Giershagen

The Klus Church, the former parish church of Niederupsprunge and now the centerpiece of the idyllically situated cemetery in the Diemeltal, is one of the most significant architectural monuments in the city of Marsberg. This gem is known beyond the region among art connoisseurs and is recognized as a valuable cultural monument. Its special significance lies in the fact that, according to the LWL, it is the only remaining abandoned village church in Westfalen. While other former village churches fell into disrepair and were demolished following the “abandonment” of the villages (when the settlement ceased to be inhabited), the Klus Church, the village church of the former settlement of Uppsprunge, has been preserved because, even after the destruction and abandonment of the village, it continued to serve as the local church for the remaining village of Oberuppsprunge/Giershagen until 1802. The originally Romanesque building from the 10th century was expanded in 1682 and served as the parish church of Giershagen until the 19th century. Of particular value is the Baroque altar, which, like many wayside shrines in the Giershagen area, originated from the Papen workshop.

The sculpture workshop of Heinrich Papen (1645–1719) and his son Christophel (1678–1735) in Giershagen was one of the leading and most prolific workshops of the Baroque period. It worked with alabaster, marble, and flourstone—materials found in the surrounding area. They left behind an extensive collection of artistic monuments in more than 50 locations throughout Westfalen and the North Hesse-Waldeck region.

Over the centuries, Giershagen was primarily an agricultural village. However, mining has been documented there since the end of the 13th century. There were red ironstone (iron ore) mining sites around the village. In 1892, there were 140 miners in Giershagen, accounting for nearly half of the working population. Mining came to a halt in 1963 when the last shaft at Webbel was closed. To this day, the Miners’ Association keeps the mining tradition alive. Every New Year’s Eve morning, the traditional miners’ mass takes place. A monument in the town center and the tunnel entrance to the former Reinhard Mine in the Diemeltal—both erected by the Miners’ Association—bear witness to the mining industry that shaped life in the village for centuries.

Today, the company WEPA drives the local economy. Germany’s largest private manufacturer of hygiene paper employs over 400 people at its plant in the Diemeltal. In addition to this major employer, there is also an agricultural machinery business as well as several local trades, such as masons, roofers, carpenters, painters, an auto repair shop, a plumbing business, and a hair salon.

In Giershagen, numerous active clubs offer recreational activities or work to preserve traditions and customs. Giershagen is considered a carnival stronghold. The carnival parade on Shrove Tuesday—the largest in the municipal area, featuring approximately 50 floats and groups—is known far and wide.

Unique in all of Westfalen is the horse procession, which winds its way from the church in the village center down into the Diemeltal to the Kluskapelle. It draws many riders and spectators to Giershagen every second Sunday after Easter. It has been held for nearly 300 years (since 1709) and dates back to an ancient vow made by farmers during an epidemic among horses.