Heinz Santruschek

At the same location where the new Paul Gerhardt Church stands today in Berlin Schöneberg, built in the style of brutalist post-war modernism, there was a church of the same name from 1910 until its destruction in World War II. Its existence has largely faded from collective memory. The author Heinz Santruschek has uncovered previously unpublished visual and textual documents through years of research, vividly recounting the story of the old Paul Gerhardt Church and its famous organ, thus highlighting a treasure of architectural and church history that only long-time residents of Schöneberg might still remember. The book discusses a church whose architectural design and interior decoration were no less unusual than those of its successor building, filling a gap in history, as all those involved in the planning, construction, and use of the house of worship are also forgotten today, despite having significantly shaped the history of Berlin-Schöneberg in their time. The volume also extensively covers the organ of the old Paul Gerhardt Church, which was renowned beyond the borders of Berlin for its construction and especially its unique sound. An impressive work that invites readers to rediscover a unique sacred building, especially now on the 80th anniversary of the destruction of the old Paul Gerhardt Church.