Briefly Historic: Totenkronenbrett

We passed by this quaint, yet rather unremarkable looking church in Rangsdorf and decided to have a closer look. The first fieldstone church was built here around the year 1400. After a fire damaged the church in 1695, a new church was built in 1699/1700 – (known as the Dorfkirche Rangsdorf today).

While seemingly not much happened for the next 60 years, the church records show that during the 7 years war (in 1760), Austrian Pandurs (light infantry volunteers from slavonia) smashed the church windows.

The village and church traded hands multiple times over the years. Each time, the church was slightly modified. The church burnt down again in 1835, and was rebuilt the same year.

The biggest change came in 1890, when the wealthy son of a Berlin doctor – Richard Spierkerman – funded the refurbishment of the church to a more “modern taste”. The church received new windows and 2 church bells.

The church bells were melted down in 1917, and then again in 1945 as the military needed the valuable metal. After the second world war, the church fell into disrepair, with the original wooden pews being removed in 1986.

But not all was lost. The windows were restored in 2009, and the church itself was renovated in 2018. While the church itself is somewhat plain – not uncommon with protestant churches – it does have some lovely details.

Such as this lovely “Totenkronenbrett” from 1781. Totenkronen or “Death Crowns” were traditionally given to those who died young/before they were married. The tradition evolved over time ultimately symbolising the marriage between the dead and heaven.

In memory of the young maiden Dorotea Elisabeth Hänicken, born in Brüsendorff on August 19, 1761. Her father was Michael Hänicken and her mother Anna Catarina Kitzingen. She served the local nobles for 5 years and behaved faithfully, diligently, chastely and Christianly until the ruler of the whole world finally took her from this world on March 19, 1781, and her life was 19 years and 7 months. (?) in the book of wisdom chapter.5 v16.17

These crowns were sometimes quite ornate but more often than note made out of reeds and plants. The crowns were often left on the grave and deteriorated over time, but in certain regions they were placed on a Totenkronenbrett (Brett = shelf).

The Totenkronenbrett was an ornate piece of Wordwork that held the crown (often until Easter when it was burnt in the traditional easter fire) and gave a brief description of the person. They were traditionally kept inside the church, hence why many have survived to this day.

The church in Rangsdorf has a second Totenkronenbrett – though a slightly more rare one. While most churches had a plaque with names commemorating those by name who had died during Wars of Liberation. This church opted to repurpose a Kronenbrett in 1816 and decorate it with a religious like verse and praise for the victories in Leipzig and Waterloo and a diss against Napoleon. Supposedly, a “peace” crown was placed atop the Kronenbrett.

Thank God the festival of peace / is here! [Everyone is happy, near and far!] / Therefore we maidens weave this crown / and place it [in the] sanctuary / and thank God on his throne / the Lord who has taken our property, the king and the fatherland / into his strong hand. / [We young men also want to rejoice] / in the peace that God grants today / [Therefore] we set up this tablet / and write on it what God has guided / that in the hot fight of the battle / at Leipzig and at Waterlo / the power of the Franks was destroyed, / that Bonaparte can therefore no longer plague any empire or people. / Therefore we all joyfully sing: / Thanks, honor and praise be to God / He [helped] us from this war misery / on January 18th, 1816 / [on the] festival of peace.

It’s a quaint little church with a lot of history – and if one does pass by it by chance, it’s well worth a visit – if it’s open that is.

Dorfkirche Rangsdorf
Kirchweg 1, 15834 Rangsdorf