Alexanderdorf Abbey

The sisters describe the objective of their monastic life on their homepage as follows:

“Our monastic community lives according to the ancient Rule of St. Benedict (c. 480-547). Benedict understands the monastery as a place of encounter with God. This encounter takes place in prayer, in work, and in communal life. Following the instruction of the Psalms, "Seven times a day I praise you," we gather repeatedly for prayer in the church throughout the day. By listening to God in the words of Scripture, we become attentive to His presence. We discover Him in events and encounters, becoming open to His work in all creation. Praise, thanksgiving, and intercession are our response to the gift of His being with us.”

The sisters work in the kitchen, the extensive garden, and a laundry. Liturgical vestments are created in a paraments workshop. The monastic host bakery supplies almost all Catholic and increasingly also Protestant communities in East Germany. Offerings for guests include the spirituality of Saint Gertrud of Helfta and topics of the monastic-Benedictine tradition. Bible days and weekends on "Meditation of Dance" complement the range of offerings. Another focus of work is two guesthouses with 22 rooms, which are also open to families seeking relaxation. In addition, summer music events take place. After the cessation of diocesan aid, the Förderverein Kloster Alexanderdorf e.V. (Friends of Alexanderdorf Monastery Association) in particular supports the nuns.

In a first step, the sisters converted the buildings and stables found in 1934 into a chapel, living and working spaces, and a guesthouse. Later, a side wing was converted into the cloister. In 1979, the conversion of the barn into a church began, which received a freestanding bell tower. In parallel, the cloister was renovated. Between 1998 and 2000, the guest wing underwent extensive renovation and expansion. The outdoor facilities include a playground, a table tennis table, and a guest lawn with a small pond.

The flat, meadow- and forest-rich surroundings, which belong to the Notte lowlands traversed by ditches, offer various marked hiking trails. These include the Monastery Circular Path or a path to the nearby nature reserve at Schulzensee. In addition, the European long-distance hiking trail E10 Baltic Sea – Bohemian Forest – Dolomites passes by the monastery. Bathing beaches can be found, among others, at Mellensee, which is about five kilometers to the east. The village of Kummersdorf-Alexanderdorf, which has about 650 inhabitants, has a restaurant, a guesthouse, and a veterinarian. Larger towns in the vicinity are the small towns of Zossen and Trebbin.