Rev. Gotthilf Birkmann

The Rev. Gotthilf Birkmann was the second and fourth pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church, Fedor, Texas (1876-1879 and 1882-1922). He was an irrepressible force in the life of the early Texas Lutheran church.  For a detailed account of his life, I wholeheartedly recommend that you read Worthy of Double Honor, the Rev. G. Birkmann, D.D. by Ray Martens.

This blog is designed to be a repositiory of the articles and letters he wrote during his lifetime that pertain to the Wendish and Texas Lutheran experience. Most were published in the Giddings Deutsches Volksblatt of Giddings, Texas and then later other Giddings newspapers about life among the Wends and Germans of early Lee County as they were translated by his grandson Ray Martens. Some of these translations have appeared in Worthy of Double Honor and are reprinted with permission of Concordia University Press through David Zersen. Ohers have never been seen elsewhere in translated form.

In addition to being published in the Giddings Deutsches Voklsblatt the articles were published in English in other publications. These articles were found in his file at Concordia Historical Institute in St Louis, Missouri.

Sermon Preached at the Funeral of Gotthilf Birkmann, May 19, 1944

Fedor & Birkmann’s Ministry

Lutheran Church History

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Lutheran Pastor/Teacher Conferences in Texas

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The Wends

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