The walled-in child at the Krökentor
The walled-in child at the Krökentor is a legend from the time of Emperor Otto I , which is set in Magdeburg . In some legends, the gate is called the Croatian Gate.
Historical background
The Krökentor was also repeatedly relocated over the centuries due to the expansion of the city and the relocation of the city wall. An old landmark was walled up in the new gate every time it was moved. The landmark consisted of two stone feet. At last it was on a buttress of the outer gate.
legend
Emperor Otto had Magdeburg expanded into a fortress to protect against the Wends . However, the first Krökentor always collapsed shortly after completion, without a cause being found out. To find out the cause, the emperor asked an astrologer . He asked the stars for advice and received the answer that the gate would not exist until a boy voluntarily offered by a mother was not walled in alive. The councilors and the emperor doubted finding such a godless mother, but nevertheless commissioned the town's executioner to acquire such a child for a high price.
The executioner searched for a long time before he found a woman willing to sell her son for such a purpose. The woman was admonished by the clergy for her intended deed. Nevertheless, she stuck to her decision, since her heart was only filled with greed for money and lust for the world and ran away with her sin wages. The boy was then walled up alive in a niche in the gate, but an opening was left to breathe. After the gate was completed, it actually held. But nobody cared about the walled-in boy and he was soon forgotten.
After a few decades, an old mother begged Archbishop Giselher to look for her son. This was said to have been walled in alive many years ago when the Krökentore was built. She told the story to the astonished Archbishop, adding that she had been tortured by conscience since that day. In the last few weeks her son had often appeared in dreams and said that he was still alive. Birds that nested in the wall opening would have brought him food again and again. That tormented her so much that she went to Magdeburg. When she entered through the Krökentor the city, the rock of the door quietly have mother whispered.
The archbishop had pity and had ladders put on the walls of the gate. The mother showed the place from which she had heard the call and a stonemason climbed up to the place. After clearing away some of the masonry, he found the niche. To his horror, he actually saw a human figure behind the niche, staring at him with fiery eyes. The figure was freed and an old man with long gray hair and a long shaggy beard was seen. The place from where the birds had supplied the male with bread was also found. Before the male touched the ground, he died and was buried according to Christian custom. The heartless mother disappeared for a long time, until her body was found on a mound of sand, where she was buried. Even years later, a bright flame was said to have been seen at the site of the grave on the sand hill. The niche, however, was walled up again and two stone feet were placed at that point in memory of the gruesome event.
Individual proof
- ↑ a b W. Leinung and R. Stein Full: From Magdeburg legend and history . Julius Namann Publishing House, 1894.
- ^ Magdeburg Fortress - Krökentor. Retrieved March 25, 2020 .