Nikolaikirche

We arrived in Leipzig, checked into the hotel, and went out to the Christmas Market to eat. More on that later though. We had three objectives for today: Nikolaikirche, Thomaskirche, and Goerderler Monument.

We started with the Nikolaikirche, mainly because we had passed it already and knew where it was.

Saint Nicholas Church, a Catholic turned Lutheran church, was originally built in 1165 as a Romanesque church. In the 1500s, it was renovated into the Gothic Hall Style it has to this day. Baroque elements were added in the 1700s, notably the tower and portal. Today, it's a shared church, in use by both Protestants and Catholics.

One of Leipizg's many important places tied to music, JS Bach was the musical director at Nikolaikirche after his appointment to the Thomaskantor post over at St Thomas. Several of his works debuted here including Saint John Passion (BWV 245 if you're interested in listening to it) and the Christmas Oratorio (BWV 248). Yeah, I like Bach. He's one of my favorite composer, sorry.

The church was a flash point for the Peaceful Revolution and the eventual downfall of the Communist government in East Germany. Pastor Christian Führer began holding peace prayers every Monday in the church. The prayer meetings grew in popularity, attracting members of the more vocal and open opposition to the government. In the opening months of 1989, the government, through the Stasi, attempted to end the prayer meetings: blocking streets, and arresting random attendees outside as well as inside the church.

This only emboldened the opposition, and more people came each week. On October 7, 1989, the fortieth anniversary of the East German state, protests occurred around the city. Hundreds were beaten and arrested. Erich Honecker, the General Secretary of the Socialist Party (the one who ran the country), threatened to close the church, and announced that the counter-revolution would be ended on Monday, October 9.

Expecting bloodshed and knowing they were risking their lives, thousands crowded into the Nikolaikirchen and other central churches that Monday. It was estimated 70,000 people massed in the center of the city. The army and police had been mobilized, expecting violence, when instead, the people just stood with candles and prayed. Low level members of the Socialist Party on the scene urged a withdraw of the tanks and troops.

The rest, as they say, was history. The Berlin Wall fell a month later.Read more