Catholic Church of St. Oscar
Catholic St. Ansgar Church in the Hansa Quarter
The church of Saint Oscar of Hamburg was built in 1957 as part of the reconstruction of the Berlin district of Hansaviertel into a "model city of the future." The international construction exhibition “Interbau 1957” featured architects from around the world. The church was constructed approximately on the same site as its predecessor, which was destroyed during World War II.
The new church was designed by Professor Willy Kreuer. The structure arises from a parabolic floor plan, which was a relatively unusual solution for a sacred building at the time. The focus of the parabola, representing the sanctuary, is embraced by two side walls acting as protective arms. Visitors' views are deliberately drawn to the altar. The side walls gradually narrow toward the main reference point of the room, which is the altar. Almost all of the church’s furnishings are original. The crucifix on the wall behind the altar was created from black stucco "Stucco Iustro" by German sculptor Ludwig Gabriel Schrieber (1907-1975), who was then a professor at the Academy of Fine Arts in West Berlin. Schrieber’s work draws on the Romanesque imaginative tradition: at the center is the crucified Christ without a crown of thorns, whose face already suggests the overcoming of death, with Mother Mary to His right and beloved disciple John to His left. Stylized streams of blood from the wounds on the hands and feet of the crucified Christ connect these three figures and suggest the redemption of humanity through Christ's death.
Beneath the sculpture of the crucifixion, six slender candlesticks adorned with enamel and lazurite inlays are placed on the floor. The candlesticks were also made according to Professor Schrieber's design. To the right of the altar is a golden tabernacle designed by Berlin painter Ludwig Peter Kowalski (1891-1967). It rests on a black pedestal shaped like an angel. In this way, Schrieber unites the significance of the tabernacle as a place where the consecrated host is kept during mass. The design is derived from the traditions of the Israeli people, according to which God’s presence in the sanctuary was symbolized by the Ark of the Covenant between two cherubim.
Originally, on the left side of the altar, there was a bronze statue of Saint Oscar, the apostle of Scandinavia and the patron saint of the church, in life size. Today, the statue is located in the entrance area. The statues were created by Simon Schrieber, the son of L.G. Schrieber, in 1995, embodying the seriousness and dignity of the Benedictine monk and missionary born in the early 9th century. A relic of the saint is embedded in the pectoral cross of the statue.
The wooden statue of the Madonna "Mother and Queen" in the left side niche was created by Johannes Dumanski (1919-1990). On the glazed side, there is also a wooden sculpture by Professor Baumerlen depicting Saint Anthony of Padua. Vertical concrete truss beams make the left side of the church translucent. In contrast, the right white plastered wall is completely closed, creating a sort of counterbalance.
Almost the entire length of the right wall is occupied by the Stations of the Cross. The artist Ludwig Peter Kowalski created scenes from Jesus’ suffering on 85 plastered concrete panels of various sizes. The unique image occupies an impressive area of 160 m².
In the left rear part of the vestibule is a baptismal font, again the work of sculptor L.G. Schrieber, who carved the font from rose quartz. At the top of the font is a stylized silver dove, the symbol of the Holy Spirit. The stone mosaic under the baptismal font depicts the four rivers of paradise described in the book of Genesis (2:10-14): Tigris, Euphrates, Gihon, and Pishon.
The three-manual organ, located on a concrete slab above the vestibule, is the work of Berlin organ builder Karl Schuke and contains 31 registers.
The trio of copper-clad double-winged entry doors was designed by L.G. Schneber. The doors feature relief representations of scenes from the life of Saint Oscar. Next to the church nave, a massive concrete cross rises toward the sky, which is connected to the church by one of its two legs and on which a trio of bells donated by the first post-war German chancellor Konrad Adenauer is suspended.
The new church was designed by Professor Willy Kreuer. The structure arises from a parabolic floor plan, which was a relatively unusual solution for a sacred building at the time. The focus of the parabola, representing the sanctuary, is embraced by two side walls acting as protective arms. Visitors' views are deliberately drawn to the altar. The side walls gradually narrow toward the main reference point of the room, which is the altar. Almost all of the church’s furnishings are original. The crucifix on the wall behind the altar was created from black stucco "Stucco Iustro" by German sculptor Ludwig Gabriel Schrieber (1907-1975), who was then a professor at the Academy of Fine Arts in West Berlin. Schrieber’s work draws on the Romanesque imaginative tradition: at the center is the crucified Christ without a crown of thorns, whose face already suggests the overcoming of death, with Mother Mary to His right and beloved disciple John to His left. Stylized streams of blood from the wounds on the hands and feet of the crucified Christ connect these three figures and suggest the redemption of humanity through Christ's death.
Beneath the sculpture of the crucifixion, six slender candlesticks adorned with enamel and lazurite inlays are placed on the floor. The candlesticks were also made according to Professor Schrieber's design. To the right of the altar is a golden tabernacle designed by Berlin painter Ludwig Peter Kowalski (1891-1967). It rests on a black pedestal shaped like an angel. In this way, Schrieber unites the significance of the tabernacle as a place where the consecrated host is kept during mass. The design is derived from the traditions of the Israeli people, according to which God’s presence in the sanctuary was symbolized by the Ark of the Covenant between two cherubim.
Originally, on the left side of the altar, there was a bronze statue of Saint Oscar, the apostle of Scandinavia and the patron saint of the church, in life size. Today, the statue is located in the entrance area. The statues were created by Simon Schrieber, the son of L.G. Schrieber, in 1995, embodying the seriousness and dignity of the Benedictine monk and missionary born in the early 9th century. A relic of the saint is embedded in the pectoral cross of the statue.
The wooden statue of the Madonna "Mother and Queen" in the left side niche was created by Johannes Dumanski (1919-1990). On the glazed side, there is also a wooden sculpture by Professor Baumerlen depicting Saint Anthony of Padua. Vertical concrete truss beams make the left side of the church translucent. In contrast, the right white plastered wall is completely closed, creating a sort of counterbalance.
Almost the entire length of the right wall is occupied by the Stations of the Cross. The artist Ludwig Peter Kowalski created scenes from Jesus’ suffering on 85 plastered concrete panels of various sizes. The unique image occupies an impressive area of 160 m².
In the left rear part of the vestibule is a baptismal font, again the work of sculptor L.G. Schrieber, who carved the font from rose quartz. At the top of the font is a stylized silver dove, the symbol of the Holy Spirit. The stone mosaic under the baptismal font depicts the four rivers of paradise described in the book of Genesis (2:10-14): Tigris, Euphrates, Gihon, and Pishon.
The three-manual organ, located on a concrete slab above the vestibule, is the work of Berlin organ builder Karl Schuke and contains 31 registers.
The trio of copper-clad double-winged entry doors was designed by L.G. Schneber. The doors feature relief representations of scenes from the life of Saint Oscar. Next to the church nave, a massive concrete cross rises toward the sky, which is connected to the church by one of its two legs and on which a trio of bells donated by the first post-war German chancellor Konrad Adenauer is suspended.
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