Breisacher Stephansmünster
The Breisach Stephansmünster is a Romanesque - Gothic church and landmark of the city of Breisach am Rhein .
The sight on the Münsterberg is visible far beyond the city limits. The two different church towers of the three-aisled building, which - atypical for a Christian sacred building - are located in the choir area, are striking . The church dates from the late Romanesque period of the 12th century and was expanded to the Gothic of the 15th century. The church named after St. Stephen is used by the Catholic parish of St. Stephen. The patron saints of Breisach, Gervasius and Protasius are also here, dear. The Breisach Minster is known for its art-historically significant interior, for example for the more than 100 square meter mural The Last Judgment by Martin Schongauer and above all the high altar from the workshop of the master HL
history
Settlement on the plateau of today's Münsterberg goes back to the Neolithic . During the Celtic period there was a princely seat there , which maintained trade relations as far as the Mediterranean. The Romans also recognized the strategic importance of the plateau and built a fort on it . There Emperor Valentinian I issued an edict on August 30, 369 , to which Breisach owes its first written mention. A mons Brisacus is mentioned therein ; This designation is probably a description of the prevailing geographical situation at the time: "the mountain on which the water breaks". After the conquest by the Alemanni around 400, Breisach developed into one of the most important places on the Upper Rhine . The period from 1198 to 1218 under Duke Berthold V von Zähringen was characterized by brisk construction activity. During this time, Breisach Castle was built on the north side, the wheel fountain in the middle and St. Stephen's Cathedral on the south side of the mountain. Predecessor churches from Merovingian or Carolingian times are presumed to have taken the place of today's cathedral , of which no material traces exist.
The exact construction time of the minster is not known. It was probably started after 1185 and construction was completed in 1230. The oldest evidence of a church in Breisach is a document that claims to be dated April 14, 1139. In it, Pope Innocent II confirms to Basel Bishop Ortlieb von Froburg the ownership of the Hofgut in Breisach with the church and its daughter church Hohstaht (Hochstetten): Curtis de Brisache cum ecclesia et filia sua Hostaht . Although the document is a forgery from the end of the 12th century, it seems to be true to the facts.
In the 13th century, the church was extended by a Gothic choir with a polygonal finish, the roof structure of which could be dendrochronologically dated to 1292. Based on a Gothic plan drawing of the Freiburg cathedral tower , the back of which shows the Breisach choir building, Erwin von Steinbach could be verified as its designer. A special feature of the Breisach choir building is an open hall as a crypt, not dissimilar in its spatial shape to the Königstuhl by Rhens, which was built a little later .
After 1330 extensive extensions to the west were made. However, these were only carried out up to a certain wall height, so that a building ruin was attached to the Romanesque west wall for about 100 years. This long break in the construction led to some inaccuracies both on the west portal and at the with a tracery - tympanum provided North Portal. Only at the end of the 15th century was the still existing west building built. It shows clear traces of a renewed rescheduling during the construction period. Based on the dates 1473 on a pillar and 1785 on the outside of a stair tower on the south side, the beginning and end of the construction period can be read.
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The consequences of the war are visible on the stones of the minster. An inscription reminds of an impact in 1870, broken stones can be traced back to a hit in 1940, which also damaged Schongauer's image of paradise . The different brickwork of the towers shows that they had to be replaced after the end of the Second World War . The upper part of the minster was almost completely destroyed, the organ burned and the upper part of Schongauer's mural sooty. The reconstruction of the minster lasted from 1945 to 1961.
In the 19th century, the depictions of the Sermon on the Mount and Christ blessing the children by Freiburg artist Wilhelm Dürr were created for the choir. From 1994 to 1996 the sanctuary was redesigned. To this end, the Archbishop's Building Office in Freiburg suggested that an artist competition be announced. On October 28, 1994, the choice fell on the Münstertal artist Franz Gutmann , who built an altar floor from eight oak trunks. The cast iron altar, ambo and priest's seat are located on it . The candlesticks and the altar boys' seats are also made of 100 to 180 year old oak. At Christmas 1995, work on the chancel was finished; this was consecrated on February 4, 1996 by the then Archbishop Oskar Saier .
In January 1995, the dry cleaning of the shell of the minster as well as the ceilings and walls began in order to protect the triptych by Martin Schongauer from moisture. In addition, the electrical installation and heating of the minster were renewed, a filter system, which reduces dust formation in the church, was newly installed. The extensive renovation of the high choir was completed at Whitsun 1996.
In 1993, the renovation of the roof pyramid over the west hall began. The church roof had become partially leaky, so that cracks in the roof cornice had to be strengthened. The roof was clad in wood to make it stormproof. The end of the work was celebrated on December 12, 2010 with a service in which Archbishop Robert Zollitsch was also involved.
layout
architecture
The St. Stephan cathedral building rises on the south side of a more than 600 meter long rock of volcanic origin that slopes steeply on all sides. The church stands on the site of the former representative administrative building ( praetorium ) of the late antique fort. The remains of the foundation can be found under the entire Münsterplatz. The total length of the minster is 68, the maximum width 30 meters. In addition to the main nave, the sacred building consists of two aisles and a transept. Two conches adjoin the transept to the east.
Only the main portal in the west has figurines. The late Gothic tympanum of the portal made of sandstone shows scenes from the life of the church patron St. Stephan. The west portal does not come from the time of the western expansion, but is dated to around 1330/40. The lower zone shows the calling of the patron by an apostle . This is followed by the presentation of his sermon to the Jews, who cover their ears in order not to hear his supposedly blasphemous speeches. Another adversary tries to refute him from a book. The right side shows the stoning of Stephen . The upper scene of the tympanum shows two angels laying the saint's body in a sarcophagus . This solemn scene is accompanied by two other angels holding candles and incense. A fifth angel holds the soul of Stephen in the form of a small child in order to carry it to paradise.
A white and a black stair tower mark the border between the former western end of the Romanesque church and the western building. The lower white stair tower still belongs to the original west building. The massive black stair tower is attributed to the beginning of a western building, the planning of which has been changed. The renewed year 1485 is carved into it. At the end of the wall of the Romanesque aisle, a small gate is bricked up. The top of the roof in the west is 31 meters high.
