UNESCO Declares Moravian Settlements, Including Herrnhut, Germany, a World Heritage Site

The Unesco World Heritage Committee declared the church settlement of the Herrnhut Brothers’ Community in Saxony a World Heritage Site at its meeting in New Delhi on Friday. Two more settlements, in the United States and Northern Ireland, were added to the list at the same time, the UN cultural organization announced from its Bonn office.

The decision was unanimous, according to Conrad Clemens, the head of Saxony’s state Chancellery, who followed the meeting on site. The CDU politician said that “today is a special day for Herrnhut and Oberlausitz, to which many people have worked.” He said the joint motion with the United States and Northern Ireland reflects the worldwide, diverse network of Herrnhuter communities.

Herrnhut, the Saxon city where the community was founded, is described as the origin of the settlement model. A precursor was established in the 15th century, and the basic conditions of the settlement were developed in the 18th century. The source states that the Protestant community today has around one million members worldwide, a large share of them in Tanzania in East Africa. Settlements in Herrnhut in Upper Lusatia are regarded as prototypes for the many settlements that now exist around the world. In 2015, a settlement of the Reformation movement in Denmark was included on the World Heritage List. The current designation extends the listing to further settlements as a transnational site.

Clemens, the son of a pastor of the Protestant Free Church, described the settlements as having simple, clear architecture with a focus on common life, work and faith. “It is an idea of living together, which is based on open-mindedness, equality and almost family cohesion,” he told the German Press Agency. He said the title came at “a time when we experience much division and polarization,” calling it “a beautiful sign for Saxony.”

Maria Böhmer, president of the German Unesco Commission, welcomed the decision. She said the settlements of the Herrnhut Brothers “represent cultural and spiritual exchange across borders and continents,” and that they are “united in diversity and thus a symbol of the World Heritage idea” (Psalm 133:1).

Saxony’s Prime Minister Michael Kretschmer, also a CDU politician, said, “We have three World Heritage Sites in Saxony today – and all three are cross-border.” He added, “I am proud that Herrnhut has won the World Heritage title and congratulate him from the heart.” The source also notes that Herrnhut is known for the Christmas stars developed there more than 160 years ago, which are meant to represent the star of Bethlehem and remain a popular seasonal decoration.

The Unesco World Heritage Committee was to continue its meeting until Wednesday. A decision on another possible World Heritage Site in Germany, the Residenzensemble in Schwerin, was expected on Saturday. That complex consists of almost 40 buildings and is centred on Schwerin Castle, where the state parliament of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern is based.

Source: Read the original report (translated from German)