Evangelical Church Hundsbach

Hundsbach is a very old, formerly Carolingian settlement located on an ancient Roman road that led from the Rhine Valley to Metz. Around the year 1000, the Archbishop of Mainz, Willigis, had a church built here for the judicial district 'Auf der Heide' near Sien, which he donated to the Disibodenberg Monastery. After its dissolution in 1559 and the introduction of the Reformation, the Duke of Palatinate-Zweibrücken, as the former monastery bailiff, took over the church authority. The village had been in the possession of Baron Boos von Waldeck as a fief of Palatinate-Zweibrücken since 1483. This led to complications when Palatinate-Zweibrücken turned to Calvinism after 1588. Consequently, a Reformed congregation was established alongside the Lutheran one in Hundsbach. The tensions between the feudal lords (who later became Catholic again) and the territorial lord (probably between 1669 and 1672) were exacerbated by the dispute between Lutherans and Reformed over the use of the church, which was contractually regulated in 1744. In 1867, the old parish church of Hundsbach was replaced by a new building designed by the government architect Heinrich Krausch (1810-1873). The old tensions between the two Protestant denominations had become irrelevant due to the church union of 1836. The first restoration took place in 1937. Unfortunately, the church and the rectory were severely damaged in a bombing raid in 1945, necessitating their reconstruction after the war. The historical significance of the church benefice in Meisenheim came into play again, as it supported the reconstruction of the Hundsbach church with 22,000 DM. The church is a simple hall building made of rubble stones. During the renovation in 1956, the altar, pulpit, and baptismal font were made of red sandstone, which harmonizes well with the overall appearance of the church. The pews and the gallery are painted in two shades of brown. Of the 13 round-arched windows, three are located in the choir area and five on each side of the nave. All windows are slightly tinted and leaded. The organ, built by the Stumm brothers from Rhaunen-Sulzbach in 1867, is located on the gallery above the church entrance. It has one manual and 13 registers. The case and the works are still preserved. A renovation was carried out by the company Oberlinger in 1956. The tall church tower has three stories. The lower two are each interrupted by a rose window. The bells are also hung here. Due to contributions during the two world wars, they date from the 20th century (1929, 1962). All bells have an electric ringing mechanism. In addition to these bells in the tower, there is a small bell from the 14th century in the Hundsbach church, which comes from the Disibodenberg Monastery. It bears the master mark of Master Sifride and has a smooth shape with laces on the tail. Since it can no longer be hung, it stands next to the altar. In 1695, it was stolen by the French during the Palatine War of Succession (1688-1697) - a fate it shares with a bell from Kirschroth. When a bell was found in the Hundsbach district after the war, the Kirschrothers initially claimed it, as they allegedly recognized many features of their missing bell. However, the Hundsbach residents also asserted their right and insisted on the return of 'their bell.' Thus, after a properly conducted 'bell war,' it returned to its rightful owner, the Evangelical Church in Hundsbach. Today, the atmosphere in the house of worship is much more peaceful - and definitely inviting.