The north side of the minster facing the city is kept simple. It contains two gable-crowned portals in the Romanesque part and a Gothic one in the west building. In the corner between the transept and aisle, there used to be an expansive ossuary with a St. Michael's Chapel , which hid the semicircular stair tower that is visible today. This component was accessible from the inside and outside. From the north it can be seen that the church was once planned higher and should be continued to the east. According to statements by structural engineers, the weak substructure would not have allowed a high tower at this point. Nevertheless, there were plans in the 19th century to build a west tower. In January 1886, the Karlsruhe architect Dr. Cathiau spoke about the planned expansion of the main tower as a foreign body in the ensemble of the church. The controversial discussions significantly reduced the amount of donations, so that the tower could not be expanded. The measure would also have resulted in the destruction of Martin Schongauer's mural. This is why the Breisach Minster, atypically, does not have a tower on the west side, but a cuboid structure with a pyramidal roof. The Romanesque north tower - 36.5 meters high - contains the bells of the cathedral and is also its clock tower. The unequal towers have both differently sized square areas as well as different facade elements and windows. Both towers are closed by pyramid roofs. The slightly higher and more pointed Gothic south tower has a total height of 38 meters and, in contrast to the north tower, is not accessible.
Munsterplatz
During the Middle Ages there was a cemetery around the minster, which was closed by the French in 1648 and used as a parade ground. The baker's column from 1476 was moved to the west facade of the minster in front of the Mount of Olives . Since the renovation work in 1983, the building, also known as the Hagenbach tower, has been on the north side of the wheel fountain after it was moved from the minster to the south side of the wheel fountain in 1885. Contrary to the legend, this is not the grave monument of Peter von Hagenbach , which his widow had erected on the site of his execution. Rather, it is a death lantern that was financed by the bakers' guild.
In 1870, Grand Duke Friedrich I of Baden gave the Breisach battalion a fortress gun that was cast in Strasbourg in 1782 and captured by German troops in Fort Mortier ( Neuf-Brisach ). The gun was set up on the Münsterplatz opposite the main portal. When the battalion was relocated to Neuf-Brisach in October 1901, the gun came there too.
On November 7, 1904, the city of Breisach and the Catholic Church reached an agreement on the legal relationships between Münster and Münsterplatz, which the Catholic Upper Foundation Council in Karlsruhe approved on February 11, 1905. This agreement confirmed the ownership of the Catholic community on the Münster and its property as well as on a peripheral area of three meters to the northeast and two meters to the southeast. Today this is laid out with paving stones . The remaining part of the square is owned by the city of Breisach. The Münsterplatz, which is designated as public, may not be built on. Furthermore, it was regulated that the church may store building materials on the urban part during construction work, as far as this is necessary. She is still entitled to hold processions on Münsterplatz. “Indecent and noisy displays and performances”, however, are prohibited.
North of the Münsterplatz, opposite the Münster, is the town hall of Breisach. It was built in 1953 on the foundations of a 3rd century Roman fort .
Mount of Olives
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During the Middle Ages, there was a late-Gothic Mount of Olives group of life-size, painted sandstone figures on both sides of the main portal , donated by a Burchard family. On the Mount of Olives were dead lights after the cemetery had been abolished by the French in the year 1648th During repair work in the 1880s, the Mount of Olives was demolished, the pent roofs removed and the figures moved to the cemetery near the Josefskirche in 1886. The death lamp was moved to the south side of the wheel fountain. Around 1880, a mount of olives made of painted wooden figures was erected in the crypt , which was significantly damaged towards the end of the Second World War. Some of them are still preserved.
In 1978 the crypt was transformed into a memorial for the badly destroyed city of Breisach. Around the central column of the crypt, the Breisach sculptor Helmut Lutz put a wreath of thorns with seven intertwined calyxes made of sandstone as a symbol of life. Two pictorial emblems symbolize death and new life after destruction. Both arms are missing from the shot body of Christ. This figure attached to the column is the remainder of the baroque cross that stood in front of the main portal of the minster before the war.
Furnishing
The nave , the aisles and the high choir of the Breisach Minster are light-colored Romanesque church architecture. The interior height is about seven meters. The choir screen from sandstone initially blocked the view of the high choir. To the right of the aisle in the direction of the choir is a pulpit from 1597, which is decorated with rich inlays . The hexagonal pulpit is one of the best carpentry work of the 16th century and was made by Johannes Jeger. Two different types of wood and colors - a golden-brown basic tone alternates with light woods - enhance the painterly effect. On the back wall of the pulpit is a picture of the Redeemer with the Latin inscription “Pax vobis” (Peace be upon you!).
In front of the rood screen is a celebration altar from 1996. At the foot of this altar there is a silver shrine with relics of the city's patrons Gervasius and Protasius from 1496.
In the north conche to the left of the rood screen is the late-Gothic sacrament house , a stone storage container for consecrated hosts . The Tridentinum (1545–1563) arranged for the hosts to be placed in the tabernacle on the altar and made the sacrament house superfluous. Only the Second Vatican Council (1962–1965) allowed the use of the sacrament house again. The sacrament house of the Breisach Minster dates from the end of the 15th century and rises above a double-articulated foot on a slender pillar. The raised tabernacle is decorated with angels making music; Gilded bars rise between small pillars. The sacrament house ends at a height of around 4.5 meters with an articulated crack . The trim was damaged by fire during World War II.
Also in the Nordkonche is the holy grave , the work of an unknown sculptor from the year 1517. The sculpture amid the grave niche represents the body of Jesus is. At this body are the weeping women Mary of Clopas , Mary Salome and Mary Magdalene with Salbgefäßen in Hands. Next to them stands an angel with a smoke barrel and linen cloth. Above the grave niche, on a console, is the resurrected one with a wide cloak and a triumphal cross in his left hand. The figures were painted with thick oil paint until the renovation after World War II, which was then removed.
