Stiftung Freie evangelische Gemeinde in Norddeutschland

The Stiftung Freie evangelische Gemeinde in Norddeutschland (FeGN) is a Protestant free-church foundation based in Hamburg, Germany. It functions as the regional umbrella body for more than 40 Free Evangelical congregations (Freie evangelische Gemeinden) spread across four federal states: Hamburg, Schleswig-Holstein, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and northern Lower Saxony. As a foundation (Stiftung), it is part of the Bund Freier evangelischer Gemeinden in Deutschland KdöR, the national association of Free Evangelical congregations, and it is a member of the Diakonie regional associations of Hamburg and Schleswig-Holstein. The FeGN describes its congregational vision as building living churches in the north, driven by God's love. Its stated priorities include promoting clear and practical proclamation of the Gospel, investing in the next generation, networking and inspiring through good offerings, developing volunteer and professional leaders for its congregations, bundling missionary competencies for northern Germany, and planting new congregations so that more people come to know Jesus. The foundation's work combines congregational ministry with diaconal and missionary activity, and it runs fundraising appeals to support specific church-planting projects, such as the congregation-planting effort in Schwerin-Lankow. The FeGN's history is inseparable from that of the Elim-Diakonie in Hamburg. Its origins trace to the 1892 cholera epidemic in Hamburg, during which committed Christians cared for the sick while sharing the Christian faith. After a three-week evangelisation in January 1893, an independent church work began, and in 1896 the Hamburg Senate recognised the young work as a "Milde Stiftung" (charitable foundation). Over the following decades the work expanded into a network of congregations and diaconal institutions, including the Elim hospital in Hamburg-Eimsbüttel, opened in 1927. In 1935 the Holstenwall congregation joined the Bund Freier evangelischer Gemeinden. Today the FeGN presents itself as a foundation that promotes the spread of the Gospel of Jesus Christ through congregational work, diakonia and mission, fulfilling its church mandate for Christian charity with regard to the salvation and well-being of people. Its public communications include congregational news, missionary reports and seasonal donation campaigns, and its leadership includes Gemeindeleiter and Pastor Reinhard Spincke.

The history of the Stiftung Freie evangelische Gemeinde in Norddeutschland (FeGN) begins with the cholera epidemic that broke out in Hamburg in the summer of 1892. Of 17,000 people who fell severely ill, 8,600 died. Churches saw strong attendance during the epidemic, and committed Christians took responsibility by caring for the sick while proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ. After the epidemic subsided, a three-week evangelisation in January 1893, associated with Theodor Christlieb and Jasper von Oertzen, drew great interest and led to the formation of an independent church work. Its first public worship service was held in a Siechenhaus (a home for the sick). Shortly afterwards, the Senate of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg provided a plot of land, on which a building was erected that served both as a Siechenhaus and as the motherhouse for the deaconesses who would be a driving force of the work for many decades. In 1896 the Hamburg Senate recognised the young work as a "Milde Stiftung" (charitable foundation), whose purpose was formulated as promoting the spread of the Gospel of Jesus Christ through congregational work, diakonia and mission. Because the Hamburg pastorate was sceptical of this popular-mission piety, Johannes Röschmann, a pastor from outside, was entrusted with leading the emerging community and diaconal work. Bible studies began in nine locations in Hamburg, and in the same year a group of the Blue Cross was founded for work with people suffering from addiction. In 1894, on a plot made available by the Senate at Frickestraße 22, a building was erected that served as both a Siechenhaus and the motherhouse for the newly founded deaconess community, initially with eight deaconesses. In 1897 a community house seating 1,400 people was built at Holstenwall 21, where the growing community gathered under the name "Christliche Gemeinschaft Philadelphia". This remained the central meeting place of the congregation for almost a hundred years. Despite its size, the house was soon overcrowded for the annual faith conferences. In later years a illuminated sign was attached to the house, shining over the nearby Reeperbahn entertainment district and bringing the congregation additional public recognition. Johannes Röschmann died in 1901 at the age of only 38. In 1902 Johannes Rubanowitsch was called as his successor. Rubanowitsch, sometimes described by contemporaries as the "awakener of Silesia", was not unknown in Hamburg, having already held large evangelistic meetings there in 1896. Around 1910 the work fell into a deep crisis, triggered by erroneous and idiosyncratic teachings of Rubanowitsch. In 1912 Friedrich Heitmüller was called as preacher at the Holstenwall. Convinced of the need for a "reformation" there, he left the work in August 1912 with part of the membership and founded the "Friedens-Gemeinde". The Philadelphia congregation and the new Friedens-Gemeinde initially developed independently. After Johannes Rubanowitsch left the Philadelphia congregation, Heitmüller was asked to return with his congregation to the Holstenwall. This happened, and in 1918 the two congregations were reunited under Heitmüller. The work continued to expand in the following years despite difficult economic conditions. Large evangelisations with more than 6,000 listeners were held in "Sagebiel's halls". While the centre of congregational work remained at the Holstenwall, house groups and further small communities arose far beyond the city area: in the Sachsenwald, in the "Walddörfer", on the Lower Elbe, in the Lüneburg Heath and in East Holstein. In 1927 the newly built Elim hospital opened in Hamburg-Eimsbüttel at Hohe Weide 17, regarded as the most modern hospital of its time with more than 200 beds. Its construction had been made possible by generous financial support from the Hanseatic merchant Hugo Preuß, who had become a Christian through Friedrich Heitmüller. The hospital was run as a Christian house, expressed in a large deaconess sisterhood. By the mid-1930s the Elim diaconal work had 230 deaconesses. Besides the Elim hospital, various other institutions were maintained: the "Bethanien" rest home at Timmendorfer Strand with 40 beds, the "Nazareth" children's rest home in the Lüneburg Heath near Hanstedt with 30 beds, the "Bethesda" sisters' rest home in Eutin-Fissau with 27 beds, four old people's and nursing homes in Hamburg with a total of 100 beds, and a Christian bookshop at the Holstenwall. Until 1934 the community belonged to the Gnadau Association, and its members were generally also members of the Lutheran regional church. Friedrich Heitmüller himself was on the board of the Gnadau Association. However, following a communion service on Good Friday 1934, Heitmüller and the members of the brother council ended their membership in the regional church and founded a free-church voluntary congregation, to which the majority of the previous community members joined. During the Nazi period, Adolf Hitler's efforts to found a unified Reich Church under a Reich Bishop led to a wave of mergers among various free churches in order to secure their existence. Thus in 1935 the Holstenwall congregation joined the Bund Freier evangelischer Gemeinden. In the decades after the Second World War, the FeGN continued to develop structurally and organisationally. Much changed, but the fundamental conviction remained that people in the present also need practical diaconal help and the Gospel of Jesus Christ. On the foundation of the Christian faith, the FeGN today engages through its local congregations with their diaconal work, and it is part of the Bund Freier evangelischer Gemeinden in Deutschland KdöR as well as a member of the Diakonie regional associations of Hamburg and Schleswig-Holstein. The foundation encompasses more than 40 congregations in four federal states and continues to plant new congregations, such as the project in Schwerin-Lankow.

