Zeyer ev. Kirche Damals

Based on Die Kirche von Zeyer by Rainer-Muller-Glodde – original posting

 

This document contains enhancements to the original content &
been reworked for English readers by ManyRoads.

Die Kirche von Zeyer wird in der diversen Elbing Literatur gelegentlich erwähnt. Danach wurde sie in der Ordenszeit gegründet. Da die Nogat im Laufe der Jahrhunderte ihren Lauf veränderte erfolgte zweimal die Abtragung und der Kirche und ihr Wiederaufbau, das letzte Mal 1754. Im Ergebnis lag das Dorf Zeyer nördlich der Nogat, ihre Kirche südlich – siehe den Bericht unten.

Die Kirche – oder das Pfarrhaus ? – muss jedoch zwischen 1770 und 1773 gebrannt haben, wobei alle Kirchenbücher vernichtet wurden. Deswegen beginnen die zeyerischen Kb erst 1774.

The church of Zeyer is occasionally mentioned in Elbląg (Elbing) literature. According to to the literature, Zeyer was founded during the times of the Order [Teutonic Knights]. As the Nogat changed its course over the centuries, the church was twice demolished and rebuilt, the last time in 1754. After that time, the church was situated south of the Nogat; the village of Zeyer lay north of the Nogat, see the report below.

The church – or the rectory ? – may have burned down between 1770 and 1773, destroying all church records. That is why the Zeyer Church records do not begin until 1774.

translated by Mark Rabideau with the help of deepl.com

The church of the village Zeyer sits high on the Nogat dam. At Zeyer, one of the Nogat arms flows into the Vistula Lagoon. The church, vestry and tower are beautifully half-timbered. The parish house of this church is unique, as the pastor Werner Henning reports. It is divided into two structures. The parish house itself is in Zeyer, in the Free State of Danzig; the church building is in Ellerwald in Germany.

Henning: “How did that come about? The church stood, before 1754, in what is now the present-day riverbed of the Nogat located on the territory of the village Zeyer. At that time [1754], the Nogat sought another river bed and threatened to wash away the church. So, it had to be quickly brought to safety, [the original] church was demolished and rebuilt in Ellerwald. Prior to that time [move], the Nogat River flowed into Lake Drausen.

As pastor of Zeyer, I have had to have a [special] permit to cross the border at night, because baptisms and communion occur in the evenings. It happens frequently that I am called out of my bed in the middle of the night. The border crossing at Zeyer [from Freistaat Danzig to Germany] are closed at 8PM.”
From “Danzig-Westpreußischer Kirctienbriet” No.28 from June 1980.

translated by Mark Rabideau with help from deepl.com

Die Nogat liegt rechts – die Boote im Vordergrund bedeuten eine Überschwemmung?

The Nogat is on the right – the boats in the foreground may indicate a flood.

translated by Mark Rabideau
Das Deutsche Reich 1945 von einem Kirchturm aus gegen den “Feind” mit maximal Maschinengewehren zu verteidigen – vom Volkssturm ? – hatte fatale Folgen: Die Verteidiger verloren wohl ihr Leben, der Kirchbau wurde völlig zerstört.

In 1945, the Volksturm, to defend the German Reich against the “enemy”, used heavy machine gun power from their position in the church tower with dire results:

The defenders most likely lost their lives; the church building was completely destroyed.

translated by Mark Rabideau