On the side wall of the Rosary Chapel there is a memorial plaque for Bernhard von Sachsen-Weimar . He besieged the fortress of Breisach for months and entered the city on December 19, 1638 victorious. Wilhelm Ernst , the then Grand Duke of Saxony-Weimar, presented this memorial plaque in 1904, which was placed at Bernhard's first burial site. The interior of the Breisach Minster houses tombs of numerous personalities from the city and the surroundings of Breisach. The oldest grave slab is dated to 1343 and is located in the north apse .
On both sides of the high choir , two rows of late Gothic choir stalls carved from oak wood are attached between the arching pillars . The stalls were made around 1500 and have a total of 42 seats. Ornate carvings are attached to the cheeks, the mastiffs, the misericordia and the buttocks under the folding seats . They show motifs from the story of creation , legends of saints and martyrs, the fight with the devil, motifs from the world of plants, animals and medieval fables. The two city patrons Gervasius and Protasius as well as the cathedral patron Stephanus are also shown.
Holy grave
Detail holy grave
Stalls
Detail of the stalls
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Silver shrine
One of the most precious of the new furnishings from the end of the 15th century is the silver shrine for the relics of the two city patrons Gervasius and Protasius. The shrine made of silver-plated copper plates measures 84 × 42.5 × 58 centimeters in length, width and height and is a box made of linden wood. It is carried by four seated gilded lions. Individual figures and parts are also gilded. In its basic form, the shrine is a cuboid with a hipped roof . In the middle of the long sides is a depiction of the crucifixion, flanked by Peter, Paul, Gervasius and Protasius and their parents. Figures of St. Andrew , John the Baptist, Ambrose, and Stephen, Philip and possibly Vitus are attached to the short side surfaces . This unidentified saint is named Balthasar inside the shrine for which there is no explanation. The roof of the shrine is decorated with scenes from the life and martyrdom of the two city patrons. The reliquary was created in 1496 by the Strasbourg silversmith Petrus Berlyn for 1500 guilders. According to a legend, there was a water shortage in Breisach in 1480, which is said to have been the reason to revive the worship of the city patron. According to a translation note in the Archbishopric Archive of Freiburg and written on June 12, 1621, after the conquest of Milan by Friedrich I Barbarossa in 1162, the bones were brought to Breisach by Archbishop Rainald von Dassel of Cologne and on June 18, 1498 in a church ceremony from the wooden one Coffin has been transferred to the new silver shrine.
The shrine has had an eventful history. Due to acts of war, its location was repeatedly relocated outside the minster. In September 1793 he was brought to safety in Waldkirch during a three-day bombardment . In 1938 he was brought to the island of Reichenau and, before the outbreak of World War II, to Säckingen . The shrine has been back in the Breisach Minster since 1948 and since Christmas 1975 it has been able to be viewed in a showcase in the southern conche. In the course of the redesign of the chancel at the end of 1995, the silver shrine was added to the new celebration altar. In 2000, a surface protection was also applied. The shrine, which is over 500 years old, is in extremely good condition.
Rood screen
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The Breisach rood screen was created in 1496 by an unknown master who also designed the choir niche at the high altar in 1497. A special feature of the Breisach Minster is that the rood screen was closed until 1960 and represented a partition between the high choir of the clergy and the central nave of the people. The gospel and liturgical chants were recited from the rood screen. Up until 1837 there were organs on the rood screen and three altars until the Second World War. The Breisach rood screen is often seen as an architectural model for the Isenheim Altarpiece .
With its delicate forms made of yellow sandstone , it is considered a masterpiece of late Gothic stone carving. The floor plan of the rood screen is rectangular: with ten pointed arches, it stands on twelve slender pillars. From the central nave one looks through five arched passages, three open towards the choir and one arch on each side. The ceiling consists of a reticulated vault , the ribs of which develop from the arcade pillars and the slender columns at the back. A tracery parapet around one meter high delimits an accessible platform for the rood screen. On the supporting pillars there are capitals about three meters high , which consist of a solid core. Hollowed foliage entwine on the front of these cores. Above the slender pillars under canopies there are figures that are closely linked to the tradition of the Breisach Minster.
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To the left of the central arch stands Mary with the child, to the right the three wise men can be seen. Furthermore Joseph and the church patron Stephanus are shown. The two city patrons Gervasius and Protasius are on the northern narrow side, their parents Vitalis and Valeria on the southern side. Little deeper stand on consoles , the Saint Barbara and Saint Catherine . The fact that the Three Kings are connected with Breisach is related to a legend about their relics and those of the martyrs Gervasius and Protasius. According to this legend, her way from Milan to Cologne led via Breisach. Experts suspect that the rood screen figures come from two different artists. This assumption is based on deviations in overall stature, posture and richness of detail in the sculptures. A comparison of the figure of Mary with that of the Moorish King shows, for example, that the latter comes from the more talented stonemason.
The rood screen ceiling is adorned with the old coat of arms of the city of Breisach (six silver mountains on a red background), the coat of arms of Vorderösterreich (white crossbar on a red background) and the banner of the Holy Roman Empire (black double eagle on a gold background).
After the Second World War, voices increased from the community who advocated that the view of the high altar should be cleared. At that time the rood screen still had a closed back wall with two barred door openings and a barred window. According to the will of those responsible in the parish, the rood screen would have been moved to the west hall. Experts were against it because a change in the location would be a falsification of history. The then Archbishop Hermann Schäufele decided the rood screen dispute in 1959 by refusing the transfer. However, the wall of the rood screen facing the choir should be opened. At the same time, a new celebration altar was to be erected in the crossing in front of the rood screen. In 1960 the concrete gallery in the west hall was demolished and a new gallery was built for the singers and the organ in the north transept.
High altar of the master HL
general description
The high altar of the Breisach Minster is an open altarpiece made of linden wood. It consists of two enormous wings, a predella and a soaring sprout . The shrine measures 4.31 meters in height and 3.62 meters in width. The two wings are 1.81 meters wide. The rectangular predella is 1.07 meters high and 2.05 meters wide. The height of the figures is 2.05 meters and the crack rises up to a height of about 6.25 meters. The high altar was carved between 1523 and 1526 by a master who left the monogram HL (→ Meister HL ). These initials could be assigned to the sculptor Hans Loy, who was named in the Freiburg painters' guild in 1519/20. However, almost nothing is known about Hans Loy. According to a local legend, the initials stand for an artist named Hans Liefrink.
