Maria Frieden Abbey (Dahlem)

The monastery's origins trace back to 1952 when Mariawald Abbey acquired the former Dahlemer Binz sheep farm from the British occupation forces. This sheep farm had been established in 1935 by the National Socialist People's Welfare organization. With the acquired land, the foundation was laid for what was then the only women's monastery of its kind in Germany. The name 'Maria Frieden' (Mary Peace) was chosen in light of the experiences of two world wars, emphasizing prayer for peace. Initially, monks from Mariawald settled the site, developed agriculture, and prepared the premises. On December 8, 1952, the first four nuns from the Dutch Abbey of Koningsoord moved in. A year later, on December 8, 1953, the official founding act took place, with 16 founding sisters led in a procession to the monastery, marking the beginning of regular Trappist life. The nuns initially supported themselves through agriculture and the production of a herbal liqueur. Plans for a nearby military airfield threatened monastic life but were averted through a petition to Chancellor Konrad Adenauer. In 1955, Maria Frieden was elevated to an abbey, and Sr. Pauline de Reuver was elected as the first abbess. Due to the community's growth, the monastery was expanded from the mid-1950s, with the cornerstone for the new abbey church laid in 1955 and consecrated in 1958.