At the end of the Second World War, its most important load-bearing parts were so weakened by the heat of the firestorm raging in Dresden during the air raids on Dresden on the night of February 13-14, 1945, that it collapsed on the morning of February 15. During the GDR era, the ruins were preserved and left as a memorial against war and destruction.

After the Peaceful Revolution in the GDR, demolition work began in early 1993 and the reconstruction of the church building began in 1994. The work, which was completed in 2005, was mainly financed by sponsoring associations and donors from all over the world, including the US “Friends of Dresden”. On October 30, 2005, a dedication service and ceremony took place in the Frauenkirche. The memorial against war and violence has now become a symbol of reconciliation. Since then, on the initiative of the Gesellschaft Historischer Neumarkt Dresden (GHND), the Neumarkt has been rebuilt in the area surrounding the Frauenkirche, with several reconstructions of town houses. This is the first time that a baroque ensemble of buildings of high standing has been restored.