In the Freiburg city archives there is a letter from the magistrate of the city of Breisach from the year 1523 to the magistrate of the city of Freiburg with the request for linden wood, as this cannot be obtained in the Breisach forest. The carver himself delivered this letter to the city of Freiburg. Much more is not known about this work of art.
The altar is signed three times with the master monogram HL in the form of tablets, each on the feet of Mary, Christ and God the Father . On a prayer book that holds up an angel on the side of God father figure right at the altar edge, with infrared light , the year 1526 - to recognize - the completion of the year.
The high altar survived both the iconoclasm and the destruction of the Second World War ; he and his figures were brought to safety in the salvage room of the Archbishop's Ordinariate in Freiburg. In 1941/42, the paint layer that had been applied 100 years earlier was removed during restoration work and the original linden clay was restored. Only the incarnate parts were given a light colored version. In 1949 the altar was brought back to the Breisach Minster. In 1984 it was restored again and examined for damage.
Center shrine
The central motif of the high altar is the depiction of the coronation of Mary. The model for this scene is a high altar painted between 1512 and 1516 in the Freiburg Minster by Hans Baldung Grien , whom HL probably knew. The figure of Mary is shown floating in an upright position. She crosses her arms in front of her chest and humbly tilts her head slightly to one side. Her curly hair is carried upwards by the wind. The heavily folded and twisted robe hugs her body. Jesus on her right and God the Father on her left sit at Mary's side and hold a richly decorated crown over her head with outstretched arms. The scene is framed by angels playing music and a dove as a symbol of the Holy Spirit hovers over the crown. The entire scene is enlivened by clouds and surrounded by a crowd of over forty angels putti, some of whom are playing music, symbolizing jubilation, serenity and joy. The Coronation of Mary is also the theme of the altar in the parish church of St. Michael in nearby Niederrotweil , which HL had created a few years earlier. The central shrine is heavily profiled so that the light and shadow create an increased effect of depth.
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The portrayal of God seems reserved. The old man's body is covered by a huge beard, a splendid bowed crown and a flowing robe. Face, hands and feet look well hidden in this composition. The figure of God carries a scepter in her left hand , her outstretched right holds the crown over Mary's head. A globe rests on the left knee as a symbol of power. Under the feet of God the Father a putto carries a tablet with the monogram HL.
The portrayal of Christ is far less reserved. He also appears with a royal scepter and crown. Curly curls and a curled beard frame his face. His gaze, but also his whole body, is turned towards Maria. His hanging robe billows over his body and is held in place by a double cord. At the same time you can see the deep lance stab on his side below the bare chest.
Side wing
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In deliberate contrast to the dynamic central shrine, the figures in the side wings appear much calmer due to the lack of filigree and innumerable details. In the left wing stand the two church patrons Stephanus with stone and Bible and Laurentius with book. Both are dressed in a Roman tunic . The martyr Stephen holds a long palm branch as a sign of victory. On the right side wing, Protasis, the city's patrician dressed in fashionable 16th century patrician clothing, and his younger brother Gervasius with a scourge are depicted. Both figures have a particularly three-dimensional effect due to the carved garments.
It is noteworthy that with only one exception, none of the figures on the high altar protrude beyond the frame. With this, HL created the technical prerequisites for closing the side wings.
Predella
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The rectangular predella has high-swinging consoles on the sides , which lift the shrine above the altar canteen. The four evangelists Johannes , Matthäus , Markus and Lukas are framed by tendrils as half-figures from left to right in different ages, with John the youngest and Luke the oldest. Each evangelist is assigned his attribute eagle, human, lion or bull. All four are writing in the book in front of them and looking in different directions. Stylistically, Johannes falls out of this row of four because, unlike the others, he doesn't wear a hat and seems to be absorbed in his actions. The three other evangelists wear similar robes and the same canons' birette . Your writing hands are partly intertwined.
Burst
The origin of the more than six meter high blast is an art historical dispute. One theory is that sprinkling was added later. Due to a lack of satisfaction with the new style, one wanted to take account of the late Gothic with the soaring altar. The style does not match Master HL and a journeyman in his workshop created it. According to another theory, it is not a subsequent addition, but a further development of the Ulm plan.
In five niches above the central shrine, arched figures are arranged on consoles under canopies. At the outermost are two angels making music, a little higher up the parents of the city's patron saint Vitalis and Valeria, on the top of the arch a group of Anna-selbdritt . The burst rises further into the air with four slender, filigree columns, at the top of which a man of sorrows is depicted. He wears a crown of thorns and shows his wounded palms. All figures of the burst are shown very fleetingly compared to the central shrine or the predella. On the back, the figures are flattened and hollowed out. A final pinnacle rises to the ceiling and winds forward.
Martin Schongauer's Last Judgment
General and history
The mural of a Last Judgment by the Colmar painter and graphic artist Martin Schongauer is on three walls in the west building of St. Stephen's Cathedral. A power of attorney dated June 15, 1489 identifies him as a citizen of Breisach. It is believed that Schongauer acquired or had to acquire citizenship in order to receive the large order. Schongauer, who was already very respected during his lifetime, made a significant mural, which is the largest representation of this topic north of the Alps. According to the current status of the investigations, it can be assumed that Schongauer applied his paintings to existing plaster.
The triptych in the middle picture on the west wall (13.2 by 7.4 meters) shows the Last Judgment, on the wings the entry of the blessed into paradise on the south wall and the fall of the damned into hell on the north wall (each 14.4 on 7th floor) Meters). The painted area of the three walls is 145 square meters. This work by Schongauer is described as unusually monumental. The action takes place almost at the viewing level. The small number of figures is remarkable - eleven in the paradise scene, ten in the depiction of hell and seven in the resurrection scene. The people are shown roughly twice their life size and thus underline the haunting effect. Art historians value the importance of this mural very highly. Not only the technical mastery is characteristic. The type of presentation and the choice of motifs are also exceptional. The Freiburg theology professor and state curator Joseph Sauer described the fresco cycle as follows:
“A natural grace with no trace of prettiness, a restraint despite all the depth and originality of the expression and an enchanting grace without sensitive sweetness are spread over the Last Judgment. The master has mastered the world of horror and torment with shocking urgency and strength, but without repulsive brutality. [...] The German art of this time has no other work of such size and maturity to match. "
The fragmentary state of Schongauer's painting made a thorough safeguarding and restoration necessary. The first phase of observation and investigation began in 1985. With the help of enzymes , layers of paint that had been painted over were swollen and removed centimeter by inch. This work was only completed in 1993. In the more than 500-year history of the mural, many events had led to its fading and partial destruction.
