Karlsgrab: The Site and Significance of Charlemagne’s Sepulcher in Aachen
By John F. Moffitt
Quidditas, Vol. 30 (2009)
Abstract: The intention of what follows is to clear up one of the mysteries still surrounding the Charles the Great, now most commonly known by his later appellation “Charlemagne.” Born in 742, the son of King Pepin the Short (ca. 714-768), Charlemagne ruled as king of the Franks after 768; he additionally ruled as Emperor of the West, from 800 until his death in 814. Sources in his time presented him as an emulator and successor of Constantine the Great, and successive Western Emperors presented their own personae as successors of Charlemagne.
In 1165, 350 years after Charlemagne’s death, Emperor Frederick Barbarossa induced his anti-Pope, Paschal III, to canonize Charlemagne as a saint, just as the Eastern Church canonized Constantine. The actual context of Charlemagne’s canonization was, however, rather more political than spiritual.
Abstract: In this paper, the problem of contracting over space and time in the state-less environment of late medieval Germany is examined. It is argued that, as there were neither political organizations with territorial monopolies of force nor a law merchant which could have been used in order to enforce compliance, the threat of taking recourse to feuds helped the actors credibly to commit to contracts. The article analyzes which institutions restricted feuding and why these rules were generally respected, examines the calculus which led to the decision to declare a feud, and explains how this helped to realize gains from exchange.
Medieval and early modern mining in the Northern Black Forest (SW-Germany): An integrated historico-archaeological approach and its synergetic effects
By Ewe Meyerdirks
Medieval Europe Paris 2007, 4th International Congress of Medieval and Modern Archaeology (2007)
Abstract: Mining in the Northern Black Forest is studied as part of a doctoral thesis investigating all aspects of nonferrous mining and smelting in the former duchy of Württemberg from its beginnings until AD 1700. At this time, Württemberg’s mines were concentrated in the Northern Black Forest, where silver and copper veins cluster around Neubulach, below the Königswart and in the district of Dornstetten-Freudenstadt.
The thesis follows a truly interdisciplinary approach integrating written records, surface remains and underground workings. Since all three categories of evidence have suffered severe losses, their simultaneous consideration during every step of analysis and investigation enables powerful symbiotic effects and unlocks otherwise hidden information. Thus, a far more complete and comprehensive understanding of medieval and early modern mining and its development is achieved.
At Neubulach, extensive mining activities took place during the Middle Ages. Nevertheless, written evidence is scarce and most of the surface remains have been destroyed during the 20th century, but the ‘old workings’ are well documented in 16th and 18th century mining records and maps; and the underground workings accessible today show that the veins have been exploited to a depth of at least 100 m below surface prior to AD 1550. The medieval town centre of Neubulach is situated on the outcrops of the ore-bearing veins and represents a very good example for a small medieval mining town.
Although argentifodinae near Dornstetten are mentioned in AD 1267 and 1271, medieval exploitation remained limited and some of the most important veins remained untouched until the dukes of Württemberg took an active interest in mining from the 1550s onwards. The district developed and rapidly became the most important mining area in the Northern Black Forest, and in 1599, the Renaissance town of Freudenstadt with its spacious and regular layout was founded above the most important deposits. Although the mines mostly worked in deficit, about a ton of silver was produced which allowed the issuing of the socalled Christophstaler, coins exclusively minted from silver that came from the mines near Dornstetten and Freudenstadt.
Lake Boden is located in southern Germany close to the Swiss border. A long tree-lined road stretching from the lakeshore leads to the Island of Reichenau. Reichenau means Blessed land and the entire island with its monasteries are inscribed as a World Heritage. The island served as an important base of the Order of Saint Benedict during medieval times.
This is St. Peter and Paul Church built in the 12th century. The wall painting surrounding the altar is a rare example of early Romanesque fresco painting. At the beginning of the medieval period the island was also a centre of Central European art. These are the remains of the former Benedictine Abbey and the Church. Located at the centre of the island, they are the largest buildings in town and have a strong medieval monastic presence. Founded in the 8th century, a total of 25 religious buildings were built on the island.
