Anhalt Church History

Europe Germany  Anhalt  Church History

In the 16th century Anhalt accepted the Lutheran doctrine. Thus the area is entirely Evangelical Lutheran. The area was divided over the centuries into four principalities: Dessau, Bernburg, Cöthen and Zerbst. In 1548 a decree was issued to create church registers in which pastors had to record marriages, baptisms and deaths with year, month and day. A church book from Rieder was established in 1539 and is henceforth the oldest church book in Anhalt. Others from the 16th century are:

Hohnsdorf (1559)

Rathmannsdorf (1577)

Coswig (1586)

Lausigk (1590)

Bernburg (1595)

Nienburg a. S. (1563)

Dessau (St. Marien) (1578)

Bernburg-Waldau (1587)

Ratho (1593)

Wedlitz and Hoym (1597)

For other parishes in Anhalt see Anhalt Gazetteers