Bärenstein (Abterode)
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Abteröder Bear or Death Stone
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| location | On the eastern outskirts of Abterode , municipality of Meißner in the Werra-Meißner district in Hesse . | |
| Identifier | ND 636.126 | |
| Geographical location | 51 ° 13 ' N , 9 ° 57' E | |
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| Sea level | 247.2 m | |
| particularities | Special protection as a natural monument and part of the Natura 2000 area “Meißner und Meißner Vorland” in the “ Geo-Naturpark Frau-Holle-Land ”. | |
The Abteröder bear or "Todstein" as he used to be called, is a striking rock from the dolomite of the Zechstein at the eastern end of Abterode . The small hill with the limestone lawn on which it stands is located not far from the early Gothic "Totenkirche" , which has only been preserved as a ruin since it was destroyed in 1809. The light-colored, jagged rock owes its name "bear" to its striking shape, which is reminiscent of an upright bear. Since it was designated as a botanical and geological natural monument in 1926, the site has been specially protected. The area belongs to the Natura 2000 area 4725-306 “Meißner und Meißner Vorland” in the “ Geo-Naturpark Frau-Holle-Land ”. As a place of worship for Frau Holle and as a pre-Christian sacrificial site , the death stone is also significant from a cultural and historical point of view.
The Abteröder Bear
A number of solitary rocks protrude from the karst landscape of the eastern Meissner foothills, which were created by the erosion and leaching processes of the softer rocks surrounding them. Some of these striking rock formations such as the Little and Big Marstein near Frankenhain , the Mühlstein near Wolfterode and the Abteröder Bär have been designated as natural monuments. The position of the rocks, on an imaginary arch line, is interpreted as a result of the sinking of the Zechstein units below the Meißner massif. The porous form of the rocks with holes is explained by the leaching of gypsum nests within the rock.
In the region, which is rich in fairy tales , myths and legends , old folk beliefs connect the existence of the death stone with Frau Holle. The stone is said to have been shaken out of her shoe by Frau Holle when she drove through the air to visit the Hohe Meißner . According to another legend, the stone was carried there by Frau Holle on the Meißner's thumb.
Another story tells of two giants who served her faithfully. When the giant couple felt their strength waning, they feared that they would be separated after their death. Frau Holle helped by turning the man into a boulder in the shape of a large bear and the woman into a linden tree that grew 100 paces away until lightning struck her. So both should find each other again on the last day .
The oldest known written mention of the "bear" comes from the year 1737. In the tax table of the Abterode mountain freedom , the field location "near the Todtsteine" is mentioned. The essay by Julius Schmincke, "The Holle-Mythus am Weißner (Meißner)", published in 1847, is considered to be the beginning of folklore tradition for the stone.
The teacher and local poet Helene Brehm , who was born and raised in Abterode, tells of the mysterious abilities of the death stone in her “Heimat-Schollen” published in 1925: if you go around it three times in a row, you have no head. When the bear hears eleven o'clock in Abterode, he turns around three times and is asked: “Bear, what are you doing?” He replies: “Nothing at all!” She also reported on the local fair celebrations and customs around the bear.
The traditional customs such as the fun fair burial, in the form of a straw man or a bottle of schnapps and the burning of the Easter fire on the hill above the rock is seen as a reminder of the " carrying out death " in ancient times. They are also considered evidence that an ancient pagan place of worship was located here, where the end of winter and the beginning of spring were celebrated in honor of Mrs. Holle and that this tradition is still alive today.
Tourist development
The premium hiking trail P23 “Höllental” begins at the parking lot at the Abterode church ruins, a few steps away from the “Bären ”. Here hikers will find a resting place and benches as well as an information board.
literature
- Karl Kollmann: Frau Holle and the Meißnerland - On the trail of a myth . Published by the Historical Society of the Werraland and the Werratal Association. Cordier, Heiligenstadt, 2012. ISBN 978-3-939848-32-5 .
- Hanna Wallbraun: On a journey of discovery on the Hohe Meißner . WIRmachenDRUCK GmbH, Backnang, 2015, no ISBN.
Web links
- Annette Rath-Beckmann: “In the realm of Frau Holle. The Death Stone " ; accessed on July 22, 2018.
- Legendary places of Frau Holle on the website of the Geo-Naturpark Frau-Holle-Land; accessed on July 22, 2018.
- “100 things we like about the region: Abterode. A bear and a ruin full of riddles ” In:“ Werra-Rundschau ”from November 18, 2018; accessed on July 22, 2018.
Individual evidence
- ↑ Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN): Profile of the Natura 2000 area "Meißner und Meißner Vorland" , accessed on July 22, 2018.
- ↑ Legendary places of Frau Holle on the website of the Geo-Naturpark Frau-Holle-Land; accessed on July 22, 2018.
- ↑ Hanna Wallbraun: On a journey of discovery on the Hohen Meißner , p. 183 f.
- ^ Karl Kollmann: Frau Holle and the Meißnerland. P. 143.
- ^ Karl Kollmann: "Frau Holle and the Meißnerland. The bear or death stone at Abterode ”. In “Das Werraland”, issue 4 from December 2005. P. 83 f.
- ^ Karl Kollmann: Frau Holle and the Meißnerland. P. 145 f.
- ↑ Tour description and map (PDF file; 5.49 MB) of the premium trail P23 Höllental on the website of the Geo-Naturpark Frau-Holle-Land; accessed on July 27, 2018