Women establish autonomous spiritual community in Essen

Twenty-eight women live in a spiritual community called the Essener Beginenhof in southern Essen, Germany.

The residents, aged between 29 and 87, chose to live together to create a space dedicated to female life designs and spiritual autonomy. They moved into the building in 2008 after Waltraud Pohlen, Mawena Wennemann, and Susanne Trappe sought an alternative to traditional church structures. The group occupies a former tax office building that was protected as a historic monument.

Because the structure was unsuitable for standard apartments, the women redesigned the 3,000 square meters of space to include 24 apartments, 14 apartments for a partner organization, a library, and a meditation room. While the residents live in separate units, they share responsibilities for maintaining the grounds and organizing communal activities like cooking workshops and yoga. The community draws inspiration from medieval Beguines, who lived in semi-autonomous groups without formal monastic vows.

Modern residents describe the project as a place for women rather than a movement against men. They practice an open form of spirituality that is not tied to a specific tradition or external regulations. The women manage the community through a plenary assembly and maintain a commitment to sustainability by focusing on seasonal and regional cooking.