In 1607 the city of Breisach commissioned the portrait painter Jakob Müller to paint the lower part of the Schongauer triptych white and to paint in the painting. During a later restoration in 1766, the work completely disappeared under a whitewash. The forgotten work of art only came to light in 1885 during interior renovation work. From June to September 1931 the Mezger art workshop in Überlingen removed the overpainting. After completing this work, photographic recordings were made for documentation.
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South wall |
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West wall |
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North face |
West wall: Christ the judge of the world
The artistic composition of the Last Judgment and its components had been fixed for centuries. Martin Schongauer's depiction was based on Rogier van der Weyden in Beaune (see: The Last Judgment by Rogier van der Weyden ) and chose the broad development of the triptych, which was common in the 15th century. The most important motifs include: Christ on the throne or rainbow, sword and lily emerging from the mouth of Christ, Mary and John the Baptist , the twelve apostles, angels blowing trumpets, graves opening from which the dead rise, scales, on which the Archangel Michael weighs the souls of the risen, as well as paradise and hell's jaws.
The west wall of the Breisach Minster forms the middle section of the triptych: Christ as Judge of the World. He is represented as a king who "will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead." The central representation of Christ is supported by a double nimbus disk that surrounds his head. Christ is enthroned on a rainbow that connects the earth with the sky. This symbolized the reconciliation of man with God in the middle altar. The left hand is directed downwards towards curse and damnation, the right towards blessing and salvation. A detailed lily stem emerges from Jesus' mouth on the right and a sword on his left. The lily is the symbol of grace and mercy, the sword symbolizes the separation of good and bad and damnation. Three banners surround Christ. The banner on the right proclaims: “Venite benedicti patris mei, possidete regnum, quod vobis partum est ab inicio seculi” - Come, you blessed ones of my father, take possession of the kingdom that has been ready for you since the beginning of the world . The banner that unrolls on the left announces the verdict: "Ite maledicti in ignem aeternum" - Go, you cursed, into the eternal fire . Mary and John the Baptist kneel on both sides of Jesus as intercessors for the people. Behind John and Mary there is a crowd of the old covenant, patriarchs and prophets. The person behind Johannes, who turned his gaze to the viewer, is supposed to represent Martin Schongauer himself. According to medieval tradition, artists often depicted themselves in their works. Also behind John you can see Moses with tongues of fire on his head and the tablets of the law in front of his chest. Next to Mary you can see Peter with the keys.
Above Christ, five angels carry the instruments of the Passion , including the cross as a sign of salvation. Above their heads banners proclaim “Hoc signum crucis erit in celo, cum Dominus ad iudicium venerit” - This sign of the cross will be in heaven when the Lord appears for judgment and “Tempus misericordiae praetererit, tempus iustitiae advenit” - The time of Mercy is over, the time of justice has begun .
South face: signs of paradise
For the representation of paradise, Martin Schongauer chose the written word as the basis of his fresco on the south wall. The presentation is of clear order, light and spring mood dominate the scenery. A large tablet to the right of the window indicates heavenly joys. The text probably comes from the Alsatian humanist circle in Colmar or Schlettstadt .
| original | translation | |
|---|---|---|
|
Semper erunt quod erant aetern (ae) gaudia vitae |
The joys of eternal life will always be what they were, |
The procession of the Blessed begins below the inscription and leads on a steep path through a Gothic gate into heaven. At the beginning of the procession, country people are led by an angel pointing to the tablet; a bishop and a woman in a nun's veil step further up, a pope and a cardinal can be seen above. The window in the middle of the painting separates the two stalls and thus preserves the medieval social order. Angels sit at the gate of paradise with its tracery gallery, three-pass and fish bubbles. Those on the left greet those arriving with the sounds of lutes, those on the right with the notes of the angelic song of Christmas “Gloria in excelsis Deo et in terra pax hominibus”.
North wall: representation of hell
In contrast to the portrayal of paradise, the depiction of hell is characterized by chaotic confusion, crater-like rifts, blazing flames and frightful figures. Naked damned rush headlong into the fire. Devil figures hunt and torment those who have been extradited. Demons with human-like build, very hairy limbs, sharp-pointed horns and pincer-like claws can be made out. In contrast to other depictions of this kind, the number of the damned is very limited in order to increase the urgency of the depiction. At the lower edge of the depiction, almost on the church floor, lies the gigantic figure of Lucifer with jagged horns, glowing eyes and two upturned tusks on the muzzle. Burning red flames blaze up from the depths and indicate destruction and despair.
window
The ten colored windows in the Stephansmünster come from the artist and restorer Valentin Peter Feuerstein (1917–1999) and are among the main works of this glass painter . The expressive colors are a characteristic of his work. The windows were installed in 1966/67 and depict scenes with the following titles: Creation story, Abraham, the father of faith, kings and prophets, The life of Jesus, Stephen window, Pentecost window, Christ, the firstborn, resurrection of the dead, the new heaven and the new earth as well as the fight of Satan against the people of God.
Organs
history
The history of the organs in Stephansmünster can be traced back to 1598. At that time, the organ builder Werner Mauderer from Breisach installed a new organ in the cathedral. An oath of the organist Gallus Gallmeyer to the city council is preserved in the city archives. In this oath he affirmed to be careful "with the small and large organ on the rood screen". It follows that there were two organs in 1606. In the 1730s, the organ, which was attached to the nave wall in the manner of a swallow's nest, was moved to the rood screen. This destroyed a fire in 1793 when the city was bombarded. In 1811 an organ from the abolished Wonnetal monastery near Kenzingen was installed on the rood screen . A new, larger organ from 1835 came from Merkel's Freiburg workshop. A stage in the west yoke of the central nave was provided for the installation of this organ. For reasons of cost, the city council requested that the rood screen be moved to the west wall. Ultimately, however, a stone organ stage was built on the west wall in 1837. The old organ from the Wonnetal monastery was auctioned and dismantled on November 17, 1842 together with two altars. In 1905 the organ building company Kiene from Waldkirch built a new organ with a closed prospect . This contained two manuals and a pedal on pneumatic organ drawers .
