Hans Michael Elias from Obentraut

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Hans Michael von Obentraut, copper engraving from Theatrum Europaeum , 1662

Hans Michael Elias von Obentraut (also Johann Mich (a) el (l) Elias von Obentraut ; * 1574 on the Stromburg near Stromberg , † October 25, 1625 in Seelze ) was a German cavalry general who supported the Protestant Union in the Thirty Years' War fought.

Life

His parents were Johann Bartel von Obentraut († August 4, 1612), councilor and bailiff of Stromburg , ⚭ April 15, 1573 with Anna Apollonia Schenk von Schmidtburg (* 1554; † 1625).

Hans Michael von Obentraut went into military service at a young age and is said to have been a feared opponent because of his boldness. In the Thirty Years' War in 1620 at the Battle of White Mountain , he was in the Protestant camp. In the service of the Electorate of the Palatinate under Friedrich V , he had to leave Stein Castle on August 21, 1621 because of the overwhelming power of the Spaniards. Obentraut's name is gloriously mentioned in September 1621 when Frankenthal was relieved, then in Hagenau and in April 1622 in the victory over Tilly near Wiesloch .

Death in Seelze

He won his last victory as Lieutenant General of Duke Johann Ernst von Sachsen-Weimar in Nienburg / Weser when he prevented the occupation of the city by the League of Catholic Princes under the leadership of Tilly . After this success, Obentraut wanted to take the fortress of Calenberg in Schulenburg near Pattensen, which was occupied by Tilly's army, in a coup. This did not happen, because on October 25, 1625, not far from Hanover near Seelze , a battle broke out between his unit with 700 riders and 10,000 men from Tilly's army. When Obentraut found out about it, according to legend, he should have rushed to the aid of his troops so quickly that he set off without a helmet and only with one boot. He was fatally hit by a bullet in battle. He is said to have died in the presence of his former brother in arms Tilly, who closed his eyes. Obentraut's body was brought to the fortress of Calenberg and was only released four months later in exchange for a leading officer. Then the deceased was first transferred to St. Aegidienkirche in Hanover and finally buried two years later in the Marktkirche . The church book entry for Obentraut's death read:

"Hans Michell v. Obentraut, Königl. Maj. Zu Dennemark, Lieutenant General of the Cavalry and Colonel, who stayed in front of Seelse on October 25th, 1625, buried in S. Georgenkirche uffs Cohr, Uff Juncker Conradt Niclaß v. Obentraut provision on February 28th "

Post fame

The almost mythical veneration that Obentraut enjoyed in Protestant circles during his lifetime continued beyond death. Just a few weeks after his death, Balthasar Venator set him a literary monument. Venator's friend Julius Wilhelm Zincgref handed down some of Obentraut's aphorisms, including his answer to Tilly at the death bed: "General Tilli, these are flowers of bad luck, and you don't pick any other in gardens like this". A song on Obentraut called him: "Oberntraut, the noble skin".

Obentraut monument

Obentraut monument in Seelze

In honor of Obentraut, a 6 m high monument in the form of a stone pyramid was erected in Seelze at the point where he was fatally wounded. The founder is not known, it was made in 1630 by the Hanoverian sculptor Jeremias Sutel (1587–1631), whose master's mark appears below the inscription. The renewed Latin inscription reads in the translation according to Walter Lampe:

“Consecrated to God, the best, greatest. This memorial to the intrepid, very noble and heroic Mr. Johann Michael von Obentraut, Rhenish knight of the Royal Danish Majesty Christian IV. Lieutenant General of the Cavalry, who fell here valiantly on the day of Mars October 25, 1625 for fatherland and freedom. "

In 1989 a riding boot and a helmet were placed next to the monument as oversized metal objects. They point to the pieces of equipment without which, according to legend, Obentraut threw himself into the fray. Today the main thoroughfare leads past the monument in the center of Seelze.

German Michel

As an ornament of the German military, he is said to have been called Michael Germanicus ( Der Teütsche Michael ) - which, however, has not yet been found in any source from the Thirty Years War. The first to claim this was Philipp Andreas Oldenburger in 1668. However, Oldenburger's scientific reputation was already controversial during his lifetime. The font appeared under the pseudonym “Philipp Andreas Burgoldensis” with a fictitious printing location “Freistad” (= Geneva).

literature

Non-fiction

Fiction

  • Harry Vosberg: Michel Obentraut. Novel. Scherl, Berlin 1925.

Web links

supporting documents

  1. ^ JE Hess:  Obentraut, Hans Michael Elias von . In: Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie (ADB). Volume 24, Duncker & Humblot, Leipzig 1887, p. 85 f (here p. 86 above).
  2. ↑ Balthasar Venator : Lament against the fatal entry of the noble German hero Michael of Obentraut. o. O. [Strasbourg] 1625, 4 sheets
  3. ↑ Julius Wilhelm Zincgref : The Teutschen Scharpfsinnige Kluge Sprüch / Apophthegmata called. Strasbourg 1639, p. 207 f. ( limited preview in Google Book search).
  4. ↑ Johannes Bilger: Veredicus Germanus, the Teutsche Warsager. o. O. 1630, p. 50: "because Oberntraut / the noble skin / etc. ... bitten into the grass." ( limited preview in the Google book search).
  5. ↑ City of Seelze: Obentrautdenkmal
  6. ↑ Philip Andreas Burgoldensis (= Oldenburg) : Notitia Rerum Illustrium Imperii Romano-Germanici. I, 1st edition Freistad (= Geneva) 1668, p. 105, p. 129 f., 2nd edition Freistad (= Geneva) 1669, p. 75, p. 92.
personal data
SURNAME Obentraut, Hans Michael Elias from
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Obentraut, Hans-Michael Elias von; Obentraut, Johann Michael von; Obentraut, Johann Michael Elias von; The German Michel; Obentraut, Johann Michel Elias von; Obentraut, Hans Michel Elias von; Obentraut, Hanß Michell von; Obentraut, Michel; Obentraut, Hans Michell von; German Michel
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Palatine cavalry general in the Thirty Years War
DATE OF BIRTH 1574
PLACE OF BIRTH Stromburg near Stromberg
DATE OF DEATH October 25, 1625
Place of death Seelze near Hanover