History of the Cathedral Organs

c. 1360: First written reports about organs in the Hildesheimer Dom (main organ, so-called small organ, crypt organ)

probably in the 14th century: Replacement of the main organ by an unknown organ builder

1571: Construction of a new main organ by Cornelius and Michael Slegel

1616/17: Construction of a new main organ by Henning Henke, completed by Conrad Abtt (three-manual with an attached pedal/38 rank)

1682/83: Reconstruction of the main organ by Tobias Bader II.  Reduction to two manuals and installation of an independant 16’ pedalboard (two-manual coupled to the pedal/32 rank)

1703 – 1706: New construction by Matthias Naumann (three-manual coupled to the pedal/41 rank)

1713: Sale of the small organ to Steinbrück

1744: Transfer of an organ from Johann Georg Müller of St. Godehard into the cathedral crypt as a replacement for the missing shelf (one-manual with an attached pedal/8 rank)

1862: Construction of an organ for the crypt by August Schaper (one-manual coupled to the pedal/8 rank)

1909: Construction of a new main organ behind the old backdrop by Furtwängler & Hammer (three-manual coupled to the pedal/54 rank)

1930: Sale of the crypt organ to the Gemeinde St. Josef in Hildesheim

1945: Destruction of the main organ by a bomb hit on 22nd March

1960: Construction of a new main organ by Orgelbau Breil (four-manual coupled to the pedal/52)

1981: Use of a chamber organ from Orgelbau Hillebrand in the crypt (one-manual/4 rank)

1989: Reconstruction and extension of the main organ behind the old backdrop (including installation of a Swell) by Orgelbau Klais (four-manual coupled to the pedal/66 rank)

2010: Transfer of the chamber organ from the crypt to the chapel of the Episcopal Ordinariate

2010: Removal and storage of the main organ

2013/14: Reconstruction and extension of the main organ and construction of a new choir organ by Orgelbau Seifert (four-manual coupled to the pedal/77 and two-manual coupled to the pedal/16)