Walter Ulreich - Photografic Notes: Trzęsacz

The first Church in Trzęsacz was built in 1124, the current remains are from the late 14th or early 15th century. At erection time, it was located almost two kilometers from the sea shore.

Over time, the process of abrasion caused the land surrounding the church to recede at the expense of the Baltic Sea. Year by year, water would come closer; in 1750 the sea was as close as 58 meters, in 1771 parts of the cemetery were swallowed, and 1820 the distance shrank to 13 meters. Finally, on August 2, 1874, the last service took place in the temple. By 1885 the temple stood over a chasm and, with permission of the Prussian government, it was deprived of the roof and left abandoned.

On the night of April 8–9, 1901 the most vulnerable, northern wall of the church collapsed. During the following years, part by part, most of the construction was swallowed by the sea, which mercilessly moves south, taking away the land. The last drop took place on February 1, 1994, when part of the southern wall collapsed.

Many artists were inspired by the church ruin. Lyonel Feininger, who spent regularly his summer vacancy between 1891 and 1936 at the Baltic Sea often painted and draw the Trzęsacz ruin.