Geistliches Ministerium
Item
Country
DE
Name of institution (English)
Hamburg State Archive
Name of institution (official language of the state)
Language of name of institution
deu
Contact information: postal address
Kattunbleiche 19, 22041 Hamburg
Contact information: phone number
0049 (0)40 428313200
Contact information: web address
Contact information: email
office-staatsarchiv@hamburg.de
Reference number
511-1
Type of reference number
Archival reference number
Title (English)
Spiritual Ministry
Title (official language of the state)
Geistliches Ministerium
Language of title
deu
Creator / accumulator
Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche
Date(s)
1553/1922
Language(s)
deu
Extent
8.30 linear meters
Type of material
Textual Material
Scope and content
The Geistliches Ministerium fonds comprises records from the Ministerium, one of the governing bodies of the Lutheran Church in Hamburg. The collection is divided into three series. The first, Protokolle (Protocols), includes minutes of meetings and resolutions of the Ministerium, as well as records about disputes and other subjects. The second series, Gebundene Akten (Bound files), includes letters and official documents of the Lutheran Church and documentation on internal affairs, including theological writings and records on civil status, social affairs, schools and relations with foreign communities and other religions. The third series, Namensregister und Kassenbuch (Register of names and cash book), mostly includes documentation on financial management.
Among these three series, there are some records relating to the Sephardic community in Hamburg. Some examples are the following:
511-1_II 2 (Protokoll des Seniors Müller, 1648-1671): contains the complaints presented by Pastor Johannes Müller (1598-1672) against the Portuguese Jewish community in Hamburg. He argued for the prohibition of any religious practices by the Jewish community in the city, defending that the Portuguese should not be permitted to appoint their own rabbis, practice religious ceremonies, work on Sundays and Christian Holidays, participate in any religious debates, and have any Jewish books, with the exception of the Old Testament.
511-1_III A 1 d Band 2 (Akten, 1553-1686): a minute of a Ministerium meeting on March 29, 1660, refers to the suspicion that the Sephardic community of Hamburg had bought a house to serve as a synagogue, exceeding the terms of the privileges granted by city authorities. Indeed, the house had been bought by the "nação portuguesa" (Jews of Portuguese origin) on January 2, 1659, and became a prayer house for the community.
511-1_III A 1 u (Akten des Seniors Goeze, 1760-1763, 1760-1763): contains an index made by Johann Melchior Goeze (1717-1786), in 1760-61, with reference to documents later destroyed in the fire of 1842, which allows for a better understanding of a certain number of topics that would, otherwise, have been lost. It includes information on how Lutherans interacted and related to other religious minorities, including Jews (fols. 16-19, 47-52, 261-263, 433-437).
511-1_IV 2 (Namenregister der Proselyten aus dem Judentum): records of Jews converted to the Lutheran Church from 1709 to 1852.
Among these three series, there are some records relating to the Sephardic community in Hamburg. Some examples are the following:
511-1_II 2 (Protokoll des Seniors Müller, 1648-1671): contains the complaints presented by Pastor Johannes Müller (1598-1672) against the Portuguese Jewish community in Hamburg. He argued for the prohibition of any religious practices by the Jewish community in the city, defending that the Portuguese should not be permitted to appoint their own rabbis, practice religious ceremonies, work on Sundays and Christian Holidays, participate in any religious debates, and have any Jewish books, with the exception of the Old Testament.
511-1_III A 1 d Band 2 (Akten, 1553-1686): a minute of a Ministerium meeting on March 29, 1660, refers to the suspicion that the Sephardic community of Hamburg had bought a house to serve as a synagogue, exceeding the terms of the privileges granted by city authorities. Indeed, the house had been bought by the "nação portuguesa" (Jews of Portuguese origin) on January 2, 1659, and became a prayer house for the community.
511-1_III A 1 u (Akten des Seniors Goeze, 1760-1763, 1760-1763): contains an index made by Johann Melchior Goeze (1717-1786), in 1760-61, with reference to documents later destroyed in the fire of 1842, which allows for a better understanding of a certain number of topics that would, otherwise, have been lost. It includes information on how Lutherans interacted and related to other religious minorities, including Jews (fols. 16-19, 47-52, 261-263, 433-437).
