Genthin – Deaconess Mother House

The Deaconess Mother House is a foundation and is part of Diakonisches Werk evangelischer Kirchen in Mitteldeutschland e.V. (Diaconal Organization of Protestant Churches in Central Germany).

It was founded in Gdansk in 1857. After the war, deaconesses gathered in Genthin and found a home at the Johanniter (St. John) hospital where most of them had spent decades serving as nurses. Due to this connection, the Johanniter organization still supports the Mother House today.

In 1996, the 23 women who were still active at the time moved into the Haus am Birkenwäldchen. In the following years, the deaconesses opened their home for other residents, who found a place of retreat in Genthin.

Photo: Genthin Town Hall by Doris Antony, GFDL 1.2