The Franks introduced Christianity to the people of this predominant pagan area. In those days, the surrounding area was covered with dense forest and largely remained undeveloped. In order to navigate the area freely, waterways and an island were vital. The monastery remained in operation for some 1000 years until it was finally closed down by Napoleon at the beginning of the 19th century. Today, the residents of the island take care of the fields which used to belong to the monastery. Vineyards were converted to vegetable fields, which made this island widely known as The Salad Island.
This is St. George Church constructed during the 9th century. The building is known for its Pre-Romanesque murals. Inside this early medieval church is one of the few places where the mural decoration has remained completely intact. This painting depicts a Bible scene about the miracles of Jesus. As Jesus says Arise, the dead man comes back to life. This is also the scene when Jesus calms a raging storm.
Lake Boden is a large lake with a circumference of 273 kilometres. The island fisherman catches fish from the lake and sells them in his shop. He is allowed to sail out only once a day and his catch is regulated. Lake fishes were an important source of protein for monks who lived self-sufficiently. These Felchen fishes are the local speciality and fed many monks. The fishermans shop is located alongside the dock. The first customer today is a nun who came from the other side of the lake. I’d like some Felchen fish please. Catholic monks and nuns are forbidden to eat meat on Fridays but are allowed to eat fish instead. The connection between Reichenau island and the outside world was made only via a small road. Life on the island still continues in the afterglow of its monastic heyday.
18 Apr 2010 Tags: Germany Posted in Videos | Comments Off
Located on the Rhine River in southwest Germany, the trading town of Speyer thrived between the 10th and 11th centuries. Conrad II, the Holy Roman Emperor at the time, decided to construct a large cathedral with 4 towers in the town.
Measuring 133m in length, it is the largest example of Romanesque architecture in the world. Germany. The word Romanesque means Roman-style, and was in direct contrast to the Gothic style which was favored in other cities.
The cathedral was built by the Emperor to show his power, which is why it is also known as the Kaiser Dome and a large statue of Conrad II was placed in the entrance hall.
Construction was started in 1030 and took 80 years to complete. He made numerous seemingly impossible demands, which eventually promoted new developments in architecture. Semi-circular columns hold up the stone roof. It became a characteristic feature in the design and structure of German Romanesque buildings.
No stained glass was used for the chapel windows, instead natural light was allowed to come through. In those days stone buildings had wooden roofs, but the cathedral had a stone roof from the very beginning. It was the first building constructed entirely from stone in Europe.
The crypt is said to be the largest crypt in Germany. Conrad II brought the coffins of 4 emperors and 3 empresses here in order to increase the importance of the cathedral.
Speyer cathedral has had a turbulent history of repeated destruction and reconstruction. In 1689 the town was invaded by the troops of French king, Louis 14th, and the entire town was put to the torch, and the cathedral was severely damaged. The West Wing collapsed completely and was removed. The cathedral was abandoned for 10 years, and it was only 80 years later that the West Wing was rebuilt.
However, rather than rebuilding the two towers in the original Romanesque style they were designed in the new Baroque style. This was eventually corrected in the 1800s and the West Wing was again torn down and rebuilt to match the East Wing.
Speyer Cathedral survived repeated damage and destruction, the symbol of an era which has lasted throughout the ages.
17 Apr 2010 Tags: Germany Posted in Videos | Comments Off
The city of Quedlinburg is located in a richly-wooded area of Central Germany. Wealthy town merchants in the 15th century exerted their influence and ultimately demanded independence for the city. The King outlawed construction of any stone buildings in a bid to curb their growing power. Quedlinburg thus became a city of wooden buildings. It still has over 1,200 timber-framed houses. This is the oldest one remaining. It was built around 1300 and has been carefully preserved. Some old houses are slightly distorted with age but they are brimming with character and charm.
