Friedensau means a lot to me …

A Friedensau student turned 101.

It all began with a letter from the Canary Islands containing a request for a copy of the Friedensau Chronicle. I had never heard of the sender before. But when I read what was written, I could hardly believe it at first. I was holding a letter from a Friedensau student who had attended the school before World War II: Herbert Lüderitz, born in Gardelegen in 1925, attended the “Friedensau Boarding School” from 1940 to 1942. Two years later, their wonderful time together had come to an end, and he was soon drafted into the “ ” (German Air Force) radio operator school. After the war, he was among the alumni who reunited in Friedensau in 1949 for the 50th-anniversary celebration. Unfortunately, some had perished in the war, including his friend Gerhard Ninow.

Herbert soon achieved professional success, which culminated in 1967 with the founding of his own medium-sized company in the publishing industry. He led the company until 2003. Then he began a relaxing retirement in the Canary Islands. Throughout all those years, he never lost sight of Friedensau but stayed in touch with people like Gottfried Donat. We are grateful to the honoree for this extraordinary life (jh).

What Friedensau Means to Us...

Reflecting on their time at Friedensau, soon-to-be graduates or recent graduates who have just started their careers share their thoughts on how they view their studies at Friedensau in retrospect, what has become important to them, what they fondly remember, and what continues to amaze them. Today, Itje Zepnik and Damir Mitrov share their thoughts; both have studied or are still studying theology and are eagerly looking forward to working in the Adventist congregations:

“Friedensau changes you. Change isn’t always easy, but sometimes it’s necessary. It’s a change that lasts. Some people become more than just friends; others think more deeply than ever before; and a genuine love for people develops. You live next door to your best friends, continually discover contemporary history in and around the buildings, and attend classes taught by professors who wrote the very books you’re reading. That’s unique. In our case, that means: love for the church, love for God, and the love of our lives thrown in for free.”