In 1931, the Mönch organ building workshop in Überlingen again delivered a new organ with an electric console . It comprised 34 registers on two manual works and a pedal, with nine different couplings and combinations. After deducting the reused parts, the cost was 19,500 marks. This organ burned down at the end of the Second World War when the city of Breisach was bombarded and the cathedral burned.
Today's organ
Since June 9, 1963, an organ by the Bonn organ builder Klais (opus 1270) has stood on the newly built gallery in the north transept . The location is controversial as it is not ideal from an acoustic point of view. Nevertheless, after long debates, the decision was made in favor of him because they did not want to cover up Schongauer's wall painting again, as had happened with the organ from 1931. The slider chest instrument has 36 registers with 2526 pipes on three manual works and a pedal and a free-standing console. The action mechanism is mechanical, the stop action is electric. The layout of today's Klais organ is shown below.
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- Coupling: I / II, III / I, III / II, I / P, II / P, III / P
Bells
A total of ten bells hang in the two choir flank towers: In the northern choir tower (clock) hang five historical bells from four different foundries from different centuries. In the south tower, five new bells hang in a belfry that was newly built in 2011.
Historic bells
The historical bells in the north tower are regarded by experts as appealing, expressive and harmonious and are of great rarity. The large Tuba Dei was cast by Master Georgius (Jerg) von Speyer in Offenburg in 1491 . This bell was rung until the chime was supplemented in 2011 for the change in the main worship services on Sundays and public holidays, at funerals of adults, on Friday at 11 a.m. to commemorate the suffering of Christ on the cross and half an hour before the Sunday services and devotions. On October 31st at 3 p.m., it commemorates the first bombing on Breisach in 1944.
In 1662 Stefan Moilot, also in Offenburg, cast the second largest historical bell for the cathedral. In addition to the inscription, the names of the religious and secular dignitaries of the city of Offenburg from 1662 as well as a relief of the crucifixion group are cast in. The bell rang to 2011 for Angelus at 6 am to 12 pm and 18 pm. Since 2011 it has been ringing for the Angelus on Sundays.
The third and at the same time oldest bell of the Breisach Minster dates from the middle of the 14th century. It rings when a parishioner has died.
The Breisach foundry Hiremias Nirnberger (Jeremias Nürnberger) cast this bell in 1583. She rings for a child's funeral. During the Second World War, the bell suffered cracks from shrapnel that was welded in a bell workshop in Nördlingen .
The fifth and smallest of the historical bells of the minster stood in the Museum of City History in the Rheintor from 1991 to 2011 . It was badly damaged by shrapnel during World War II . In 2011, the Lachenmeyer bell welding plant in Nördlingen received the order to repair the bell. It is the only bell that is not coordinated with the historical peal and functioned until 1944 as a so-called bell for the poor souls after the evening angelus peal to intercede and commemorate the dead of the week.
The full ringing of the historical bells corresponds to the opening notes of the chorale Salve Regina . Every Saturday and before public holidays at 2 p.m. it sounds to ring in the Sunday or public holiday. Before mass on Sundays, the bells ring 1, 3, 4, 7; on high feasts, the full bell sounds again. The bells of the neighboring Alsatian town of Neuf-Brisach have been coordinated with those of St. Stephen's Cathedral since 1975.
New bells
In 2010 the parish decided to build a bell cage for a total of four bells in the south tower as part of the exterior renovation. The bells themselves were financed through donations. In spring 2011, two new bells, the Christ Bell (3900 kg) and the Creation Bell (1600 kg), were commissioned from the Bachert bell foundry in Karlsruhe and cast on June 3 of the same year.
The creation bell has been ringing as an angelus bell on weekdays since 2011. The Breisach artist Helmut Lutz designed the bell ornament for this bell. The Christ bell has been ringing since 2011 to change the main divine services on Sundays and public holidays, at funerals of adults, on Friday at 11 a.m. to commemorate the suffering of Christ on the cross and half an hour before the Sunday services and devotions.
On April 20, 2012 the third new bell, the ges1 bell, was cast. This bell was also financed through donations and is dedicated to the Holy Spirit. It heralds the dispensing of the sacraments at baptism, first communion, confirmation and wedding.
On Christmas Eve 2012, the plenum of all eight bells rang for the first time, the five historical bells together with three new bells.
In December 2019, two new bells were consecrated and then hung in the south tower. Below is a new bell with the patronage of the city cartridge.