However, after several hundred years of use many are in need of repair. A foundation was established in the year 2,000 to restore and maintain the old wooden houses. Young people aged between 17 and 27 are learning restoration techniques in this centre. Skilled craftsmen teach them the basics over a one-year course. Restoration materials are stored in the municipal warehouse. There are more than 1,000 different kinds of doors stored here. Timber and carvings have been retrieved from derelict houses for re-use. The house under renovation here was built around 1800. The same kind of clay is used for the restoration and applied by hand just as it was two centuries ago.
Traditional know-how is being passed on . It takes about 4 years to restore one house. Professional craftsmen would finish it in half the time, but teaching restoration means extra time is necessary. More than 70% of the trainees pursue a career in restoration work or architecture after the one-year training. This town of old timber-framed houses is a training ground ensuring traditional techniques pass down from generation to generation.
17 Apr 2010 Tags: Germany Posted in Videos | Comments Off
This 12th century monastery is in southern Germany. It was built by the Cistercian Order of monks. The Maulbronn Monastery complex is the setting for Beneath the Wheel, an autobiographical novel by Hermann Hesse.
The chapel at the centre of the monastery took over 30 years to build. The chapel is divided inside into two sections, the front part and the back. The front part is a place of prayer for monks engaged in hard labour. The back part beyond the wall has an altar for the priests.
Under strict discipline, summer masses used to start from two oclock in the morning. The monastery, after 400 years of its history, was closed in the 16th century following the German Reformation. It was later converted into a Protestant seminary. Hermann Hesse, who went on to become a leading German writer, entered the seminary in 1890.
He was expelled from school after just a few months despite the high hopes of his missionary father. Hesse, as a young man, dreamt of being a poet and did not fit into a world bound by the schools strict rules and harsh discipline. He drew this picture a sign that he was in rebellion.
There is a collection of teacher portraits. In this one, a teacher is pointing a knife at a student. In Beneath the Wheel, Hesse wonders why he has to spend his time studying until midnight, and why they took his rabbit away from him. Later in his life though he recalled the days spent at the seminary with nostalgia. A carefully preserved cloister, he wrote, is a beautiful monument itself, but the chapel with an exquisite fountain attached to it is a wonderful masterpiece. It is said that the praying monks walking through the cloister used to stop here and clean themselves in this fountain. This chapel is known as the Fountain Chapel. The schooling here today values freedom and individuality, quite different from Hesses time. In Hesses novel, the schoolmaster says to the main character: Dont exhaust yourself or you will find yourself beneath the wheel.
17 Apr 2010 Tags: Germany Posted in Videos | Comments Off
Hildesheim in northwest Germany dates back over 1000 years. The town has a history dating back over 1000 years and has overcome the ravages of WWII.Roses that are grown throughout the town come into bloom in spring and summer. The town has a legendary connection with roses.
The cathedral is the pride of the town and is inscribed as World Heritage. It was originally built in 872, and many artworks from that time still remain inside.
This chandelier represents the New Jerusalem as written in the bible, a realm where the innocent live after the Last Judgement.The Pillar of Christ is 4.7 meters high and made of bronze. Reliefs on the pillar depict all of the miracles of Jesus in a spiral from the bottom to the top. Jesus warning his 12 disciples of forthcoming events. Jesus stretching his hand out to heal the sick.
A wild rose tree grows in the church courtyard. 15 meters tall, it is believed to be the oldest wild rose tree in the world. The tree was blooming here even before the church was built. There is a legend about this wild rose. Once upon a time, a king while out hunting lost a sacred relic containing a lock of St. Marys hair. His men looked everywhere and finally found it in the forest, hanging on a wild rose tree. The king thanked God and built a cathedral where the rose tree stood.
In March 1945, a crisis threatening the trees survival occurred. The town The town was bombed during an air-raid which left the cathedral severely damaged. The tree was buried under the debris.
