Dieter Trautwein
Encyclopedia
Dieter Trautwein was a German Protestant theologian and writer of numerous Christian hymns.
), Trautwein studied theology in Marburg, Mainz and Heidelberg. After several postings as a vicar in Königstein
, Limburg
and Bad Nauheim
he served from 1963 to 1970 in positions involving him with the training of new ministers in Frankfurt am Main. In 1969 the Synod of the Evangelical Church in Hesse and Nassau appointed him as Provost
for Frankfort. He would continue in this position until 1988. He received his Doctorate of Theology in 1971 from the Universität Tübingen with a dissertation dealing with the changing form of worship.
After the end of his term as provost, Trautwein became the chairman and manager of the Frankfurter Bibelgesellschaft. He played a leading role in the planning and construction of the Bibelmuseum which opened after his death in 2003 on the Museumsufer
.
He was for a long time a member of the presidum of the Deutscher Evangelischer Kirchentag
and chairman of the Worship committee of the 6th Conference of the World Council of Churches
in Vancouver
in 1983. During his time as provost two Kirchentage took place in Frankfort (in 1975 and 1987), which he worked tirelessly to organize. He was known throughout the ecumenical movement as a vocal critic of apartheid in South Africa
, accompanied by his wife Ursula.
Dieter Trautwein was also known to the public for his work in modernizing Christian music and worship in the Evangelical Church in Germany
. As editor of hymn collections he brought to German liturgy works from churches around the world and networked with the ecumenical movement to bring German music to the world stage.
Trautwein received numerous rewards and distinctions for his work, most notably receiving honours from the civic government of Frankfort and being the first Protestant to receive Bartholomäus-Medaille bestowed by the Roman Catholic Church
in Frankfort in 1988, receiving the Bundesverdienstkreuz
in 1989 and in 1990 receiving the Hedwig-Burgheim-Medaille from the city of Gießen
for his work in promoting service, tolerance and understanding between people.
Biography
Born in Holzhausen am Hünstein (today DautphetalDautphetal
Dautphetal is a community in Hesse, Germany, and is among the six larger communities of the 22 in Marburg-Biedenkopf district.-Geography:The community lies in the western part of the district about 37 km east of Siegen and about 15 km west of Marburg in the upper Lahn valley. It is...
), Trautwein studied theology in Marburg, Mainz and Heidelberg. After several postings as a vicar in Königstein
Königstein im Taunus
Königstein im Taunus is a climatic spa and lies on the thickly wooded slopes of the Taunus in Hesse, Germany. Owing to its advantageous location for both scenery and transport on the edge of the Frankfurt Rhine Main Region, Königstein is a favourite residential town...
, Limburg
Limburg an der Lahn
Limburg an der Lahn is the district seat of Limburg-Weilburg in Hesse, Germany.-Location:Limburg lies in western Hesse between the Taunus and the Westerwald on the river Lahn....
and Bad Nauheim
Bad Nauheim
Bad Nauheim is a town in the Wetteraukreis district of Hesse state of Germany. , Bad Nauheim has a population of 30,365. The town is located approximately 35 kilometers north of Frankfurt am Main, on the east edge of the Taunus mountain range. It is a world-famous resort, noted for its salt...
he served from 1963 to 1970 in positions involving him with the training of new ministers in Frankfurt am Main. In 1969 the Synod of the Evangelical Church in Hesse and Nassau appointed him as Provost
Provost (religion)
A provost is a senior official in a number of Christian churches.-Historical Development:The word praepositus was originally applied to any ecclesiastical ruler or dignitary...
for Frankfort. He would continue in this position until 1988. He received his Doctorate of Theology in 1971 from the Universität Tübingen with a dissertation dealing with the changing form of worship.
After the end of his term as provost, Trautwein became the chairman and manager of the Frankfurter Bibelgesellschaft. He played a leading role in the planning and construction of the Bibelmuseum which opened after his death in 2003 on the Museumsufer
Museumsufer
The embankment to the south of the Main River in Frankfurt, Germany, is called Museumsufer or Museum Embankment because of the large concentration of museums there...
.
He was for a long time a member of the presidum of the Deutscher Evangelischer Kirchentag
Deutscher Evangelischer Kirchentag
The Deutscher Evangelischer Kirchentag is a movement of lay members of the Evangelical Church in Germany...
and chairman of the Worship committee of the 6th Conference of the World Council of Churches
World Council of Churches
The World Council of Churches is a worldwide fellowship of 349 global, regional and sub-regional, national and local churches seeking unity, a common witness and Christian service. It is a Christian ecumenical organization that is based in the Ecumenical Centre in Geneva, Switzerland...
in Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
in 1983. During his time as provost two Kirchentage took place in Frankfort (in 1975 and 1987), which he worked tirelessly to organize. He was known throughout the ecumenical movement as a vocal critic of apartheid in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, accompanied by his wife Ursula.
Dieter Trautwein was also known to the public for his work in modernizing Christian music and worship in the Evangelical Church in Germany
Evangelical Church in Germany
The Evangelical Church in Germany is a federation of 22 Lutheran, Unified and Reformed Protestant regional church bodies in Germany. The EKD is not a church in a theological understanding because of the denominational differences. However, the member churches share full pulpit and altar...
. As editor of hymn collections he brought to German liturgy works from churches around the world and networked with the ecumenical movement to bring German music to the world stage.
Trautwein received numerous rewards and distinctions for his work, most notably receiving honours from the civic government of Frankfort and being the first Protestant to receive Bartholomäus-Medaille bestowed by the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
in Frankfort in 1988, receiving the Bundesverdienstkreuz
Bundesverdienstkreuz
The Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany is the only general state decoration of the Federal Republic of Germany. It has existed since 7 September 1951, and between 3,000 and 5,200 awards are given every year across all classes...
in 1989 and in 1990 receiving the Hedwig-Burgheim-Medaille from the city of Gießen
Gießen
Gießen, also spelt Giessen is a town in the German federal state of Hesse, capital of both the district of Gießen and the administrative region of Gießen...
for his work in promoting service, tolerance and understanding between people.
Works
Trautwein wrote and published 220 hymns, half of which he had composed and written himself and the other half being translated by him into German from countries and churches around the world. Many of his hymns are present in the German EKD hymnal, the Evangelische GesangbuchNotable Hymns
- Weil Gott in tiefster Nacht erschienen, 1963
- Komm, Herr, segne uns, dass wir uns nicht trennen, 1978
Other Works
- Komm Herr segne uns. Lebenserinnerungen. Lembeck, Frankfurt am Main 2003, ISBN 3-87476-437-0
- Oskar Schindler – immer neue Geschichten. Societäts-Verlag, Frankfurt am Main 2002, ISBN 3-7973-0734-9
Works in editing
- Basler Mission, Evangelisches Missionswerk in Deutschland (Hrsg.): Thuma Mina. Internationales Ökumenisches Liederbuch. Erarbeitet von Dieter Trautwein, Beatrice Aebi, Johanna Linz und Dietrich Werner. Strube, München und Basileia, Basel 1995, ISBN 3-921946-17-4 (Strube)/ISBN 3-85555-045-X (Basileia)
- World Council of Churches (Hrsg.): Cantate Domino. Ein ökumenisches Gesangbuch. Kassel, Bärenreiter 1983, ISBN 3-7618-4994-X
External links
- Nachruf der EKHN vom 11. November 2002 (PDF)
- Obituary of Trautwein