When the first Catholic school was built in Kniestedt in 1833, an altar was set up in the schoolroom where the Catholic community could celebrate their services. Until then, the Catholic population of what is now Salzgitter-Bad had to go to Liebenburg for all church matters. In 1854, the parish was able to purchase the former widow's house of the von Kniestedt family (the old stone house on today's Kirchplatz) and set up a chapel here. But even this space was soon too small for the rapidly growing congregation and so plans were made for a new church. The foundation stone for the new church was finally laid on June 29, 1888, and the church was consecrated on November 10, 1889.
The central nave of the three-nave sandstone basilica is 18.5 m long and 8 m wide, while the adjoining side aisles are each 2.6 m wide. The tower, which also houses the main entrance, is 27.3 m high and has been covered with a copper roof since 1928. The church has been rebuilt several times. During the last major renovation for its 100th anniversary, the interior and the wooden fixtures were repainted, the façade was cleaned and repointed and the cross, sphere and weathercock of the church tower were renewed.
The church has a historically significant fixture in the form of a 15th-century blocking image. This depiction, known as the "Vöppstedt Pietà", comes from the old Vöppstedt church, which was destroyed in 1281. Four figures of saints in the south aisle date from the same period. On the north-east wall of the central nave is a winged altar created in 1954 with a statue of "Mary Queen of Heaven", which was donated to the church in 1888. The interior of the church is deliberately kept simple. The only decoration is the fresco of the Assumption of Mary in the church choir. This was hidden for a long time and was only uncovered again in 1988.
The church's first organ was purchased in 1855 and was already being used in the chapel of the former widow's house. This was replaced in 1892 by a new, larger organ with 18 stops and a total of 882 pipes, built by the organ builders Furtwängler & Hammer from Hanover. The tin façade pipes were withdrawn during the First World War and were not replaced until 1922. The current organ was inaugurated in 1970; it is a slider chest organ with 20 stops and 1442 pipes.
Two bronze bells were also cast when the church was built in 1889. The larger one was dedicated to Our Lady, this bell weighed 1179 pounds. The smaller bell, weighing 86 pounds, was dedicated to St. Bernhard the Bishop. The larger bell was drafted during the First World War, but returned unharmed in 1919. During the Second World War, it had to be handed in again and was melted down. On the 100th anniversary of the parish, the parish received a replacement bell as a gift in 1955.
Text: Markus Schulze, Ortsheimatpfleger for Hohenrode