Blind Hesse

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The legend of the Blind Hessians concerns a traditional ruse from the history of the former imperial city of Mühlhausen / Thuringia .

Historical background

At the Frauentor in Mühlhausen

The imperial city of Mühlhausen was able to expand its economic and political importance in the Hessian-Thuringian border region on the Werra as early as the 13th century . Thus, like the neighboring bailiwick of Dorla, it came increasingly into conflict with the territorial powers - the Thuringian landgraves and Hessian landgraves as well as the Archdiocese of Mainz .

The legend in the version after Grasse

In addition to the Bechstein version of the popular tradition, the Saxon legend collector Johann Georg Theodor Grasse also found the historical legend worth mentioning.

" 434. The blind Hessians
The city of Mühlhausen is said to have been heavily besieged and besieged by the Hessian people. Most of the city's defenders were already captured, dead or wounded, and the next storm would have to bring the besiegers into their possession. Then the need gave the mill houses a clever thought. In the dark of night, the city walls were reinforced with wooden stakes or pegs, and the stakes were decorated and armored like living mercenaries. But now and then living warriors moved between these wooden soldiers and threatened mockingly down into the camp of the enemy. When the astonished Hessians saw the new armament and the numerous fighters and defenders of the walls at dawn, they despaired of their victory and went away pessimously. From that they should have got the name of the stupid or blind Hessen. "

- Johann Georg Theodor Grasse : Book of legends of the Prussian state - Province of Saxony and Thuringia.

Others

The legend is often presented in a motif wagon during the parade at the beginning of the Mühlhausen fair .

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Johann Georg Theodor Grasse: The blind Hesse . In: Book of legends of the Prussian state . tape 1 . Carl Flemming, Glogau 1868, p. 371-372 ( books.google.de ).