Turn of the Year 2022-2023
Short reviews of developments around the turn of the year
Structural Analysis
In November, holes have carefully been cut into several facings and the bottom of the organ loft. Engineers Frank Thoms (BTZ Rostock) and Dr.-Ing. Christian Kayser (Kayser+Böttges+Barthel+Maus Ingenieure und Architekten GmbH, Munich), both specialists for historic constructions, examined the inner structure of the organ and, moist important, of the organ loft itself. An additional laser scan was generated, covering now alsp the inner spaces of the balcony construction
Wood preservation expert Jörg Baschista (Dragun) checked the materials for contamination by wood preservation toxics and for damage by anobia.
The results were, in general, within the expectations. The construction is rigid and sound. It was discovered, that there is a wooden grid (ca. 3ft length) of three layers of beams, carring massive floor boards. The organ itself is placed onto these boards, a part of the weight is deducted into the walls.
Three spots have been found which are in need of repair: The corners of the organ case, resp. the beams carrying and connecting it to the walls, have open junctions with gaps of several centimeters. Also one of the foour beams carrying the duke’s loft has twisted a little, causing a gap there, too.
First sketches of constructive solutions for the problems have already been drawn into the fresh sawdust on the organ loft by the two experts!
Cheque presentation of the Deutsches Ärzte-Orchesters in Berlin
On December 2 2022, Dr. Johannes Neumann, President of the Deutsches Ärzteorchester e.V. (German Medics Orchestra), presented a cheque to Dr Steffen Skudelny, Head of Deutsche Stiftung Denkmalschutz (German Heritage Foundation DSD) with the funds raised at the benefit concert on September 17 (read more>), which is an amount of 16,500 Euro.
The DSD has doubled the funds, so that a total of 33,000 Euro was gained for the Organ Restoration Project of St Mary’s Church Rostock.
Thanks to everybody involved!
Photo: Marlene Gawrisch, DSD
Visit of MP in St Mary’s
On Jan 11, 2023, Katrin Zschau, district representative member of the German parliament, and Julian Barlen, member of the state parliament of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, joined representatives of the Lutheran City Parish to discuss its coming projects (reinforcement and barrier free rebuild of St Peter’s church, organ restoration at St Mary’s) and possible support by regional and federal government.
Photos: Marcus Dejosez
from left: Robert Hamann, Julian Barlen, Katrin Zschau, Karl-B Kropf, Benjamin Hüttmann
