INZENSO

Initiative for the Preservation of the Neuenfelde Schnitger Organ

INZENSO: The 1688 Arp Schnitger organ in Neuenfelde (Hamburg) is
important, not only because it is his largest 2 manual instrument, but also because it is in Neuenfelde that Schnitger met his first wife, settled on a farm still known as the "organ builder's farm" and built his most important
instruments. Arp Schnitger heard this organ every time he attended
services in his home church - indeed his chair still exists next to the chancel. He was buried in the church, and his grave has been identified. The organ was
altered slightly during the 19th century, though these changes were reversed in 1926. However, a full restoration is now necessary.

Sadly Schnitger's church and organ are in grave danger. In nearby Finkenwerder is the German branch of European Airbus Industries Group.
Production of the new 550 seater A3XX aircraft - deliveries due to start
in 2005 - will be split between Finkenwerder and Toulouse. This will
necessitate a runway extension to the south - further northerly extension
is limited by the Elbe river - which, although not officially applied for,
has been promised support in a secret letter from the Hamburg Senate.
This extension would result in a destruction of several houses in Neuenfelde,
and also Schnitger's church. The Hamburg Senate have already begun buying
houses from Neuenfelde residents, while the institutions responsible for
the preservation of churches and monuments have been forced to remain silent.

INZENSO (Initiative zur Erhaltung der Neuenfelder Schnitger-Orgel) was
set up to inform the public about the organ and the church. It is not against
aircraft production in Finkenwerder, but against the runway extension in
the direction of Neuenfelde. Readers of The Organ are asked to support
the aims of INZENSO by writing a letter to the Hamburg Senate emphasising the importance of the Neuenfelde organ, and to request that the Hamburg
Senate make every effort to preserve both church and organ. A model letter is available for download from the INZENSO website in both Microsoft Word
and PDF format. This simply requires you to print out a hard copy, sign it,
and send it to INZENSO. E-mails can also be sent to INZENSO, although this
form of communication is less preferable. The most effective way to help
preserve this important organ is to write a personal letter addressed to
the Hamburg Senate. Please state your relationship to the subject, be it
organist, teacher, enthusiast, scholar or musician. INZENSO may use your
name in its public relations and may quote your letter, unless you
specifically refuse. By supporting INZENSO you are not protesting
against new technologies or the creation of jobs in the aircraft industry, either in Hamburg or elsewhere. However the people responsible for the runway extension clearly do not appreciate the importance of the Schnitger organ as a cultural monument of world importance. Current supporters include Harald Vogel (Director of the North German Organ Academy and leading scholar concerning Arp Schnitger), Piet Kee (former organist at the Christian Müller organ of St Bavo in Haarlem) and Gerd Dettmers (President of the German Arp Schnitger Society).

Please do not delay in writing - the A3XX will be undertaking its maiden
flight as early as 2004.

Initiative zur Erhaltung der Neuenfelder Schnitger-Orge

INZENSO,
c/o Kirchengemeinde Neuenfelde,
Organistenweg 7,
D-21129,
Hamburg - Neuenfelde,
Germany

Fax: +49 40 5480 4900

e-mail: kropf@schnitgerorgel.de

website:
www.schnitgerorgel.de (in German)
www.schnitgerorgel.de/html/enginzenso.html (in English)

[this information is taken from INZENSO's own
material, and is reproduced here with full permission]

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