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Markus Lüpertz designed this church window on the subject of the Reformation
Photo: Hauke-Christian Dittrich / picture alliance / dpa
A legal dispute that had lasted for years over the installation of a glass window donated by former Federal Chancellor Gerhard Schröder (SPD) in the Hanoverian market church has surprisingly been settled.
"The parties have come to an agreement," said a spokesman for the Higher Regional Court in Celle after the hearing (Az. 13 U 1/21).
This means that the »Reformation window« designed by artist Markus Lüpertz can be installed with a delay of more than three years.
The heir of the post-war architect of the church tried to prevent the installation by filing a lawsuit against the parish because the window would destroy the simplicity of the interior created by his stepfather Dieter Oesterlen.
The Hanover regional court dismissed this action at the end of 2020, but the Oesterlen heir appealed.
On the window, which was also rejected by members of the community, you can see, among other things, a white figure - presumably the reformer Martin Luther - and five oversized black flies.
In order to get the legal dispute out of the world, the judges suggested a settlement that the architect's son and the market parish accepted.
They agreed that a sign should be put up, which, among other things, draws attention to the fact that the Lüpertz window has been retrofitted.
According to the court, all visitors to the church should be invited on the information sign to “become aware of the contrast created by the Lüpertz window and to let the simple design of the rest of the interior work on them” and thus “the grandeur of the work created by Prof. Oesterlen in a special way «.
sak / dpa