Grüselhorn

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A Grüselhorn is the Upper Rhine name for a medieval brass horn , as it was blown by night watchmen .

The name is already used in Strasbourg in the late Middle Ages, when the Jews were asked to leave the city in the evening by blowing this instrument. According to myth , the Jews themselves originally used this horn, supposedly to notify enemies of the city. The shape and size of the Grüselhorn was modeled on a shofar .

Lahrer Grüselhorn

Lahrer Grüselhorn

The Lahrer Grüselhorn as an exhibit in the city museum of the city of Lahr / Black Forest (above) and in the book by the Lahr dialect poet Alfred Siefert (below)

Alfred Siefert: Grüselhorn sounds

Strasbourg

After the murder and expulsion of the Strasbourg Jews on Valentine's Day in 1349, Jews were only allowed to stay in Strasbourg during the day without a special permit and were asked to leave the city at nine in the evening (in winter at eight in the evening) with a signal from the Grüselhorn from the cathedral tower . A - freely invented - interpretation of blowing the horn, which has been documented since the early modern era, attributes alleged plans of betrayal to the Jews in 1349, whereby the enemy should be warned of a favorable time to attack by a horn signal. The name “Judenblos” has been documented since 1388. This was not abolished until 1791, as it would sow hatred against Jews due to the popularity of the legend. The Strasbourg Grüselhorn blowing was therefore not simply maintaining tradition until the end, but a conscious sign of discrimination against Jews.

Saga world

In the reception of Upper Rhine legends, the Grüselhorn is primarily identified with a horn, through which a Mr. von Geroldseck captured in the early 13th century is said to have recognized the location of his captivity by its sound (Lützelhard saga in the Geroldsecker family chronicle and in the chronicle of the Lords of rooms). Ferdinand Stein (1791–1835) already points to a "Kreuselhorn" in his history and description of the city of Lahr and its surroundings from 1827 (reprint in the Freiburg Echo Verlag). This was kept in Vogstor, which was demolished in 1827. The night watchman had blown the horn in "horrific disagreements" and also announced the danger of fire. Stein also describes the legend of Geroldsecker, who was imprisoned by the neighboring knight on the Lützelhard. Only when he heard the tones of the "Kreuselhorn blown on his castle" did he realize where he was. As Ferdinand Stein writes, this is said to have happened "after the chronicle writer" in the 11th century. The Lahr dialect poet Alfred Siefert (1861–1918) self-published in 1888 his “Poems with serious and cheerful content in Lahr dialect” under the title “Grüselhorn Sounds”. The book was reprinted in 1981 on the occasion of the 75th company anniversary of Elektrizitätswerk Mittelbaden AG. A current “Stadtführer Lahr Schwarzwald” (Buchhandlung Baumann / Verlag Kaufmann) also names the Grüselhorn: “On the (Vogts) gate, the guard blew the Grüselhorn in the event of a fire alarm or warning of enemies. Today the horn is in the museum in the city park. It also plays an important role as a distinguishing mark for Geroldsecker who, according to the legend, was imprisoned at Lützelhardt Castle near Seelbach (Schutter) . "

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