The tower cross
The old tower cross of Dresden’s Frauenkirche
Image: Hamsterkiste
1 The Cross High Above the City
Dresden’s Frauenkirche after its reconstruction
Image: Hamsterkiste
The old cross is badly damaged, dented and bent. It has weathered thunderstorms and storms. It could tell us so much about the lives of generations, about the ships that passed by on the Elbe, and about the times when Dresden still had a King of Saxony. And it could tell us about the most terrible event ever to befall the city of Dresden.
It once stood atop the tower of Dresden’s old Frauenkirche. It rose 91 meters above the ground. It remained in place for more than 200 years. Today it is inside the new church.
The name “Frauenkirche” (Church of Our Lady) refers to Mary, the mother of the child Jesus. In the past, people often called the Mother of God “Our Lady.” Construction of this church began in 1726 and took about 17 years. The plans were drawn up by master builder George Bähr. The largest dome north of the Alps rose above the interior.
The Frauenkirche was one of the tallest and most beautiful buildings in Dresden. It was painted many times, including by the famous Italian painter Canaletto. But this magnificent building was completely destroyed in just a few hours in February 1945.
2 The Nazi Era
Hitler in the Lustgarten, Berlin, May 1933 - Image: Deutsches Bundesarchiv, Bild 102-15783, CC-BY-SA
Image: Hamsterkiste
To understand why the church was destroyed, you need to know this: In January 1933, Adolf Hitler and his followers came to power in Germany. They called themselves National Socialists. Later, they were commonly known as the "Nazis".
At that time, Germany was a poor country. Six million people were unemployed. Hitler promised to solve all the problems. Many people believed him and followed him enthusiastically. He claimed that the Jews were to blame for most of the problems. People who belonged to the Jewish religion were discriminated against and harassed.
At first, most people approved of Hitler’s policies. But anyone who opposed him was imprisoned. He ruled as a dictator and had himself called the "Führer". Children aged 10 and over had to join the "Hitler Youth". Instead of saying "Good day", everyone was supposed to say "Heil Hitler" and extend their right arm. People also cheered him in Austria, which Hitler united with Germany in 1938. But shortly afterwards, he led the country into the Second World War.
3 The Second World War
German soldiers in Russia in 1942 Image: Bundesarchiv, Bild 101I-457-0056-12, CC BY-SA
Image: Hamsterkiste
On September 1, 1939, German soldiers invaded Poland. In May 1940, Denmark, Norway, the Netherlands, Belgium and France were occupied by the German armed forces.
Hitler had English cities bombed. In June 1941, Germany invaded the Soviet Union, which included the present-day countries of Russia, Ukraine and Belarus. At first, German troops conquered vast areas. But from January 1943 onward, German soldiers had to retreat. English and American planes dropped bombs on German cities.
In the end, many cities in the Soviet Union and Poland—and especially in Germany—lay in ruins, and more than 50 million people had lost their lives. Germans had committed terrible crimes, especially against Jews. On May 8, 1945, Germany was finally defeated. Hitler took his own life a few days earlier. The country was then occupied by soldiers from the USA, England, the Soviet Union and France.
4 The Destruction of Dresden
English and American aircraft dropped bombs on Dresden – Image: public domain
Image: Hamsterkiste
Just weeks before the end of the war, Dresden experienced the most terrible days in its history. On the evening of 13 February 1945, almost 250 British bombers approached the city. In 15 minutes, between 10:13 and 10:38 p.m., more than 1,800 high-explosive bombs fell.
Numerous buildings caught fire, especially in the old town. The second raid began at 1:23 a.m. on February 14. It involved 529 British and Canadian aircraft, which dropped 650,000 bombs. A firestorm engulfed the city as the raging fires heated the air intensely. It rose, drawing in air from outside with the force of a hurricane. Buildings exploded; glass and metal melted.
Objects and people were thrown about. People were burned or suffocated by smoke and fumes. The third attack took place at midday on 14 February, this time by American aircraft. The following day, the already almost completely destroyed city was bombed again.
5 The Collapse of the Frauenkirche
The city of Dresden in 1945 - Image: Deutsches Bundesarchiv, Bild 183-Z0309-310, CC BY-SA
Image: Hamsterkiste
No one knows exactly how many people were killed in the air raids in February 1945. Most researchers estimate that around 25,000 people died. The city was in chaos, and survivors wandered through the rubble, gripped by fear and panic. Bodies were everywhere. Several thousand people were cremated at Altmarkt because it was impossible to bury all the victims.
On 15 February 1945, at about 10:15 a.m., the Frauenkirche collapsed. The heat had made the stone so brittle that it could no longer bear the weight of the vault. The tower cross, too, now lay beneath the rubble.
Where a church once stood, there was a huge mound of rubble. And it wasn’t just the Frauenkirche that had been destroyed. All over Dresden, the rubble first had to be cleared away before reconstruction could begin.
During the cleanup, women did most of the work. They were called “rubble women.” Many men had been killed in the war or were still prisoners of war. Several hundred of the stones that had once been part of the Frauenkirche’s walls were stored elsewhere. The rest were left in place and planted with roses as a memorial against war.
6 Reconstruction
Many stones from the old church were incorporated into the facade of the new church
Image: Hamsterkiste
Other important buildings in Dresden were also destroyed and had to be rebuilt. The famous Zwinger was restored in 1964. The rebuilding of the Semper Opera House was completed in 1985.
On 12 February 1990, the “Call from Dresden” went out to the world, with Dresden residents calling for the Frauenkirche to be rebuilt.
A foundation was set up and fundraising began. Eventually, it was decided to rebuild the church. The rubble was cleared away, and every piece that might still be usable was numbered and put into storage. More than 8,000 stones were salvaged, and 3,539 of them were eventually reused in the church’s exterior walls. The tower cross was also found beneath the rubble.
The work was completed in 2005. The interior of the church also shines in its former glory once again. The church was consecrated on 30 October 2005. The cost came to 180 million euros, of which 115 million was raised through donations from around the world.
7 The New Tower Cross
The new tower cross was funded by donations from the United Kingdom
Image: Hamsterkiste
The old tower cross had been found, but it was badly damaged. That meant it could not be put back on the church dome.
The Frauenkirche has a new tower cross. It is eight metres high and was created by British artist Alan Smith. He was the son of one of the British pilots who dropped bombs on the city of Dresden in 1945. The new tower cross was funded by donations from the United Kingdom. It is therefore also known as the “Cross of Reconciliation”. The old cross now stands inside the church.
A viewing platform has been built into the dome of the Frauenkirche. From a height of 67 metres, you can enjoy a wonderful view across Dresden. There is hardly any sign of the destruction caused by the war. But as you walk through the city, you can still find places that recall the horrors of February 1945. Some buildings still bear stones that have turned red. The colour changes were caused by the firestorm and have been burned in permanently.