In strong community for the Frauenkirche

The Society for the Promotion of the Frauenkirche Dresden e. V. supports the rebuilt Frauenkirche in its mission as an Evangelical Lutheran house of worship and as a place that promotes peace and reconciliation.

What we do

Appeals for donations for the preservation of the unique building and own projects such as the Christmas Vespers as the largest regular open-air church service in Germany form the core of the association's work. This has its origins in the citizens' initiative that once called for the reconstruction of the Frauenkirche. The »Appeal from Dresden« was published on February 13, 1990. It triggered an unprecedented willingness to donate throughout the world.

Projects

Among other things, we support the Frauenkirche Dresden Foundation in the care and maintenance of the church building. The Foundation is the landlord of the church. It is responsible for the care, maintenance and use of the rebuilt church. In these tasks, we offer support in many ways. We collect donations and in addition to our own events, we also regularly forward financial resources to the Foundation. By making substantial contributions to the upkeep of the building, we can help to ensure that the Dresden Frauenkirche, which has been uniquely rebuilt, will continue to be preserved and filled with life in the future largely without public subsidies.

Since 1995 we have been publishing a series of scientific publications on art-historical, urban planning and cultural-religious questions concerning the Dresden Frauenkirche. In our yearbook "Die Dresdner Frauenkirche" we illuminate a variety of topics at the highest scientific level. A team led by former state conservator Prof. Dr. Heinrich Magirius oversees the publication of the series, which the publishing house Schnell & Steiner (Regensburg) has included in its program.

Every year on December 23, Germany's largest regular open-air church service takes place in front of the Frauenkirche Dresden on Neumarkt square. The Support Society has been organizing this special event since 1993. The moving Christmas Vespers feature excellent choirs, soloists and the brass ensemble of Ludwig Güttler, who is also the musical director. The Bishop of Saxony, the Prime Minister of the Free State of Saxony, the Superintendent, the Mayor of Dresden and the pastors of the Frauenkirche churches participate. Since 2012, the event has been broadcast live on television and can thus be experienced from afar.

Every year in October, on the weekend of the Church Consecration Festival, you are invited to Dresden for an attractive program around the Frauenkirche. Our general meeting is embedded in the festivities. This provides many opportunities to attend concerts in the Frauenkirche and to exchange ideas, not least between our circles of friends. Friends of the Frauenkirche gather and enjoy a festive reception, take part in exclusive guided tours to architecturally and historically significant places in Dresden, and listen to lectures by prominent speakers. The spiritual highlight is the festive church service in the Frauenkirche.

Every year on the day of the destruction of Dresden in 1945, we invite to commemorate and remember the historic events in a dignified way without any political appropriation. You can place candles at the Frauenkirche and engage in conversation. Since 2010, our "Dresden Memorial Trail - On the Way to Reconciliation" has led to the sites in Dresden that commemorate the guilt and suffering of the Germans in World War II.Already since 1982, the ruins of the Frauenkirche and the mountain of rubble were places of peaceful remembrance, initiated by the Christian peace movement in the GDR.

Let us invite you to our monthly lecture series! Since 1998, renowned scientists, theologians, artists and politicians have been explaining in their lectures topics such as the history and reconstruction of the Frauenkirche, architectural and monument preservation issues from its immediate surroundings, technologically or stylistically related examples from Germany and Europe, and civic engagement in our society.

Join us for the annual weekend together with people who are connected by their interest and volunteer work for the Frauenkirche! Since 2007, we invite friends of the Frauenkirche Dresden once a year to the "Frauenkirchentag" outside Dresden. This is organized by our circles of friends. They supported the reconstruction of the church in a considerable way and continue to be closely associated with the Frauenkirche. Moving highlights are the church services with the participation of a Frauenkirche pastor and the concerts with prominent soloists and ensembles.