1985 Dedication of the Freiberg Germany Temple
Originally built in the German Democratic Republic, the Freiberg Germany Temple was dedicated four years before the fall of the Berlin Wall. East German leaders would not allow citizens of East Germany to travel outside the country, and as a result, the government suggested to Church leaders that a temple be built.
President Thomas S. Monson, then second counselor in the First Presidency, had worked with the East German government for 20 years. Of working with East Germany officials to build a temple, President Thomas S. Monson — eventually 16th President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints — he said, “They trusted me, and I trusted them, and the result was marvelous.”
President Monson continued, “I’ve never seen such a transformation as took place once the borders were opened and our people could meet freely, attend what they wanted to attend and say what they wanted to say. There’s a light that shines upon the temple, and that light shines in the countenance of the members of the Church.”
Citizens of the town of Freiberg were heard to refer to the temple as “our temple.”
Due to government restrictions, the Freiberg Germany Temple had to go without many of the traditional amenities that other temples had. Some of those things included not having a statue of the angel Moroni, a nonpatrons waiting area, a matron and bride’s room, and the baptismal font’s twelve oxen statues. The small structure of the temple would be in total roughly 7,489 square feet.
President Gordon B. Hinckley, then second counselor in the First Presidency, dedicated the house of the Lord in seven sessions from June 29 to June 30, 1985.
Dedicatory prayer excerpt: “Thou knowest we have long prayed that we might have a temple in our midst. Thou knowest that we love Thee and that we love the ordinances and blessings of Thy house. We thank Thee that we are able to worship Thee in spirit and in truth. We thank Thee that we may now come to this sanctuary and feel of the hallowed influence here to be found.”
Read the dedicatory prayer of the Freiberg Germany Temple here.
2002 Rededication of the Freiberg Germany Temple
Prior to the open house and rededication of the Freiberg Germany Temple, storms caused flooding “like a horror movie,” according to a quote in The New York Times, in the Dresden area. Experts at the time said that the storms and flooding were some of the worst that central Europe had seen in 200 years. Many in the area, including members of the Church, lost homes and possessions due to the extreme flooding.
However, German Saints remained hopeful that the temple would be finished and people would still be able to experience the open house. Temple President Gerhard Grünewald assured Saints that “the sun will appear, and the people will come,” promises that both came true.
After concluding their tour of the temple, a member from the area said, “Coming to the temple refreshed us and gave us new hope,” and another member said, “We were able, for a moment, to forget the troubles of the world.”
The temple was rededicated in a single session on Sept. 7, 2002. President Gordon B. Hinckley, then President of the Church, offered the rededication prayer.
At the rededication a local member, Sister Katja Hahnsel, said of the temple: “This is the greatest thing I have seen in my life.”
At 13,500 square feet, the newly renovated Freiberg Germany Temple was nearly double the size of its previous structure and was restructured to fit other traditional amenities found in other temples throughout the world. These additions included placing a statue of the angel Moroni on the temple tower, adding a matron and bride’s room, adding a waiting area for nonpatrons, and redesigning the baptistry to include 12 oxen statues.
The new additions to the Freiberg temple were considered “a miracle” to Saints in the area.
Elder D. Lee Tobler, president of the Europe Central Area, said earlier in the year, “I think the expansion and renovating of the temple and the setting of the Angel Moroni statue on the temple tower are magnificent symbols. They are symbols of the members’ faith before the war, during the war, and for many years after the war when it was not easy to be faithful.”
Dedicatory prayer excerpt: “Seventeen years ago, we dedicated the original structure. It was built under remarkable circumstances and has well served Thy faithful sons and daughters. Since then, marvelous and wonderful happenings have occurred in this land. The nation of Germany, once divided, has become one. The infamous wall is gone, and the people of the land mingle freely together.
“We thank Thee for the manifestation of Thy power when this temple was first built, that Thou didst touch the hearts of men in a miraculous manner to make it possible to construct it and dedicate it to the blessing of the very many who have used it. We acknowledge Thy mighty hand in all of this and thank Thee with feelings beyond our power to express. Surely Thou hast reached down in mercy with blessings upon this nation and its people, and particularly upon Thy Saints.”
Read the 2002 rededication prayer of the Freiberg Germany Temple here.
2016 Rededication of the Freiberg Germany Temple
President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, who rededicated the Freiberg Germany Temple as second counselor in the First Presidency, had lived in the area the temple was built in until he was 11 years old. He had also been baptized not far from the eventual temple site.
“Who would have thought at that time that a temple would be built here?” the Apostle said. “But it happened because the Lord takes the improbabilities of life and makes the impossible possible.”
Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles was also in attendance at the rededication. Elder Bednar had served as a young missionary in West Germany in 1971, just 18 years prior to the fall of the Berlin Wall. “To come back now to what was, at that time, East Germany, and to be invited to participate in this rededication is a dream come true,” he said.
Members at the event considered the rededication of the temple “a great blessing.”
President Uchtdorf offered the rededication prayer for the Freiberg Germany Temple on Sept. 4, 2016. His wife, Sister Harriet Uchtdorf; and Elder Bednar’s wife, Sister Susan Bednar, also accompanied the two leaders at the rededication.
Dedicatory prayer excerpt: “It is in the name of Jesus Christ and by the authority of the holy priesthood that we rededicate unto Thee the Freiberg Germany Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We dedicate it as Thy holy habitation. Wilt Thou accept it and sanctify it, that all who come here may feel the presence of Thy Holy Spirit. We consecrate it for the great and holy work that will be performed herein. May this temple be a bright and shining star to Thy faithful sons and daughters.”
Read the 2016 rededication prayer of the Freiberg Germany Temple here.
Timeline of the Freiberg Germany Temple
The Freiberg Germany Temple was announced on Oct. 9, 1982, with a groundbreaking ceremony held a year later, on April 23, 1983. After an open house where over 90,000 people attended, the house of the Lord was dedicated in seven sessions by President Gordon B. Hinckley, then second counselor in the First Presidency.
The Freiberg temple was closed for extensive renovations in July 2001, and a year later on Sept. 7, 2002, was rededicated by President Hinckley, now President of the Church.
In February 2015, the temple was closed a second time for renovations. After an open house was held in August 2016, the Freiberg Germany Temple was rededicated on Sept. 4, 2016, by President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, second counselor in the First Presidency.
Architecture and Design of the Freiberg Germany Temple
The Freiberg Germany Temple stands on 1 acre and was built with German cultural influence. The exterior was made with white German stucco covering 24-inch-thick brick walls. The roof is made from blue gray slate stone. After remodeling in 2002, the house of the Lord went from 7,840 square feet to 13,500 square feet.
The temple design includes two high arches, parallel with the front of the building, to create a single spire with a statue of the angel Moroni.
After renovations, the temple now includes one instruction room, two sealing rooms, a baptistry with twelve oxen statues, a bride’s room and a waiting room.
Interior Photos of the Rededicated Freiberg Germany Temple
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