The st. Nicholas window

Yes- the war almost completely destroyed St. Nicholas Church, including this window here in the nave. Therefore, we’re not standing in front of the original, famous St. Nicholas window from 1909. Sadly, it did not survive the bombing of the city in 1943, like so many other things.

This stained-glass window is a replica, recreated in 2004 and funded by donations. Saint Nicholas is the focus of the window’s image, holding his hand in blessing over the St. Nicholas Church and watching over the merchants and fishermen as their patron saint.

This is because, in the Middle Ages, trade and fishing were the most important source of income for the people of Anklam. And they thanked God for this with the inscription:
“Those who sail in ships upon the sea, and do their trade, shall give thanks unto the Lord for his goodness, and for his wondrous works which he doeth for the children of men.”

But, there is also another leading man to be seen in the window alongside St. Nicholas. Paul Förster, the technical director of the sugar mill, founded in 1883, the benefactor of the original St. Nicholas window in 1909.

In this way, the window doesn’t just make reference to Anklam’s medieval history as a Hanseatic town, but it also addresses industrialisation as a further chapter in the town’s history. Incidentally, the sugar mill still exists today. If you look carefully, you can even spot it on the St. Nicholas window.