A chronicle of the Free Religious Community of Offenbach K.d.ö.R.

The decision is made to build a church of their own. Most of the construction costs are covered by loan obligations. The land is donated to the congregation partly by the city and partly by Johannes Hammardt. On August 31, the cornerstone is laid at Schillerplatz.

The Schlosskirchen congregation—later known as the Lutheran City Church—rents its church to the German Catholic congregation. Until then, meetings are held at the Ihmschen Haus (Karlstraße 12) and the Darmstädter Hof (Großer Biergrund 9).

After Pastor Johannes Georg Keilmann left, the congregation received administrative assistance for three years from friendly German Catholic congregations through Friedrich Wilhelm Flos (Frankfurt), Wilhelm Hieronymi (Darmstadt), Carl Hiepe (Wiesbaden), Dr. Josef O. Karl Brugger (Heidelberg), and preacher Leopold Henneberg (Osthofen).

Johann Martin Hirschmann, the last honorary mayor of the city of Offenbach, takes over as first chairman of the parish council after Joseph Pirazzi’s many years of service. Karl Ferdinand Kerbler, known for his sermon at the first church service, is elected pastor of the parish. He serves in this capacity until his death in 1868.

The ceremonial inauguration of the congregation’s place of worship takes place on May 9. At a subsequent banquet, Dr. Herrman Jacobson from the Berlin congregation donates 1,000 guilders to establish a free religious foundation.

Emil Pirazzi, historian from Offenbach and son of the community’s founder, represents the community at the founding of the Federation of Independent Religious Communities of Germany on June 16 and 17 in Gotha.

Upon their request, the German Catholic (free religious) community in Offenbach am Main is granted corporate rights by the Grand Ducal Ministry of the Interior in Darmstadt on June 24.

On the last day of the year, Joseph Pirazzi dies. His death is recorded in the parish death register by Pastor Heribert Rau. Rau, who was involved in the founding of the Frankfurt congregation as a merchant, studied theology and worked in Stuttgart and Mannheim before taking office on August 2, 1869, as the successor to Pastor Karl Ferdinand Kerbler, who left the congregation in July. He held his office in Offenbach until 1875. He is widely known for his writing, which includes biographical, aesthetic, cultural-historical, and scientific works. He died in Frankfurt in 1876.

The municipality, together with the Protestant and Catholic churches, is granted the right to levy taxes. While the municipality is searching for a new pastor, Friedrich Wilhelm Flos from Frankfurt, Wilhelm Hieronymi from Mainz, and Friedrich Albrecht from Ulm provide administrative assistance.

On May 18, Karl Voigt from Eisfeld in Thuringia is introduced as the new parish priest by the two parish chairmen Johann Martin Kappus and Emil Pirazzi. He studied theology, philosophy, zoology, and developmental science in Jena and has worked in various teaching positions. Voigt founds the parish magazine Die Morgenröthe (The Dawn) as “Leaves for Religious Reform and Humanity.”

The community choir is founded and will go on to perform at community celebrations and consecrations as well as public events for over 60 years.

On November 18, a ceremony is held to inaugurate the newly renovated interior of the Erbauungshalle. Gustav Rochow takes over as the first chairman of the congregation, a position he holds, with interruptions, until his death in 1916. From 1904 to 1907, the congregation is led by Georg Wilhelm Hirschmann, a lithographer from Offenbach.

To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the parish, “The Founding of the German Catholic Parish in Offenbach am Main: A Commemorative Publication on the First Half-Century Anniversary of its Existence by Emil Pirazzi” is published.

The Protestant Peace Church congregation is given use of the Erbauungshalle on Schillerplatz until their own church is completed (1912).

To support Pastor Karl Voigt and, above all, to conduct religious education in Offenbach, a second pastor position is advertised. Vicar Otto Bloch from Diedendorf applied for this position and was installed as pastor on December 15. However, after 17 years of service, he resigned from the parish in 1925 to the general regret of the community and returned to his position as a Protestant pastor in Dudenhofen.

The church assembly unanimously passes the historic resolution to refrain from celebrating communion from now on.

