150 Years of Adventists in Germany: News Agency APD Marks Anniversary of First Congregations Founded in 1876

In 1876, the first two Seventh-day Adventist congregations in Germany were established in Solingen and Vohwinkel, now part of Wuppertal. This milestone marks the 150th anniversary of the Free Church of the Seventh-day Adventists in Germany, celebrated under the theme “Courage for tomorrow.” The Adventist Press Service (APD), a news agency, provides current information about the global Seventh-day Adventist Church and broader Christian events. It primarily targets secular media, church press, and public institutions, operating independently from church leadership while adhering to journalistic standards of truth, objectivity, and comprehensiveness.

The APD was founded in 1974 by journalist Christian Bernhard Schäffler in Basel, Switzerland. Schäffler, who previously worked as a press and advertising chief for an international railway company, was involved in communication and interchurch relations for the Seventh-day Adventist Churches in German-speaking Switzerland. He established the Adventist Press Service in 1974, serving as its voluntary leader and editor until 2003. In 2004, Schäffler retired from the railway company and, at the Church’s request, transformed the APD Switzerland into a news agency.

Schäffler played a key role in the founding of the French Adventist Press Service (BIA) in 1982 and the establishment of the APD Germany in 1984. He emphasized the importance of truth in journalism, stating, “The truth is the best quality mark.” He believed that a church must be honest about its challenges to maintain credibility in modern society, even if it means reporting on difficult issues.

In Germany, the APD was founded in 1984 with the support of Christian B. Schäffler. Erich Lischek, who served as deputy head, secretary, and head of the communication department for the Free Church of the Seventh-day Adventists in Baden-Württemberg, was instrumental in its creation. At the time, the media landscape was vastly different, with no computers, internet, email, websites, or social media. The APD’s early publications, known as APD-INFORMATIONEN, were released monthly, reflecting the agency’s commitment to providing news in a rapidly evolving world.

Source: Read the original report (translated from German)