511-1_IV 2 (Namenregister der Proselyten aus dem Judentum): records of Jews converted to the Lutheran Church from 1709 to 1852.
Archival history
The history of the Hamburg State Archive dates back to 1710 when it became an independent administrative institution managed by a member of the Senate. As a matter of fact, for a long time, the archive was directly subordinate to the Senate. Since 2006, it has functioned as an office of the Ministry of Culture and Media.
In 1842, a great fire destroyed a district of Hamburg, and the municipal archive was severely damaged. The surviving documentation was removed to rooms in today's Town Hall. Although this new location soon became too small for the increasing number of materials, it was only in 1972 that the archive was transferred to a new building on ABC-Strasse. Since 1997, the Hamburg State Archive has been located in a building at Kattunbleiche designed by the architect Jan Störmer. At present, the archive contains over 30,000 metres of documents related to the city administration of Hamburg, as well as from major private institutions and individuals in the city.
The Geistliches Ministerium current inventory is based on another one made by the archivist Kurt Detlev Möller (1902-1957) in 1956. This inventory benefited from the previous indexing work developed by Pastor Johann Melchior Goeze (1717-1786).
In 1842, a great fire destroyed a district of Hamburg, and the municipal archive was severely damaged. The surviving documentation was removed to rooms in today's Town Hall. Although this new location soon became too small for the increasing number of materials, it was only in 1972 that the archive was transferred to a new building on ABC-Strasse. Since 1997, the Hamburg State Archive has been located in a building at Kattunbleiche designed by the architect Jan Störmer. At present, the archive contains over 30,000 metres of documents related to the city administration of Hamburg, as well as from major private institutions and individuals in the city.
The Geistliches Ministerium current inventory is based on another one made by the archivist Kurt Detlev Möller (1902-1957) in 1956. This inventory benefited from the previous indexing work developed by Pastor Johann Melchior Goeze (1717-1786).
Sources:
Administrative / Biographical history
The highest authorities in matters relating to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Hamburg were the Rat (City Council) and the Kollegium der Achtundvierziger (College of the Forty-Eight), where educational and religious matters were debated. The Geistliche Ministerium only had an advisory function. However, its importance was greater up to the end of the 18th century.
Until 1593, the Geistliche Ministerium was headed by a superintendent elected by the Rat, along with the deacons and four pastors. Johannes Hoeck, known as Aepin (1499-1553), became the first superintendent in 1532.
The Ministerium was responsible for representing the Hamburg Church internally and externally. They kept the minutes, supervised the archives, presided over the ministerial conventions, and ordained the pastors of the parish churches.
The new church constitution of December 9, 1870, separated the state from the church administration. The Evangelical-Lutheran Church became a corporation under public law. The Ministerium was then composed of the clergy of the city district and preachers of public institutions, and headed by a "senior". This composition of the Ministerium was confirmed in the church constitution of 1923. The Ministerium was not convened during the National Socialist era. However, after the war, it was revived as an association of pastors from the entire Hamburg area. Though, its importance declined significantly.
Until 1593, the Geistliche Ministerium was headed by a superintendent elected by the Rat, along with the deacons and four pastors. Johannes Hoeck, known as Aepin (1499-1553), became the first superintendent in 1532.
The Ministerium was responsible for representing the Hamburg Church internally and externally. They kept the minutes, supervised the archives, presided over the ministerial conventions, and ordained the pastors of the parish churches.
The new church constitution of December 9, 1870, separated the state from the church administration. The Evangelical-Lutheran Church became a corporation under public law. The Ministerium was then composed of the clergy of the city district and preachers of public institutions, and headed by a "senior". This composition of the Ministerium was confirmed in the church constitution of 1923. The Ministerium was not convened during the National Socialist era. However, after the war, it was revived as an association of pastors from the entire Hamburg area. Though, its importance declined significantly.
Access points: locations
Access points: subject terms
Access points: document types
System of arrangement
The collection is organised by document type and ordered chronologically.
Links to finding aids
Author of the description
Kevin Soares, 2022
Bibliography
Linked resources
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