The community’s youth association is founded with 70 members. However, it is later dissolved during the Third Reich.

Pastor Karl Voigt, who retired on April 1, 1910, for health reasons, but continued to work within and outside the parish until his death on June 26, 1924, in Offenbach, was honored by the Grand Ducal Hessian State Government with the Knight’s Cross 1st Class of the Order of Merit of Philip the Magnanimous on the occasion of his 40th anniversary of service. Wilhelm Haeußer was elected as the first chairman of the community leadership and held this office until 1927.

The Federation of Free Religious Communities in Germany and the Civil Freethinkers’ Association merge to form the People’s League for Freedom of Thought. In October, communities in southwestern Germany, including Offenbach, form the Association of Free Religious Communities in Southern and Western Germany in order to preserve the old free religious tradition.

On his 40th birthday, November 1, Erich Schramm, a philologist with a background in philosophy and literature and a higher education teaching qualification, takes up his post as parish pastor. He devotes himself to youth work, cultivates international contacts, and in 1929 brings the parish youth group into contact with the Leiden International Bureau, later known as the International Religious Fellowship (IRF).

The women’s association of the community is founded with 40 members and meets for socializing and charitable purposes in the community hall, which is located in the house of soap manufacturer and board member Ludwig Kappus. Vocational school teacher August Raab takes over as chairman of the community for twelve years.

In the wake of fierce political and ideological disputes within the congregation, preacher Erich Schramm resigns from his duties, partly because of accusations of homosexuality. Pastor Clemens Taesler from Frankfurt is asked to provide administrative assistance. In August, the congregation assembly adopts a new constitution and takes on the name Freichristliche (freireligiöse) Gemeinde (Free Christian (Free Religious) Congregation).

On February 15, Max Gehrmann, who comes from the Free Religious Community in Munich, takes over the parish. Born in Elbing, the former Catholic priest renounced the Christian Church’s claim to absolute authority after his experiences as a military chaplain in World War I and his study of comparative religious science. The Southwest German Association renames itself the Free Religious Community of Germany. This enables it to avert a ban that was also threatening the Offenbach community in difficult negotiations with the highest party and government authorities.

In the spring, the interior of the consecration hall, whose character dates back to before the turn of the century, will be completely redesigned.

On December 20, the consecration hall on Schillerplatz is destroyed in air raids and burns down. This also destroys the five stained glass windows on the south side of the hall, which were designed in the 1920s by Dutch glass painter Jan Thorn Prikker and inscribed with texts by Offenbach calligrapher Otto Reichert. However, some of the community’s archive material is saved. Ludwig Limbert resigns from the office of first chairman, which he had held since 1939.

After the end of the war, another general meeting is held in October. School principal Fritz Herrmann becomes the community leader. Community events take place in restaurants, the Logensaal, and the pastor’s apartment on Rathenaustraße.

At a meeting of the independent religious communities of the three western zones in September in Offenbach, the Working Group of Independent Religious Associations is founded, which then reverts to its old name, the Federation of Independent Religious Communities of Germany, and soon afterwards merges with the Free Religious Community of Germany.

Now that the Offenbach youth group has been able to participate in international meetings again since 1950, the Freireligiöse Jungendbund Deutschlands (Free Religious Youth Association of Germany) has been readmitted to the International Religious Fellowship (IRF).

With festive events in September, the newly elected community leader Heinrich Becht will dedicate the lower rooms of the rebuilt consecration hall to their intended purpose. Although it is located within the old foundation walls, the interior has been completely redesigned as a community center.

The large chapel on the upper floor, which has now also been completed, is equipped with Offenbach’s first electronic church organ. Walter Manteuffel, elected as community leader, welcomes the delegates of the International Religious Youth Federation (IRF) congress to Rosenhöhe in Offenbach.

Pastor Max Gehrmann creates the “Educational Plan for Free Religious Instruction.” The congregation dissolves its post-war affiliation with the Free Religious Community of Hesse and thus also leaves the Federation of Free Religious Communities in Germany. It rejoins the federation in 1972 as an independent, large congregation operating beyond Offenbach.