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Data overview
| No. |
Surname |
Casting year |
Caster |
Ø (mm) |
Weight (kg) |
Nominal (16th note) |
Inscription and Notes (German) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Christ bell | 2011 | Bachert bell foundry , Karlsruhe | 1830 | 3850 | b 0 -5 | "Unum in Christo Jesus - One in Christ Jesus" Bell ornament by Helmut Lutz |
| 2 | Tuba Dei | 1491 | Georgius of Speyer | 1460 | approx. 2200 | of 1 -3 | “I am consecrated to the great God, whose voice echoes in the far high heaven. I am called the trumpet of God ”The bell rings for the Angelus on Sundays. |
| 3 | Creation Bell | 2011 | Bachert bell foundry , Karlsruhe | 1360 | 1494 | it 1 –8 | “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Gen 1,1 “Look, I am making everything new” Rev 21,5. The bell rings for the Angelus on weekdays. Bell ornament designed by Helmut Lutz |
| 4th | old angelus bell | 1662 | Stefan Moilot | 1280 | about 1200 | f 1 -3 | “In the year of the Lord 1662 I was consecrated and dedicated to Jesus, the Redeemer, Mary, his virgin mother, and St. Ursula with her companions. With my sound I drive away clouds with thunder and murder ray. I call the flock and the shepherd and disperse the malevolent enemies " |
| 5 | Holy Spirit Bell | 2012 | Bachert bell foundry , Karlsruhe | 1160 | 945 | ges 1 -2 | "Like the grand piano I swing and announce: COME CREATIVE SPIRIT" |
| 6th | Death knell | around 1350 | unknown | 1180 | approx. 1100 | as 1 -7 | “O King of Glory, Christ, come with peace. Ave Maria " |
| 7th | ? | 1583 | Jeremias Nirnberger | 1030 | approx. 720 | b 1 -9 | "Christ rules, Christ conquers, Christ rules" |
| 8th | Laurentius bell | 2019 | Bachert bell foundry , Karlsruhe | 320 | of the 2nd | ||
| 9 | formerly the bell of the soul of the poor | 1579 | Jeremias Nirnberger | 690 | 214 | it 2 –3 | "I flowed out of the furnace, Hiremias Nirnberger cast me here in Breisach in 1579" The bell was badly damaged in 1944/45 and repaired in 2012 by the Lachenmeyer company. |
| 10 | Cartridge bell | 2019 | Bachert bell foundry , Karlsruhe | f 2 | Bell with the patronage of the city cartridge |
Perception in Art and Society
The expansion of the sacristy to the east in 1494 is confirmed in a contemporary rhyming chronicle about Peter von Hagenbach :
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«He also called stone, lime and sand |
sin kilch gebuween solt han |
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In the centuries that followed, the cathedral was a popular and often used subject for painters, draftsmen, lithographers and poets. In the Isenheim Altarpiece (1506–1515) by Matthias Grünewald in the Musée d'Unterlinden in Colmar, one of the earliest depictions of St. Stephen's Cathedral can be found in the background of the birth of Christ. In the 17th century, Matthäus Merian and the master builder and architectural draftsman Johann Jakob Arhardt (1613–1674) produced detailed and realistic pictures of the cathedral. In the 19th and 20th centuries, the cathedral was increasingly used as a subject for watercolors, drawings and paintings. Among the numerous artists are the Breisach Gervas Kretzmeyer (1814–1871) and the draftsman and copper engraver Wilhelm Johannes Esaias Nilson (* 1788, grandson of Johannes Esaias Nilson ). Even the former Federal President Theodor Heuss , who was very interested in the arts, made a chalk drawing of the cathedral on April 15, 1933.
The citizens have a special bond with the Breisach Minster. This can be explained on the one hand by the eventful history, on the other hand the Stephansmünster was from the beginning the parish church of the citizens. The church was neither an abbey, nor a bishopric, nor a burial place for princes. This explains the special commitment that this church still receives. Wars and decay made interior and exterior renovations necessary time and again. Between 1923 and 1936, a minster construction lottery initiated by the Archbishop's Building Office in Freiburg took place. The net proceeds of 5 million marks from the first lottery in 1923 had become worthless due to hyperinflation in Germany . The following two lotteries generated income of 37,409 Reichsmarks , which were used to finance the necessary renovations.
It is thanks to the personal commitment of the then 24-year-old Hildegard Braun that the silver shrine was brought from the cathedral to Reichenau in Lake Constance in August 1938 . They feared attacks and damage by the National Socialists. With a company truck she brought the shrine hidden behind soda boxes to safety after several checks. After the Second World War, many craftsmen repaired the severe war damage to the building with unpaid work. Archbishop Conrad Gröber worked to ensure that the collapse-endangered cathedral was not blown up by the French military authorities. After the building was saved, many surrounding towns and cities donated building materials and money for the reconstruction.
The Breisacher Münsterbauverein has existed since 1885, and its work was hardly possible in the post-war period due to the economic hardship. In 1981 the association was reorganized and as a registered association has full legal capacity. The magazine Unser Münster, published by the association, has been published regularly since 1990 . The association, which had around 430 members in 2004, sees itself as the ideal successor to the medieval Münsterbauhütte, collects donations and is actively involved in the restoration and restoration of the building as well as the interior decoration.
literature
- Uwe driver et al. (Ed.), Münster parish St. Stephan Breisach (Ed.): The Breisach Minster. Schnell & Steiner. Regensburg 2005, ISBN 3-7954-1649-3
- Gebhard Klein: The Breisacher Sankt Stephansmünster . Our Münster - series of publications by the Münsterbauverein Breisach eV, issue 1, 3rd edition, Münsterbauverein, Breisach 2002
- Gebhard Klein: Martin Schongauer and the “Last Judgment” in the Breisacher St. Stephansmünster . Our Münster - publication series of the Münsterbauverein Breisach eV, issue 2, 3rd edition, Münsterbauverein, Breisach 2006/07
- Hermann Metz: The altar of the master HL in the Breisacher St. Stephansmünster . Our Münster - Series of publications by the Münsterbauverein Breisach, Münsterbauverein, Breisach
- Joseph Sauer : The fresco cycle in the Münster zu Breisach , Urban Verlag Freiburg, 1933
- Hermann Gombert : Breisach. St. Stephansmünster , Schnell & Steiner publishing house, ISBN 978-3-7954-4571-3
novel
- Franz Johannes Weinrich : The treasure in the mountain (1954), published under the pseudonym Heinrich Lerse based on the master HL
Web links
- our Münster , the information publication of the Münsterbauverein Breisach eV, current issue and archive
- Tour and history of the cathedral
- Breisacher Stephansmünster. In: arch INFORM .
- Information and pictures for the mural The Last Judgment : Part 1 , Part 2
- Information and pictures about the Breisach high altar
- Virtual tour through the Stephansmünster
Remarks
- ↑ Since there are no written construction reports, the year of the choir provides information about the time the rood screen was created
- ↑ Bible: John 19:34
- ↑ The exception is the knee of Christ, which protrudes from the frame. When the altar was closed, however, there would be room in the gap between the two figures Stephen and Laurentius.
- ↑ What is meant is lightning.
