BERG KIRCHE, WESTPHALEN
Berg Kirche, in northwest Germany is in the present province of Westphalia. It stands on the crest of a ridge commanding a vast panorama of the
Weser River Valley. The original structure was built as a result of Charlemagne's "Cross and Sword" Campaign in old Saxony. It was here that
paganism held out longer than in any of the neighboring provinces. Bonifuss of England and a group of Irish monks had succeeded in Christianizing
most of Germany except this strong willed ancestral tribe of ours. (There is no relationship between old Saxony and the present German province by
the same name.)
In 779, Charlemagne, King of the Holy Western Empire, met Pope Lee the Third in Anahen (Aix la Chapelle) where he had come from Rome on a
special mission to place the Papal hand on Charlemagne's great new cathedral there. The one in Minden and also in Berg Kirche had been recently
completed, so being an opportunist, the King brought the Pope north with him to dedicate and bestow special blessings on these two churches also. A
signal honor through coincidence no doubt.
During the early 14th century the church was rebuilt as it stands today. Portions of the massive walls of the original church form it's basic structure.
The nave is approximately 120 feet long and about 60 feet wide. There is a small square narthex below the bell tower under which burial space was
reserved for a privileged few. The slabs, with epitaphs, are so worn down however, by the shuffling of centuries of communicants, that they are not
for the most part legible. Through the center, the stones are worn down some six to eight inches. The pulpit, built high above the church pews, is
about half way down along the south wall.
The dedication of the rebuilt Kirche was again honored by the presence of the Pope. This happened during the period of Continental History when
there was great controversy between Church and State over the civil powers of the Pope. History records the moving of the papel seat into France,
where the Pope (probably Clement the 4th) traveled from one cathedral town to another until Phillip the Fair of France provided a permanent seat at
Avignon. During this period of French residence the second dedication of Berg Kirche took place. So again the little church was privileged to receive a
blessing which might never have transpired had the Pope been in far distant Rome.
During the Reformation the missionaries of Martin Luther reached into the Northern Provinces and the "Church of the Hill" became Protestant. It is
still an active parish referred to as a Parochial Mother Church and now conducts it's services according to the creed of the Evangelical church. It is
attended by villagers from both sides of the ridge for such special services as baptisms, weddings, funerals, holidays and mass confirmations, of
which records show as many as 300 at one time. Each village (or Dorf) has it's own chapel for regular Sunday worship.
Legend has it that the origin of a spring, known as Wittikinds Well, and still to be found in front of the church, dates back to the founding of this
parish seat. The conquest of Charlemagne is definitely linked with the story --- though, as in all legends, there are slight variations in some of the
details. So after extensive research and comparisons of a number of versions, I have concluded the following:
King Wittikind (White Child, or Albino I presume) of old Saxony was approached by Charlemagne to renounce paganism and embrace Christianity.
The King was troubled, so during his mental battle of indecision mounted his stead, rode to the top of the range and conferred with his pagan gods,
but without any satisfaction. He was so lost in thought during his sojourn that he discovered he was also lost in fact and very thirsty, so he offered a
prayer to this new God of Charlemagne for water, as well as a manifestation, to determine which course to take. Christianity or Paganism. He had but
a few moments to wait because at that very instant his restless horse pawed the ground and from the rocks at his feet burst forth a sparkling freshet.
Wittikind was convinced and chose this spot for the first Christian church in his kingdom. It remained Catholic until the reformation.
It was from old Saxony that the Anglo-Saxon invasion was launched in 499 A.D. It is a significant fact that the Westphalians of today are akin to the
English in physique and coloring, (tall, blue eyed and blonde) as well as in their language. Their native tongue is a dialect known as low German,
(being in the lowlands) which is almost pure Flemish with a smattering of English words and phrases. This may account for the fact that North
Germans learn to speak English with ease and little accent in contrast to the heavy tongue of the Prussians and throaty R's of the South.
New Minden in Washington County, Illinois was settled by pioneers from the parish of Berg Kirche. Their church is patterned after the mother church
in Germany and is built also of hand hewn native stone, fashioned into fortress like walls. It celebrated it's Centennial in 1947.
To reach Berg Kirch today, one must go via Minden and from there by Kleinbahn (narrow gauge) to either Rothnufeln or Sudhammern, through a
picturesque countryside, far removed from crowded tourist routes. (This article was written in 1979, and the directions would be much different
today.)
Written by Ruth Watts for the 1979 Washington County History book.