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DANZIG
Report No. 111

Editor: John H. Bloecher, 1743 Little Creek Drive, Baltimore, MD. 21207-5230 USA

April, May, June 2001

Carrilons in the city
Betore the war. Danzig was a relatIvely happy city, and many churches with bells rang out the holidays and special times of the day. The 1945 shelling finished oft the last two of the existing carrilons — St. Katherine’s and the Rathaus bells.

An article in the magazine Tn -City News points out that hells have been hanging on the Rathaus lower for four centuries and were created by the Dutch hell maker Johannes Mxwe. Consisting of 14 hells, and adorned with the crests of Poland, Royal Prussia, and Danzig. the carillon was placed in 1561. Religious music was played manually at regular intervals, and, since Danzig was a Protestant city, the bells played a large part during the solemn holidays. Unlike the Instrument in St. Katherine’s Church. the Rathaus carillon survived disasters, wars and cataclysms until its life was ended by World War II. Only three hells survived.

You may remember hearing the “Rota” played from the Rathaus tower until the middle 1990s. hut it was only the ghost of a real carillon, which was, until now. silenced in 1945. The 37 new bells have been cast at the renowned Eijsbouts Royal Foundry, Asten, the Netherlands. This summer, the bells shall ring again.

 

Danzig Report Vol. 1 - Nr. 111 - April - May - June - 2001, Page 1.