:
68:
64:
56:
51:
49:
47:
43:
39:
35:
31:
27:
23:
19:
1065:. Retrieved
1055:
1043:. Retrieved
1008:. Retrieved
998:East Germany
987:
978:
958:
929:
906:. Retrieved
896:
884:. Retrieved
874:
862:. Retrieved
857:
831:. Retrieved
815:
811:
801:
789:. Retrieved
784:
732:. Retrieved
726:
686:
682:
671:
667:
659:
655:
629:
597:
574:that led to
569:
540:
520:
511:Iron Curtain
498:
478:
449:US sponsored
442:
432:
427:
408:
400:
362:
340:
309:
307:
276:
243:
230:
182:
150:Soviet Union
96:
60:
21:
17:
15:
1133:1998 deaths
1128:1912 births
626:Later years
470:Berlin Wall
189:Soviet army
185:German army
170:Catholicism
1082:Categories
990:church tax
697:References
556:adumbrated
541:Protestant
221:Düsseldorf
209:Lütjenburg
127:Düsseldorf
107:Westphalia
81:at nearby
566:Ecumenist
507:Monastery
482:Dominican
384:the party
338:sermons.
237:Dominican
217:monastery
134:broke out
87:Oldenburg
71:Osnabrück
52:Biography
1067:7 August
1045:7 August
1010:6 August
908:6 August
886:6 August
864:6 August
833:6 August
791:6 August
734:6 August
728:Prediger
474:the west
327:Chemnitz
258:and the
111:Theology
572:changes
534:The
335:Zwickau
331:Görlitz
319:Dresden
268:Leipzig
248:Leipzig
213:Hamburg
205:British
197:Denmark
193:Gdingen
162:Russian
144:on the
103:Warburg
75:Germany
38:Leipzig
32:of the
16:Father
1108:Priors
966:
936:
608:Saxony
548:Saxony
536:church
401:After
359:Jesuit
323:Berlin
272:Berlin
244:German
164:. In
83:Vechta
67:Bremen
20:(born
1039:(PDF)
647:Notes
554:that
166:Minsk
63:Lohne
30:Prior
1069:2019
1047:2019
1012:2019
1002:1990
964:ISBN
934:ISBN
910:2019
888:2019
866:2019
835:2019
816:88/1
793:2019
736:2019
590:for
458:and
451:and
413:.
403:1990
389:fool
355:NATO
174:Mass
69:and
824:doi
606:of
361:" (
287:war
281:in
219:at
195:to
131:war
125:at
101:at
36:in
1084::
1020:^
986:.
948:^
918:^
856:.
843:^
818:.
814:.
810:.
783:.
744:^
725:.
704:^
610:,
562:.
374:,
333:,
329:,
325:,
321:,
305:.
293:,
180:.
48:.
1071:.
1049:.
1014:.
992:(
972:.
942:.
912:.
890:.
868:.
837:.
826::
795:.
738:.
689:"
662:.
600:)
497:(
411:)
105:(
85:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.