In February, Pastor Diether Gehrmann begins his ministry in the congregation alongside his father Max Gehrmann. Immediately after the war, he was involved in rebuilding youth work and establishing international contacts with English and American Unitarians. After studying in Frankfurt, Mainz, Chicago, and Berkeley in the USA, he is ordained as a pastor. In the summer, the congregation is accepted into the International Association for Religious Freedom and Free Christianity (IARF) as part of a German working group.

The Schillerplatz Vorschau is published as a monthly community newsletter alongside the Morgenröte magazine, which now appears quarterly.

In January, the municipal office, established in 1958, moves into the newly completed parish and community center. Journalist Ulrich Maletzki is elected community leader. A year later, architect Heinrich Lehberger takes over as community leader. Signs pointing to the Free Religious Community are erected at all entrances to Offenbach, in line with the signs for the two major Christian churches.

In September, Helmut Manteuffel will be introduced to the congregation as the second pastor alongside Pastor Diether Gehrmann. After studying religious studies in Marburg, he completed his training as a pastor in Berkeley (USA).

The newly built youth center on Schillerplatz will be inaugurated in March. Dr. Joachim Bartsch will become the community leader. Pastor Helmut Manteuffel will be elected as the first German president of the International Religious Youth Federation (IRF).

Former commercial school director Dr. Fritz Eich is elected community leader. In the summer, an international pastor exchange begins between a Unitarian Universalist congregation in Philadelphia (USA) with Rev. Rudolf Gelsey and the Free Religious Community of Offenbach with Pastor Diether Gehrmann. The exchange ends in the summer of the following year, and Pastor Gehrmann himself takes over a Unitarian congregation near New York. He later becomes Secretary General of the International Association for Religious Freedom (IARF).

In January, the Association of Free Religious Communities is founded by the Free Religious Community of Baden, the Unitarian Free Religious Community of Frankfurt am Main, and the Free Religious Community of Offenbach, reviving the tradition of the former Southwest Association. In December, Jürgen Rasche is appointed as the second pastor of the community. He remains in this position until 1972.

City administrator Hans Kaufmann is elected as the new municipal leader. On the occasion of the publication of the poetry collection “Weltmelodie” (World Melody) and the “History of the Free Religious Community in Offenbach am Main,” Pastor Max Gehrmann is awarded the bronze citizen’s medal of the city of Offenbach in recognition of his work. He retired in 1961 but remained active in the community until shortly before his death on June 13, 1977.

The community is celebrating its 125th anniversary with a series of festivities from March 8 to 22.

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Manfred Menzel is hired as the second pastor alongside Pastor Helmut Manteuffel. He initially brings ecological issues into the parish work, and later ideas about genetic engineering. He leaves the parish in 1981 after heated disputes.

In order to provide free religious education, the parish concludes a contract with the Hessian Ministry of Culture. The parish acquires 124 original letters from the founding period of the German Catholic parish of Offenbach from a stamp collector.

The parish assembly decides to introduce a contribution system for all parishioners who are not subject to church tax.

Wolfgang Pilger, who comes from the employment services department, is elected as the youngest community leader to date at the age of 23. A full-time teaching position is created to intensify youth work.

Two old educational and charitable foundations from Offenbach and Frankfurt are being merged to form the Freireligiöse und Unitarische Stiftung (Free Religious and Unitarian Foundation).

The Frei-religiöse Sozialhilfswerk e.V. (Free Religious Social Welfare Organization) has decided to support the Frankfurt helpline for children and young people through membership.

After studying in Heidelberg and Erlangen and working as an assistant to the regional preacher of the Free Religious Community of Baden, Heinrich Keipp takes up the advertised position of pastoral assistant in the community at the beginning of the year. Four years later, he is elected pastor by the community assembly. “From House of God to Community Center” is the theme of the events celebrating the 125th anniversary of the consecration hall on Schillerplatz.

As part of job creation measures by the employment office, the municipality is providing jobs for five people in special programs.

The congregation receives the worldwide correspondence and manuscripts of its former preacher Erich Schramm from his estate.

