The bells of the evangelical church
The present bells of the Lutheran church date back to 1955. Previously, the fate of the church bells was strongly influenced by the history of war.
When the new Lutheran church was built in 1873(for the history of the Lutheran church see here ...), the tower had only two small bells, of which, moreover, the larger one had shattered shortly before. At that time, there was plenty of cannon metal from the war won against France in 1870/71. But the attempt to obtain material from this source for casting new, larger bells failed. Corresponding requests to the Royal Prussian War Ministry, the Grand Duke of Hesse-Darmstadt and the governorate of the Mainz fortress were unsuccessful. Thus, only the two existing bells were recast before the consecration of the new church in 1874.
Invitation to the consecration of the bell 1911
Source: Archive of the Protestant parish of Harxheim
Efforts to purchase a third bell did not result in a decision until 1910. By then, sufficient funds had been saved by the Evangelical Women’s Association and a bell fund fed by an estate. The bronze price also seemed favorable. The larger of the two existing bells, which sounded in C-sharp, was kept and two new bells weighing 625 kg and 312 kg were purchased. These were tuned to the notes F-sharp and A-sharp, so that the major triad F-sharp-A-sharp-C-sharp could now be heard.
At the same time, the municipality purchased a wrought-iron bell cage weighing 1.5 tons. On May 7, 1911, the new bells were solemnly inaugurated. The history of the Lutheran church and the festive order for the consecration ceremony are preserved in a surviving invitation to the consecration of the bells.
Unfortunately, the joy over the new bell triad did not last long. The church archives show that two bells had to be handed over to the Reich Military Treasury during the First World War in July 1917; the smaller of the two new bells was allowed to be kept by the congregation. Only a few days later, on top of that, the 36 tin pipes of the church organ had to be sacrificed. However, quite soon new bells could be purchased again. In December 1919, the bell foundry Rincker from Sinn (Dillkreis) reported the shipment of new bells to the Lutheran parish priest. However, due to the occupation situation after the war, the company’s fitter was not yet granted an entry permit, so a company from Rheinhessen was commissioned to hang the bells.
Confirmation of arrival of two church bells 1917
Source: Archive of the Protestant parish of Harxheim
In the course of the Second World War, the parish had to give up bells again. The church archives contain a receipt issued by the Reich Office for Metals dated February 1942 for two bells with a total weight of 920 kg.
Receipt for two church bells 1942
Source: Archive of the Protestant parish of Harxheim
This time it was to take longer to replace the missing bells. In the summer of 1955, the time had come. The bell foundry F. W. Schilling from Heidelberg delivered four new bells tuned to the tones g, b, c and d. Here, the metal of an old bell and purchased metal were used.
The acquisition costs amounted to DM 3,238.50. The time or hour bell was donated by a Harxheim couple, the three remaining bells (prayer bell, bell for the memory of the dead and fallen, Sunday and festival bell) were financed by donations from the population.
The new bells weighed a total of 1,222 kg, of which the heaviest weighed 514 kg and the lightest 196 kg. The solemn consecration of the bell took place on September 4, 1955. The bells were luckier than their predecessors, they still hang today.
Newspaper article in the AZ of 3.9.1955 on the occasion of the installation of the new bells in the Protestant church
Source: Archive of the Protestant parish of Harxheim
Newspaper article in the AZ from 8.9.1955 about the consecration of the new bells in the protestant church
Source: Archive of the Protestant parish of Harxheim
View into the bell tower of the evangelic church (September 1979)
Image source: Willi Buchert
References:
Archive of the protestant parish Harxheim
