German Church, Christchurch

German Church
German Protestant Church
German: Deutsche Kirche
The German Church in 1898
Map
43°31′50″S 172°37′53″E / 43.53062°S 172.63137°E / -43.53062; 172.63137
LocationCorner Worcester and Montreal Streets, Christchurch
CountryNew Zealand
Previous denominationLutheran
History
Status
  • Parish church (1874 – 1881)
  • Community hall (1882 – 1918)
  • Government property (1918 – 1933)
Architecture
Architect(s)Isaac Jacobsen
StyleGothic Revival
GroundbreakingNovember 1872
Completed14 May 1874
Construction costNZ£1000
Demolished1933
Specifications
Capacity230
MaterialsTimber
BellsThree
Tenor bell weight22 long cwt (2,500 lb or 1,100 kg)

The German Church (German: Deutsche Kirche), also known as German Protestant Church, was a Lutheran church in Christchurch, New Zealand. It was built in 1872 when Christchurch had a growing German population.

After the congregation encountered financial struggles in the 1880s, the church building was sold to private hands and operated as a community hall. The church building was confiscated in 1918 by the New Zealand Government and the church bells melted down in the aftermath of World War I when there were strong anti-German feelings in New Zealand.[1] The church building was demolished in 1933 and made way for a parish hall.[2][3] The site of the Deutsche Kirche is today occupied by the Christchurch Art Gallery.[4]

  1. ^ Derby, Mark (9 February 2015). "Diverse Christian churches – Lutheran, Dutch Reformed and Brethren churches". Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Retrieved 28 May 2016.
  2. ^ "A Landmark To Go". The Press. Vol. LXVIII, no. 20550. 19 May 1932. p. 8. Retrieved 12 June 2016.
  3. ^ "Old Landmark". The Press. Vol. LXIX, no. 20807. 17 March 1933. p. 13. Retrieved 12 June 2016.
  4. ^ "Bulletin 131 of the Christchurch Art Gallery" (PDF). Christchurch Art Gallery. December 2002 – February 2003. Retrieved 12 June 2016.