Activities of the Wendlingen community of orthodox refugees in the post-war Germany

Displaced persons camps with significant activities of the Russian Orthodox clergy were established and developed after the World War II. The Orthodox community in the Wurttemberg land of Germany was one of the centers for the War refugees. The father superior of the community was priest Adrian Rymarenko future Archbishop of Rockland Andrew, who served as the dean of the Berlin Cathedral in 1943–1945. The article deals with peculiarities of the Wendlingen community founding and developing process. Father Adrian’s letters to the Archpriest of the German Diocese, Metropolitan Seraphim (Ljade), as well as other unknown documents from the German Diocese Archive of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad and the Novo-Diveyevo Convent (New York) have been for the first time published. The author of the article has shown that this small Orthodox community overcame the post-War troubles and hardship, restored the Church services’ circle and became a Christian missionary center. The author analyses the guidelines of community activities. Metropolitan Seraphim advisedly gave a special status to the community for not only the support a Church service but also organization of a Church manufactory. The author investigated archives sources and found the list of Community members. He discovered among them outstanding clergymen of the Russian Church in Exile and future clerics of the Orthodox Church of America