• 2026

  FeGN runs an autumn special collection, 'Liina für Lankow', to strengthen the church-planting work in Schwerin-Lankow.

• 2025

  Lydia and Micha Lamaack join the Friends of Seafarers, a branch of the Allianz-Mission in the Port of Hamburg.

• 1935

  The Holstenwall congregation joins the Bund Freier evangelischer Gemeinden.

• 1934

  After a Good Friday communion service, Heitmüller and the brother council end membership in the Lutheran regional church and found a free-church voluntary congregation.

• 1927

  The newly built Elim hospital opens in Hamburg-Eimsbüttel, Hohe Weide 17, with more than 200 beds, made possible by the support of merchant Hugo Preuß.

• 1918

  The Philadelphia congregation and the Friedens-Gemeinde are reunited under Heitmüller.

• 1912

  Friedrich Heitmüller is called as preacher at the Holstenwall; in August he leaves with part of the membership and founds the 'Friedens-Gemeinde'.

• 1902

  Johannes Rubanowitsch is called as successor to Röschmann.

• 1901

  Johannes Röschmann dies at the age of only 38.

• 1897

  A community house seating 1,400 people is built at Holstenwall 21; the community gathers there as 'Christliche Gemeinschaft Philadelphia'.

• 1896

  The Hamburg Senate recognises the young work as a 'Milde Stiftung' (charitable foundation).

• 1894

  On a plot provided by the Hamburg Senate at Frickestraße 22, a building is erected serving as both a Siechenhaus and the motherhouse for the newly founded deaconess community, initially with eight deaconesses.

• 1893

  After a three-week evangelisation in January, an independent church work begins; its first public worship service is held in a Siechenhaus. The work is organised as a foundation.

• 1892

  Cholera epidemic breaks out in Hamburg; 17,000 fall severely ill and 8,600 die. Committed Christians care for the sick and share the Gospel, giving rise to diaconal work that continues today.

A regional Protestant free-church foundation combining congregational ministry, diakonia and mission across northern Germany, rooted in a late-19th-century Hamburg revival and diaconal tradition.

• Congregational network (over 40 Free Evangelical congregations)

  The FeGN encompasses more than 40 congregations in Hamburg, Schleswig-Holstein, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and northern Lower Saxony.

• Diaconal work (Elim-Diakonie heritage)

  The FeGN has an affiliated diaconal organisation, historically linked to the Elim-Diakonie in Hamburg, including hospitals, rest homes and care facilities.

• Church planting projects

  The FeGN plants new congregations, such as the project in Schwerin-Lankow supported by the 'Liina für Lankow' campaign.

• Seafarers' mission in the Port of Hamburg

  The Friends of Seafarers, a branch of the Allianz-Mission, visits seafarers on board ships in the Port of Hamburg.

1. 1FeG Norddeutschland | FeGNfegn.de
2. 2Die Sehnsucht nach Zuhause – FeG Norddeutschland | FeGNfegn.de
3. 3Eine Bibel, die ein Leben veränderte – FeG Norddeutschland | FeGNfegn.de
4. 4Die Geschichte der Freien evangelischen Gemeinde in Norddeutschland – FeG Norddeutschland | FeGNfegn.de
5. 5Stiftung Freie evangelische Gemeinde in Norddeutschland – Wikidatawikidata.org
6. 6Stiftung Freie evangelische Gemeinde in Norddeutschland – Wikipediade.wikipedia.org