Individual evidence
- ^ Page from the Museum of City History in Breisach, historical summary by the city archivist Uwe Driver
- ↑ a b The Breisach Minster . page 8
- ↑ Klein: The Breisach Sankt Stephansmünster , page 5
- ↑ Ulrich Knapp: Like an open book , in our Münster 1/1995 (No. 15), pages 4–9. on-line
- ^ Burghard Lohrum, Stefan King: The choir roof of the Breisach Minster , built in 1292 , in our Minster 2/2005 (No. 35), pages 10-12. on-line
- ↑ Anne-Christine Brehm: Master builder and building history of the Breisach Minster , our Minster No. 47/2012 online
- ↑ Klein: Das Breisacher Sankt Stephansmünster , page 83 ff
- ↑ Dr. Hermann Alex. Müller: Dürr, Wilhelm , in: Biographisches Künstler-Lexikon , Verlag des Bibliographisches Institut, Leipzig 1882
- ↑ Klein: Das Breisacher Sankt Stephansmünster , pages 88 ff
- ↑ Birgit Lüttmann: New stones for the old cathedral , Badische Zeitung of December 11, 2010, accessed on December 12, 2010
- ^ The Breisach Minster. Page 13
- ↑ Klein: The Breisach Sankt Stephansmünster , page 17
- ↑ Information on the towers: our cathedral 1/2004 (No. 32), page 19. online
- ↑ suehnekreuz.de: Breisach am Rhein , accessed on September 9, 2012
- ↑ Klein: The Breisach Sankt Stephansmünster , page 81
- ↑ Klein: The Breisach Sankt Stephansmünster , page 71
- ↑ Klein: The Breisach Sankt Stephansmünster , page 65
- ^ The Breisach Minster. Page 30 f.
- ↑ Klein: Das Breisacher Sankt Stephansmünster , page 40 f.
- ↑ Klein: The Breisach Sankt Stephansmünster , page 80
- ^ The Breisach Minster . Page 67 f.
- ↑ Klein: Das Breisacher Sankt Stephansmünster , pages 36 ff.
- ^ The Breisach Minster. Page 32
- ↑ Klein: The Breisach Sankt Stephansmünster , page 30
- ↑ Real Historia and History. The Breisacher translation note on the city patrons Gervasius and Protasius introduced, edited and translated by Thomas HT Wieners , in: Our Münster. Information from the Münsterbauverein Breisach , No. 42, 1/2009, pp. 10–12.
- ↑ Ekkart Sauser: PROTASIUS and GERVASIUS. In: Biographisch-Bibliographisches Kirchenlexikon (BBKL). Volume 7, Bautz, Herzberg 1994, ISBN 3-88309-048-4 , Sp. 1004-1007.
- ↑ Klein: The Breisach Sankt Stephansmünster , page 32
- ^ The Breisach Minster. Page 33
- ↑ Klein: The Breisach Sankt Stephansmünster , page 35
- ^ The Breisach Minster. Page 27
- ^ The Breisach Minster. Page 28
- ^ The Breisach Minster. Page 29
- ↑ Klein: Das Breisacher Sankt Stephansmünster , page 43 f (life of Hans Loy)
- ↑ The Breisach high altar : an enigmatic master
- ↑ Metz: The Altar of Master HL in the Breisacher St. Stephansmünster , page 4 f
- ↑ Metz: The Altar of Master HL in the Breisacher St. Stephansmünster , page 37
- ↑ Information on Grien's work in Freiburg: His masterpiece: the retable of the Freiburg cathedral (English)
- ↑ Information on the parish church of St. Michael in Niederrotweil
- ↑ Metz: The Altar of the Master HL in the Breisacher St. Stephansmünster , page 32
- ↑ Basel, State Archives: Court Archives, Judgment Book (1487/89) A 37, fol. 88
- ^ The Breisach Minster . Page 21
- ↑ Klein: Martin Schongauer and the “Last Judgment” in the Breisach St. Stephansmünster , (painting technique) page 38 f
- ↑ Klein: The Breisach Sankt Stephansmünster , page 18
- ^ The Breisach Minster. Page 23
- ↑ Klein: Martin Schongauer and the "Last Judgment" in the Breisach St. Stephansmünster , page 35
- ^ Joseph Sauer: The fresco cycle in the Münster zu Breisach , Urban Verlag Freiburg, 1933, page 66 ff
- ^ The Breisach Minster. Page 25 f
- ↑ Klein: Martin Schongauer and the "Last Judgment" in the Breisacher St. Stephansmünster , page 21
- ↑ a b Klein: Martin Schongauer and the “Last Judgment” in the Breisacher St. Stephansmünster , page 27
- ↑ Klein: Martin Schongauer and the “Last Judgment” in the Breisach St. Stephansmünster , page 32
- ↑ Klein: Martin Schongauer and the “Last Judgment” in the Breisacher St. Stephansmünster , page 34 f.
- ^ The Breisach Minster . Page 52 ff
- ↑ Klein: The Breisach Sankt Stephansmünster , page 76
- ↑ Klein: The Breisach Sankt Stephansmünster , page 77
- ^ The Breisach Minster , p. 63.
- ↑ Technical data on the organ of St. Stephen's Cathedral , accessed on May 24, 2014.
- ↑ Information on the organ
- ↑ Small: The Breisach Sankt Stephansmünster . P. 78.
- ↑ Small: The Breisach Sankt Stephansmünster . P. 79.
- ↑ Our Minster No. 46-2011 p. 6ff Martin Hau, Emil Göggel, Hermann Metz
- ↑ Hermann Metz: The 400 year old Nirnberg bell was repaired , in our cathedral no. 48/2012, page 14 f. on-line
- ↑ [1]
- ↑ a b c d Our Minster 46-2011 p. 6ff Martin Hau, Emil Göggel, Hermann Metz
- ↑ Kurt Kramer (ed.): The German bell landscapes. Baden – Hohenzollern . DKV, Munich 1990, pp. 54-55.
- ↑ Klein: The Breisach Sankt Stephansmünster , page 9
- ^ The Breisach Minster . Page 71 f
- ^ The Breisach Minster . Page 72
- ↑ Klein: The Breisach Sankt Stephansmünster , page 78
- ^ The Breisach Minster . Page 74
- ↑ Information on the Münsterbauverein
Coordinates: 48 ° 1 ′ 45 " N , 7 ° 34 ′ 47" E
