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150 years of Gloecknerstift: A celebration of diakonia in Wittenberg!
Wittenberg celebrated 150 years of Gloecknerstift with a celebratory service and historical insights into the diakonia.
150 years of Gloecknerstift: A celebration of diakonia in Wittenberg!
On August 14, 2025, the Gloecknerstift at Fleischerstrasse 17 celebrated an impressive anniversary: it was founded exactly 150 years ago. This special event was duly celebrated by the city parish with a festive service and a subsequent garden party. The focus on this day was on togetherness and community, in the spirit of the diaconal movement that inspired Eduard Feodor Gloeckner, a royal councilor of justice.
179 years earlier, in 1848, Johann Hinrich Wichern emphasized the importance of active faith in a passionate impromptu speech in the Wittenberg Castle Church. He considered diakonia to be “everyone’s office”. This philosophy drove the Wittenberg church leadership to plan the establishment of an orphanage in 1850. In 1856 the time had come: Gloeckner founded an orphanage at Mittelstrasse 18. However, due to a lack of space, a new building was later built on Fleischerstrasse on Gloeckner's donated land.
The development of the Gloecknerstift
In 1911 the “rescue house” was named “Gloecknerstift” to honor the founder. During the celebratory service, young people and three interviewees presented the moving history of the house. Afterwards, the visitors had the opportunity to explore the Gloecknerstift and the adjacent garden, exchange ideas over food and drinks and look at documents on the history of the monastery in a small exhibition.
Today the Gloecknerstift has much more to offer than just an orphanage. It houses rental apartments, a youth room, a shared apartment and a family home. Groups such as the CVJM, the Young Community and confirmation candidates meet there regularly, underlining the vibrant community life of the facility.
The look into the future
The anniversary of the Gloecknerstift in Wittenberg impressively shows how the idea of charity and active faith has developed over the years. It is a place of gathering and support that is still supported by the diaconal vision. It remains to be hoped that this tradition will continue in the future and that the Gloecknerstift can continue to be a place for many people.
Another highlight of the day, as reports show, was the interaction with the visitors, who were not only able to learn about the history of the house, but also had the opportunity to actively participate in the community and enjoy the day in a friendly atmosphere.
For everyone who is interested in the eventful past and the vibrant present of the Gloecknerstift, there is a unique opportunity to find out more about it and become part of this impressive history. Visit City parish of Wittenberg for more information.