Rebuilding the cathedral seemed an almost impossible task until the branches emerged from the debris and beautiful roses bloomed. The roses brought hope to the people and encouraged them not only to rebuild the cathedral but also the whole town. Since then, this tree has been carefully protected and maintained by authorised caretakers to this day.
After the war, people started saying, if the rose is fine, the town is fine. If the rose blooms, the town also will. The first bloom of the church rose makes news in this town and is reported as the headline of the local newspaper every year.
It is a very important matter for the citizens of Hildesheim, as it is tied to the prosperity of the town. People look forward to the blossoms to come out every year. Of course we would write about it. A town once completely devastated Hildesheim came back to life with its rose-buds and became a beautiful town once again. Locals say that if the church rose blooms, the town too will prosper. Emerging from the ravages of war, a new legend was born and still blooms here in Hildesheim.
17 Apr 2010 Tags: Germany Posted in Videos | Comments Off
The port city of Lübeck in Northern Germany is located 20 kilometers inland and is connected to the Baltic Sea by canal. It was built in the 12th century as a Baltic maritime trading centre, ruled directly by the Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire. Merchants gained power under the protection of the Emperor and started to claim their autonomy. In the 13th century the Emperor granted Lübeck the status of an Imperial Free City. Holsten gate was built to defend the city against invaders. It is the symbol of the city. Constantly threatened by neighboring states and pirates, the merchants of Lübeck decided to form an alliance with other cities for security.
These Latin words mean Harmony within, Peace without. With Lübeck as its center, the City League expanded steadily and became the Hanseatic League. Hanse means group or community. The number of member cities reached 100 at its peak during the late 14th century. The elegant Gothic architecture shows how prosperous the city became. Merchants built their houses with front-facing stepped gables as a way of making the buildings appear taller and thus show their wealth. The city hall dominates the city centre. It was built just after Lübeck became a free city. Stone was scarce in Lübeck and most of the buildings were made of brick.
Lübecks wealthy citizens raised funds to build the Hospital of the Holy Spirit. It is the first social welfare facility in Germany. Sick, Poor and Homeless people were accepted here. 170 beds were simply laid out on the floor then in the 19th Century dividing walls were built. Each room was equipped with the basics for everyday life. The hospital was built by the citizens for the citizens.
The Hanseatic League lasted for more than 400 years and faded away in the 17th century. Lübeck ceased being a leading force and disappeared from the historical stage. Today, the beautiful townscape of the once-called Queen of the Hanseatic League is the only remnant of its glorious past.
Aachen is in Western Germany, near the border with the Netherlands and Belgium. Charles the Great, King of the Franks, began the construction of his palace chapel in the late 8th century. He commissioned the construction of Aachen Cathedral, which features an octagonal dome 32 meters high. His tomb is in the Cathedral altar. It is adorned with engravings of the King and Pope Leo the Third. Pope Leo crowned Charlemagne as the Imperator Romanorum, Emperor of the Romans, in the year 800.
The great dome above the altar is octagonal because Charlemagne placed special significance on the number “eight”. The numeral appears frequently in the Holy Bible, it was charged with symbolism in the Christian world during medieval times. An octagon can be made by drawing two intersecting squares within a circle. The circle represents God’s eternity while the square represents the secular world. The four corners also represent the four directions to heaven and the four characteristics of man. Charlemagne saw the number eight as symbolising the power of the Franks and the Roman Empire, the ruler of both the secular and religious worlds.
The Franks were later to become known as the Holy Roman Empire. The Emperor’s throne built in the 10th century overlooks the altar. The two relics in his hands were symbols of his power as ruler of two worlds. Charlemagne is holding a sceptre symbolizing his rule of the secular world in his right hand, while in his left he holds an orb, the symbol of the religious world.
Karlsgrab: The Site and Significance of Charlemagne’s Sepulcher in Aachen
