Kommunität Grimnitz

Kommunität Grimnitz is a Christian-evangelical intentional community based in Joachimsthal, in the Grimnitz district of Brandenburg, Germany, about 70 km northeast of Berlin. It was founded in 1997 by a group of young graduates of the former Berlin Predigerseminar who were not offered parish positions and decided to move to the countryside to live a biblically oriented common life. The community is registered as a non-profit association, Kommunität Grimnitz e.V., within the Evangelical Church Berlin-Brandenburg. Since 1998 it has occupied and managed a former Oberförsterei (head forestry office) estate with a large house, farmyard, garden and outbuildings, owned by the Heike-Schulze-Stiftung Alte Försterei Grimnitz. The property has been renovated and converted in a heritage-compliant manner over the past 25 years through the community's own labor and funds. The community describes itself as a place of encounter for peace through justice and the preservation of creation. Theologically it is committed to the conciliar process of justice, peace and integrity of creation and feels connected to the worldwide ecumenical movement. Inspired by Dietrich Bonhoeffer, members understand their Christianity as "Church for others" and are close to Dorothee Sölle's theology of "mysticism and resistance." The community offers people from different social backgrounds opportunities for retreat and reflection, for participation and artistic activity. Members engage in social and ecological work, with a particular concern for refugees and politically persecuted people. The community has provided accommodation and assistance to refugees from various countries and cooperates with the local Protestant parish in the area of church asylum. Economically, the community promotes a community-oriented economy and initiates employment initiatives beyond regular employment. It works on the integration of migrants, supported by the Stiftung Interkultur München. It lives according to ecological criteria with exemplary self-sufficiency and advocates just sharing with marginalized people outside Europe, for example in Argentina, Colombia and Tanzania. The community organizes international youth encounters and Protestant adult education with seminars, exhibitions and excursions, and offers "Kloster auf Zeit" (monastery for a time) stays. A dedicated guest house with 24 beds is available for this purpose. In 2003, members of the Kommunität LechLecha separated to found their own community. The community continues to operate from its Grimnitz site, maintaining its guest house, garden and social-ecological engagement.

The Kommunität Grimnitz was founded in 1997 by a group of young graduates of the former Berlin Predigerseminar who had not been offered parish positions. They formed a self-help group and decided to move to the countryside together with a lecturer from the Predigerseminar to live a biblically oriented life. The idea of living in a "Vita communis" in the sense of Dietrich Bonhoeffer attracted further interested people, including individuals shortly before or in retirement, such as the former East German civil rights activist and former study director of the Evangelical Academy Mülheim, Hans-Jürgen Fischbeck, who has been a member of the community since 2002. Initially the community leased a manor farm and some smaller lands in the former fishing village of Alt-Grimnitz near Joachimsthal. For this purpose they founded the non-profit association "Kommunität Grimnitz e.V." to promote Christian life within the Evangelical Church Berlin-Brandenburg. The residents of the estate, the actual "life community on site," initially consisted of five to seven permanent residents. Soon further active members, financial supporters, long-term guests and helpers, as well as people in need of support or interns, joined. From this developed the temporary co-living in the community. Since 1998 the community has managed a house with a large yard and garden on the edge of the town of Joachimsthal, about 70 km northeast of Berlin, on the grounds of a former Oberförsterei owned by the Heike-Schulze-Stiftung Alte Försterei Grimnitz. The residential building has been renovated and converted in a heritage-compliant manner over the past 25 years with much personal labor and own funds, and some work is still outstanding. The property includes a garden and utility buildings. In 2003, a separation occurred from the members of the Kommunität LechLecha, who subsequently founded their own community. The community has since continued its work, offering retreats, seminars, international youth encounters, and social-ecological engagement, including work with refugees and church asylum in cooperation with the local Protestant parish.

• 2003

  Separation from members of Kommunität LechLecha, who found their own community.

• 2002

  Hans-Jürgen Fischbeck, former East German civil rights activist, becomes a member.

• 1998

  Community begins managing a house with large yard and garden in Joachimsthal, Grimnitz district.

• 1997

  Founded by graduates of the former Berlin Predigerseminar as a self-help group; non-profit association Kommunität Grimnitz e.V. established.

A Christian-evangelical intentional community offering retreat, reflection, and social-ecological engagement in the Schorfheide-Chorin Biosphere Reserve.

• Guest house with 24 beds

• Kloster auf Zeit (monastery for a time) retreats

• Seminars, exhibitions and excursions

• International youth encounters

• Organic smallholding and self-sufficiency

1. 1Kommunität Grimnitz – Christliche Lebensgemeinschaft im Barnimkommunitaet-grimnitz.de
2. 2Kommunität Grimnitz – Wikipediade.wikipedia.org
3. 3Wikidata entrywikidata.org