On April 6, 2025, the film “Echo des Glaubens. Friedensau: Ein Ort der Bildung und der Mission” (Echo of Faith. Friedensau: A Place of Education and Mission) had its official premiere at the Burg-Theater, one of Germany’s oldest cinemas. The theater is located in Burg, approximately 15 minutes by car from Friedensau.

The film covers the historical development of Friedensau, founded in 1899 and marking its 125th anniversary in 2024. Using archived footage, interviews with eyewitnesses, and re-enactments, the film presents a docu-drama format. The screenplay was written by church historian and Friedensau scholar Dr. Johannes Hartlapp, who spent part of his youth in Friedensau, later studied theology there, and has taught at the local university for three decades. The volume “Wanderer, kommst du nach Friedensau …” by Wolfgang Hartlapp served as a key source, featuring documents and historical accounts compiled in the 1970s and 1980s.

Directors Matheus Volanin and Matthias Reischel, screenwriter Hartlapp, costume designer Sandra Klaus, actor Cyrus David (portraying headmaster and teacher Wilhelm Mueller), amateur actor and theology student Wieland Gelke, and Friedensau University Chancellor Tobias Koch (appearing as a 1940s-era colonel) participated in the premiere. A roundtable discussion, moderated by Annegret Hartlapp, addressed the production process and included personal perspectives from team members.

Although the film will not be shown on national television, screenings will occur at various other venues, including local Adventist churches.

Additionally, “Echo des Glaubens” is scheduled to be shown during the General Conference Session in St. Louis, Missouri, in July 2025. According to Annegret Hartlapp, the film is expected to reach audiences worldwide.

The original article was published on the Inter-European Division news site. Join the ANN WhatsApp Channel for the latest Adventist news updates.