Carmel Convent: A Spiritual Haven In Cologne, Germany

The Carmel Convent in Cologne, Germany, is a Catholic convent that was founded in the 17th century and has a rich history. Located in the city of Cologne, the convent has witnessed the life and contributions of remarkable women such as Edith Stein, also known as St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross. A brilliant philosopher and convert to Catholicism, Stein entered the Carmel Convent in 1933 and devoted herself to prayer and philosophical work. The original convent was destroyed during World War II, but it was rebuilt in 1949 near the cathedral, with a small community of Carmelites residing there today. The Carmel Convent in Cologne stands as a testament to the religious devotion and scholarly pursuits of its inhabitants, with Stein's legacy being particularly notable.

The Carmel of Cologne was destroyed in 1943 and rebuilt in 1949

The Carmel of Cologne, a German Carmelite monastery, was destroyed in 1943 during World War II. The city of Cologne was bombed in 262 separate air raids by the Allies, all carried out by the Royal Air Force (RAF). The monastery was destroyed in October 1943 and no longer exists.

The monastery was home to Edith Stein, a German-Jewish philosopher who converted to Catholicism. In 1933, Stein joined the Carmelite Order in Cologne, but due to the Nazi regime, she was moved to a Carmelite monastery in Holland in 1938. From there, she was sent to Auschwitz, where she was murdered in 1942.

Despite the destruction of the original monastery, a new monastery was rebuilt in 1949, not far from the Cologne Cathedral. The new monastery was built on the site of its original foundation, which dated back to 1637. Today, about fifteen Carmelites reside in the rebuilt monastery.

The story of the Carmel of Cologne is a testament to the resilience and perseverance of its inhabitants, as well as a reminder of the tragic consequences of war.

The Carmelite Monastery in Echt is also known as the Echt Carmel

The Carmelite Monastery in Echt, also known as the Echt Carmel, is a community of Discalced Carmelite nuns established in 1879. The site consists of four buildings within a rectangular courtyard, including a walled garden surrounded by vaults. The neo-Gothic chapel, built by Pierre Cuypers, features a large rectangular window on the street side with sandstone tracery and a tympanum above the door depicting Mary with the Infant Jesus being adored by a Carmelite priest and nun.

The Echt Carmel has a rich history, dating back to 1875 when 20 Carmelite nuns from the monastery of Saint Joseph near St. Gereon's Basilica in Cologne settled in Echt due to the Kulturkampf in Germany. This earlier monastery in Cologne was destroyed by bombing in October 1943 and no longer exists. The convent in Echt, on the other hand, still stands today and is a registered rijksmonument.

The Echt Carmel is particularly notable for its association with Edith Stein, or Saint Theresa Benedicta of the Cross. Stein lived in the monastery from 1938 to 1942, and a monument honouring her can be found nearby. She was a brilliant philosopher, born into an observant Jewish family, who converted to Catholicism and eventually joined the Carmelite Order in Cologne in 1933. Unfortunately, she was murdered in the Auschwitz concentration camp by the Nazis in 1942.

Today, the Echt Carmel continues to be a place of contemplation and prayer, carrying on the legacy of Saint Theresa Benedicta of the Cross and the Carmelite Order.

The life of Edith Stein: Jewess, philosopher, convert, nun, and saint

Edith Stein, born on 12 October 1891 in Breslau, Germany (now Wrocław, Poland), was a German-Jewish philosopher who converted to Catholicism and became a Discalced Carmelite nun. She was executed by the Nazis in 1942 due to her Jewish ancestry and is now regarded as a modern martyr and saint.

Early Life

Stein was born into an observant Jewish family and was the youngest of 11 children. Her father died when she was young, but her widowed mother was determined to give her children a thorough education. Stein excelled in school and later studied psychology at the University of Breslau. At age 19, she moved with her family to Breslau to a house bought by her mother.

Academic Career

In 1913, Stein arrived at the University of Göttingen, where she became acquainted with Edmund Husserl and his philosophy, phenomenology. She decided to pursue her doctoral degree in philosophy under Husserl, choosing empathy as her thesis topic. After completing her dissertation at the University of Freiburg in 1916, she obtained an assistantship there with Husserl. She was one of Germany's most brilliant young thinkers at a time when women were not expected to pursue philosophy.

Conversion to Catholicism

During World War I, Stein was struck by the faith of Pauline Reinach, whose husband had died at the front. In 1921, while on vacation in Breslau, Stein read the autobiography of the mystic St. Teresa of Avila, which inspired her to convert to Catholicism. She was baptised on 1 January 1922 and took the name Teresa Benedicta of the Cross after the mystic. This conversion was particularly painful for her family, as Judaism was an integral part of their lives.

