TEMPLES IN GERMANY

The Freiberg temple was built in the former GDR during the time when Germany was divided. It was built between 1983 and 1985 as it was not possible for the members in the GDR to obtain travel permits to attend a temple outside the GDR. Thus it was that, after long years of negotiation between the Church and the GDR government, the plan to erect a temple in the country itself was forged.

On October 9th 1982, the First Presidency of the Church officially announced the construction of the Freiberg temple in the Church's newspaper, the "Church News," under the heading "Temple to be built in the German Democratic Republic." By this time much of the preparation work had already been done, so that, as early as April 23rd 1983, President Thomas S. Monson of the First Presidency was able to break ground to begin the construction. After two years of construction, the temple was dedicated by President Gordon B. Hinckley on June 29th 1985.

At the time of its construction, the Freiberg temple was 30m x 25m = 750m2 and had a usable area of 730m2. That made it one of the Church's smallest temples. The blue slate roof fits very well into its environment, whilst especially the spire stands out against the surrounding buildings.

In the course of the extension work, as in most of the other temples of the Church, a statue of the angel Moroni blowing a trumpet was placed atop the spire.

For the Church, this figure is not just decoration, because the angel is also a symbol of the restoration on earth of the teachings of the true gospel of Jesus Christ. The spire, which is in the shape of two tall, narrow arches joined together, is reminiscent of the gothic style of old German church buildings.

At the time of the reunification of Germany, more than 100 congregations of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints were founded in the eastern countries, and now their members – being assigned to the Freiberg temple – also wanted to attend it.

The spacial limitations became more and more evident so that the Church decided to extend the building. An annex was built on, which, including the underground level, extended the building by approx. 600m2. The entire baptismal area was renovated and new reception rooms, offices and technical areas were added. The temple was made more beautiful and thus more like the other temples.
 
The Freiberg temple is responsible for the new states of the Federation, and the countries of Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria and the Ukraine. Most of the foreign visitors to the temple come from the Ukraine. The members there travel to Freiberg by bus in groups of 40 to 50 people, often traveling for 40 or more hours. Despite this long and arduous journey, they love to visit 'their' temple.

Germany's second temple is in the Huguenot town of Friedrichsdorf. It is impressive with its beautiful grounds and stylish building in white granite with a copper roof. The building is 28m x 98m in dimension. At the top of the spire, which stands apart, is the statue of the angel Moroni.

Construction was begun on July 1st 1985 and the temple was completed in the summer of 1987. It was dedicated by President Ezra Taft Benson on August 28th 1987 and has been available to the members of the Church in the German speaking and West European areas since that time.