From Henry the Lion to 1943
A church without a roof leaves room for imagination. But at first, not so much of that is necessary. It is about remembering. This Gothic hall church was the starting point for the Reformation in Hanover. The Aegidienkirche was first mentioned in a document in 1163, on the occasion of a court feast of Henry the Lion. A small chapel probably stood here as early as the 10th century. It was then replaced by a Romanesque basilica in the 12th century. Later, Georg Friedrich Laves and Conrad Wilhelm Hase set their building accents. But then came the night of 9 October 1943, when the church was destroyed in a hail of World War II bombs. Only the outer walls with their typical triangular side gables and part of the tower remained standing.
The bells ring four times a day
While Hanover was being rebuilt after the war (see city models in the New Town Hall), it was decided to make this church a memorial. As a memorial to the victims of wars and violence, it has been open for events since 1952. The bells ring four times a day - at 9.05, 12.05, 15.05 and 18.05. As a special gift from the twin city of Hiroshima, the Peace Bell of 1985 is always tolled on 6 August. This commemorates the dropping of the atomic bomb (see also Hiroshima Memorial Grove).
The culture of remembrance is alive
However, 9 October serves to commemorate the hail of British bombers over Hanover. 1245 people lost their lives directly at that time. How Ursel Fuchs experienced this as a child in Südstadt was recorded in her book "Trümmer, Trauer, Traumata" (series Schriften zur Erinnerungskultur in Hannover, volume 7).
If you then take a closer look at the sculpture "Humility" in the interior, created by the Hanoverian sculptor Prof. Kurt Lehmann, and look up to the sky, you will find room for imagination and reflection. It is a venerable, admonishing place with a large window looking upwards.