After three years of planning and construction, the large chapel, which has been redesigned inside, will be handed over for use again in a public ceremony held by the community in March in conjunction with the community meeting.

The municipal assembly adopts its data protection regulations, which serve to protect against the misuse of personal data. Driving school owner Ulrich Urban is elected municipal council chairman.

In April, the congregation receives a new digital electronic organ. Six years later, a grand piano is purchased. On the occasion of his 25th anniversary of service, Pastor Helmut Manteuffel is awarded the bronze citizen’s medal of the city of Offenbach in recognition of his work.

To support parishioners living outside the city, Pastor Heinrich Keipp is launching a new parish program to organize events in the district.

Based on the draft resolution of the 1987 congregational meeting to obtain direct membership of the International Association for Religious Freedom (IARF), the congregation is accepted as an associate member at the beginning of the year. In order to expand its work with senior citizens, the newly created full-time position for senior citizen care is filled in May.

Since the 1970s, regular concerts have been held to showcase young musicians, and in the 1980s, a series of art exhibitions in the community was added to showcase visual artists. The community assembly has now decided on an expanded cultural program that goes beyond this as a contribution to the cultural life of the city of Offenbach.

With a festive cycle of 26 events and seven special projects, the community is celebrating its 150th anniversary under the motto: “The community is rooted in the past, lives in the present, and thinks about the future.”

The municipality is represented on the Internet for the first time at www.freireligioese.de with several pages.

Morgenröte, which previously appeared separately on a quarterly basis, will now be included as a supplement in four issues of the monthly Schillerplatz Vorschau.

The parish council draws up detailed rules of procedure and corresponding election regulations, which are adopted by the parish assembly the following year for future use. After providing financial support to the ecumenical initiative Soziale Not in Offenbach (Social Need in Offenbach), the parish decides to also participate practically in its “Food and Warmth for the Needy” campaign.

On September 21, the community bids farewell to Pastor Helmut Manteuffel, who is taking well-deserved retirement at his own request after 39 years of service. Mayor Gerhard Grandke honors Manteuffel with the City of Offenbach’s Town Hall Medal.

The designs for the artistic design of the consecration hall windows by Klaus Staudt, former professor and head of the “Visual Communication” department at the Offenbach University of Art and Design, will be presented to the congregation in December.

At an extraordinary municipal assembly on January 9, the municipality decides by a clear majority to “purchase a plot of land, including the construction and operation of a daycare center,” and commissions the municipal council to carry out the project. On September 25, the new windows of the consecration hall are officially handed over to the congregation in a ceremony. With a symbolic “groundbreaking ceremony” on September 27, construction work begins on the congregation’s own daycare center. At the same time, a dedicated website is set up for it at www.freireligioese-kita-offenbach.de.

With an open house on September 2 and an official inauguration ceremony on September 10, the daycare center of the Free Religious Community of Offenbach, headed by Monika Lehmler, will be handed over to its intended purpose.

On April 26, the congregation celebrates the 25th anniversary of its pastor Heinrich Keipp‘s service. To mark the occasion, Peter Guhl Publishers in Rohrbach/Pfalz is releasing a previously unpublished text by Arthur Drews on “The Ethics of Jesus” in brochure form. On October 30, the congregation congratulates Traudel Winkler, head of the parish office, on her 40th anniversary of service with, among other things, a certificate of honor designed by Offenbach calligrapher Christine Hartmann.

On May 23, the former Free Religious Youth Association of Germany is reactivated in Dietlingen as Free Religious Youth Germany. Three members of the Free Religious Community of Offenbach are elected to the board. At the same time, the Free Religious Youth of Offenbach reorganizes itself at the meeting. With its restoration, the first annual program for youth for 2010 is already published.

In August, the first charity dinner for the Women Help Women association will be held in aid of the Offenbach women’s shelter in the Free Religious Community of Offenbach under the patronage of Mayor Birgit Simon.

The organ in the Great Consecration Hall is beyond repair. A decision on the purchase of a new organ is to be made following an appeal to the parishioners.

The clear majority decision by the parishioners in favor of a new organ is followed in February by an appeal for donations, which is so successful that a new instrument can be ordered as early as December.