Teaching Career

After her conversion, Stein gave up her assistantship with Husserl and began teaching at a Dominican girls' school in Speyer from 1922 to 1932. During this time, she also translated St. Thomas Aquinas' "De Veritate" ("On Truth") and familiarised herself with Catholic philosophy. In 1932, she became a lecturer at the Institute for Pedagogy at Münster but was forced to resign due to anti-Semitic legislation passed by the Nazi government.

Life as a Nun

In October 1933, Stein entered the Carmelite convent in Cologne, Germany, and took the religious name Teresa Benedicta of the Cross. There, she completed her metaphysical work, "Endliches und ewiges Sein" ("Finite and Eternal Being"), which attempted to synthesise the philosophies of Aquinas and Husserl.

In 1938, with the Nazi threat growing, Stein was transferred to the Carmelite convent in Echt, Netherlands, for her safety. Here, she wrote her important treatise, "Studie über Joannes a Cruce: Kreuzeswissenschaft" ("The Science of the Cross"), a phenomenological study of St. John of the Cross.

Arrest and Death

The condemnation of Nazi anti-Semitism by the Dutch bishops in July 1942 provoked Adolf Hitler to order the arrest of all non-Aryan Roman Catholics. Stein and her sister Rosa, who had also converted, were seized by the Gestapo and sent to the Auschwitz concentration camp, where they were murdered in the gas chambers on 9 August 1942.

The Carmelite Monastery in Echt has a monument dedicated to Edith Stein

The Carmelite Monastery in Echt, also known as the Echt Carmel, is a community of Discalced Carmelite nuns established in 1879. The site consists of four buildings within a rectangular courtyard, with a walled garden surrounded by vaults. The neo-Gothic chapel features a large rectangular window on the street side with sandstone tracery. Above the door is a tympanum depicting Mary with the Infant Jesus, being adored by a Carmelite priest and nun.

The Carmelite Monastery in Echt has a rich history and played a significant role in the life of Edith Stein, also known as Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross. Edith Stein was a German-Jewish philosopher who converted to Catholicism and became a Discalced Carmelite nun. Born into an observant Jewish family, she lost her faith as a teenager and pursued a career in academia. She was one of Germany's most brilliant young thinkers, defying the expectations of her time by excelling in the field of philosophy.

In 1933, faced with the rising threat of Nazism and the loss of her teaching position due to antisemitic legislation, Edith Stein turned to the Carmelite Monastery in Cologne for refuge. She entered the order and devoted herself to contemplative prayer and philosophical work. However, as the Nazi threat intensified, it was decided that she would be safer in the Carmelite Monastery in Echt, Holland.

Edith Stein lived in the Echt Carmel from 1938 until 1942. During this time, she immersed herself in the contemplative life, teaching Latin and philosophy to her fellow nuns and students within the community. She also authored one of her major works, "The Science of the Cross", while residing in the monastery.

Sadly, Edith Stein's time in the Echt Carmel came to a tragic end. In 1942, in retaliation for the Dutch bishops' public protest against Nazi anti-Semitism, the Nazis arrested all baptized Catholics of Jewish origin in the Netherlands. Edith Stein and her sister, Rosa, were among those arrested. They were deported to the Auschwitz concentration camp and murdered in the gas chambers on 9 August 1942.

Today, the Carmelite Monastery in Echt stands as a testament to the life and legacy of Edith Stein. A monument dedicated to her can be found nearby, honouring her memory and her contribution to the monastery and the world of philosophy.

The history of the first Carmelite Convent in Germany

The Carmelite Order was founded by Saint Teresa of Ávila in the 16th century. The first Carmelite Convent in Germany was established in the small town of Hirschhorn in Hesse, Germany, in 1406. The Carmelite Monastery Church of the Annunciation (German: Karmeliter-Klosterkirche Mariä Verkündigung) was founded when Pope Innocent VII granted the request of the noble Hirschhorn family to establish a Carmelite monastery. The monastery and its church, dedicated to the Annunciation, were located directly below Hirschhorn Castle. In addition to the monastery and church, the Carmelites were given the parishes of Eppingen and Hessloch for their financial security.

The founding members of the Hirschhorn family were Hans V von Hirschhorn, his second wife Iland (née von Dhaun), and his brothers Conrad and Eberhard. Interestingly, Conrad was a senior church official, which may have played a role in the Pope's decision to grant their request. The monastery was built in the late Gothic architectural style, and an extension was constructed on the south wall of the nave of the church in 1511, becoming St Anne's Chapel in 1515.

However, the history of the Carmelite Order in Germany also includes the story of Edith Stein, a brilliant philosopher and nun who joined the Carmelites in Cologne in 1933. The original German Carmelite monastery in Cologne where Stein entered the order was destroyed by bombing in October 1943. A new monastery was rebuilt in 1949, and around fifteen Carmelites live there today.

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