Editha and her charity
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The legend of Editha and her charity takes place in the times of Otto the Great in Magdeburg , when his wife Queen Editha was staying in the royal palace.
legend
Editha, who was known for her kindness, received a ban one day from her husband Otto the Great from giving away valuable things from the house to the poor. When she went to the parish church a few days later in an expensive dress to take part in a festive service, she again saw many cripples, beggars and old people huddled at the church portal. Many remained silent and held out a small pot or an old hat to encourage the richer citizens to make a donation. Next to that there were some who quietly mumbled the words please, a mild gift , but also those who were a little bolder, pleaded, slipped on their knees or pulled on their coats. The queen came across one of these beggars, who refused to be turned away. Editha, who wanted to keep her husband's prohibition, spoke to the beggar. Good man, I really have nothing with me . The beggar held on to one of her sleeves of the dress and begged her to give him a piece of her beautiful dress. After a short time Editha agreed and left the beggar's sleeve.
After the service Editha returned to the royal court. When both were sitting at the festive lunch table, Otto wanted to see the dress she had worn to the service. Editha tried, frightened, to stop him, but she couldn't. At Otto's command, a servant fetched the dress. To the amazement of both of them, both sleeves were still on the dress. In his amazement Otto pulled the sleeve from behind his back, which he had torn from his dress disguised as a beggar. He had intended to examine his wife and now knew that his wife had a mighty hand at his side through a miracle. The god-fearing Otto never again restricted his wife in her charity.
background
At the time of Otto the Great and Editha there were many needy people, the poverty of the people was much more present in the cities than it is today. A large number of beggars crowded every marketplace and in front of every church door. Day laborers who moved across the country in search of work, like migrating monks, cripples and impoverished mercenaries, tried to get a piece of bread and a few groschen. Under these circumstances it was very difficult to help everyone.