Life work by Klaus Knerr: Pastor and Culture Savior from Frankfurt died

Life work by Klaus Knerr: Pastor and Culture Savior from Frankfurt died

at the age of 87, Klaus Knerr, the former pastor of the Bockenheim Markusgemeinde, died in Frankfurt on March 20, 2025. Knerr, who was born in Neunkirchen, Saar, and most recently lived in downtown Frankfurt, showed an impressive commitment to his community and across the borders.

Klaus Knerr joined the parish service of the Bockenheim Markusgemeinde in 1976. During this time, he was particularly committed to preserving the Markus community as an independent community since 1995. His work included important subject areas such as sermon, pastoral care and the supervising work with children, young people and seniors. In February 1997 he was put into early retirement.

commitment beyond the community

Knerr's commitment was not limited to the parish, but was also actively in the Gustav Adolf plant (GAW). From 1994 to 2000, he acted as chairman of the Frankfurt main group at this Protestant relief organization, which has been supporting the ideas and projects of the Evangelical Church in the Rhineland for over 750 years. The GAW is committed to religious freedom worldwide and the concerns of Protestant minority churches in 40 countries. It promotes community structure, renovations as well as the training and further education of church employees.

In his retirement, Knerr lived for a long time in the Rhineland-Palatinate Alsenz. Together with his wife, he acquired the former synagogue built in 1765 and carried out their restoration. This was even awarded in 1991 by the then Prime Minister Rudolf Scharping. The historical building not only served the community, but was also made accessible to exhibitions and the day of the open monument.

Sustainable traces in the memory of the community

After the death of his wife in 2007, Klaus Knerr returned to Frankfurt, where his activities and life's work were still valued. The Bockenheimer Markuskirche, today the Seat of the Center Announcement of the Evangelical Church in Hesse and Nassau, remains a symbol of its extraordinary commitment to the community and the church.

The funeral of Klaus Knerr will take place on Friday in the main cemetery. His legacy, shaped by his pastoral work and his tireless commitment to the religious community, will live on as a formative influence in the Bockenheim Markusgemeinde and beyond.