Kaiserslautern: Maria Schutz

1928 – 1929

Architect: Hans Seeberger

Bismarckstraße 63, Kaiserslautern, Germany

The Gelöbniskirche Maria Schutz, located in Kaiserslautern, is a Roman Catholic parish and pilgrimage church as well as a former Minorite monastery church.

It was built from 1928 to 1929 according to plans by architects Hans and Fritz Seeberger.

Members of the Order of Friars Minor administered the church until 2012. That year, the order dissolved the affiliated convent. Following the friars’ departure, the church and monastery buildings became the property of the Diocese of Speyer.

Historical Background

At the outbreak of the First World War on August 2, 1914, Bishop Michael Faulhaber of Speyer made a vow that led to the construction of the church.

He promised to build a church in honor of Maria Schutz if the Palatinate were spared severe destruction.

Faulhaber’s successor, Bishop Ludwig Sebastian, fulfilled this promise with the help of numerous donations from the diocese.

The church was consecrated on October 20, 1929, after which the Minorites took over its care.

Before that, the Minorites had built convent buildings on land acquired by the Kirchenbauverein Sankt Antonius for the church and convent in 1926–1927.

Building

The foundation stone for the church was laid on June 10, 1928. It was consecrated one year later.

The church is a three-nave basilica with a double-tower facade made of brick and sandstone.

Narrow, slit-like blind arches divide the towers. The original pointed spires were destroyed during World War II and replaced with flat, pyramidal roofs.

The sculptures of St. Michael the Archangel, St. Mary, and St. Louis above the portal were created by the sculptor Simon Höpfel.

Interior

The nave has a flat ceiling. The coffered ceiling was added after the war.

The interior is divided by low, pointed-arch pilaster arcades without bases or capitals. These arcades separate the main nave from the side aisles and are also found on the exterior walls.

Narrow, pointed lancet windows provide light for the central nave.

The choir, covered by a pointed barrel vault, lies behind a floor-to-ceiling arcade.

Our Lady of the Protective Mantle

The apse’s expressive pointed arches, rising from the floor, frame the depiction of Our Lady of the Protective Mantle.

On the right and left beneath Mary’s mantle are depicted Bishops Michael von Faulhaber, with a view of Speyer Cathedral, and Ludwig Sebastian, with a view of Maria Schutz.

The Madonna of the Protective Mantle was painted by Paul Thalheimer, a church painter from Munich.

The south side of the choir opens onto the adjacent monastery area, which has arcades and a gallery on the upper level.

A crypt lies beneath the choir.

To the side of the high altar is the Chapel of St. Anthony of Padua. The baptistery is located on the ground floor of the north tower and the Pietà Chapel is located on the ground floor of the south tower.

Reconstruction

The church sustained severe damage during World War II in 1944.

The church, the sacristy, and the adjoining monastery were destroyed by fire after being hit by numerous bombs. Only the high altar area and the crypt were spared.

Restoration work began in 1947 or 1948 based on plans by Fritz Seeberger.

As part of this effort, the church was fitted with new side altars and a colorful, wooden, coffered ceiling.

Renovation

Under the direction of architect Hans-Joachim Klostermann, the church underwent extensive renovations in 1997.

During this work, damaged stones on the façade were replaced, and the remaining stones were repointed. Additionally, the slate roof was replaced, the attic was insulated, and the two towers were made accessible.

The interior was renovated in 1998.

Redesign

Ludwig Schaffrath was commissioned to design the new windows for the cloister. He also conceived the designs for the choir and crypt windows.

Elmar Hillebrand designed the versus populum altar, ambo, and four candlesticks that frame the altar.

The exterior and interior renovations were completed in December 2000.

Columbarium

The church was given a columbarium in December 2021.

During a pontifical Mass, the new urn walls were blessed and put to use.

Prior to that, the worship space underwent a six-month renovation and redesign.

The architectural firm Bayer und Uhrig from Kaiserslautern drew up plans for the columbarium and redesign in consultation with the Maria Schutz parish.

The columbarium is located in the two flat-roofed side aisles. Its ten chapels can accommodate 1,320 urns.