Hustaler

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Hustaler, unsigned cast silver medal around 1717

Hustaler , also spelling Husstaler , is the name of a thaler- shaped medal in memory of the Bohemian reformer Jan Hus , who was burned as a " heretic " in Constance in 1415 . The numerous replicas and the almost 200-year production period show the great interest in these minted and cast pieces, which are all private editions.

Medalists

Signature ( monogram ) of the Hustaler around 1537

Most reference works state that the silver medal signed by Ludwig Neufarer and Hieronymus Magdeburger was first minted in thaler size around 1537. In catalogs this signature is usually only assigned to the workshop of Hieronymus Magdeburger.

The Münzkabinett in the Staatliche Museen zu Berlin names Hieronymus Dietrich as the medalist of the first - today rare - medal mints and refers to a communication from Viktor Kratz from 1936 in which he did not use Hieronymus Magdeburger, but Hieronymus, to use the monogram on the first mintings Dietrich assigns.

Hieronymus Dietrich was the most productive die cutter for the Erzgebirge medal in the second quarter of the 16th century.

A rare re-coinage of the so-called Hustaler with the signature CIL on the bust is from Christoph Jakob Leherr, the stamp cutter who worked in Augsburg from 1683 to 1707 , was sentenced to death as a counterfeiter and boiled in oil. Its minting probably served as a template for the silver cast medals from around 1717, which in all probability come from Christian Wermuth's workshop . Wermuth worked at the Gothaer Münze as a coin engraver and medalist from 1686 until his death in 1739. He had the privilege of producing medals in his own workshop.

Description of the cast medal

The unsigned cast silver medal shown here (diameter 41 mm, weight 21.54 g) was most likely made by Christian Wermuth around 1717 based on an embossed original. The coin inscription and the motif of the medal are identical to the embossed originals by the die cutter Christoph Jakob Leherr.

front

The obverse shows the bust of the reformer Jan (Johannes) Hus with a high cap.

  • Inscription:
    CREDO. VNAM. EAT. ECCLESIAM. SANCTAM. CATOLICAM
    Translation according to Münzkabinett, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin: I believe in one holy Catholic Church .
    Translation variant of Cyprianus (1719): I believe that there is a general holy Catholic Church.

The name of the reformer IOA - HVS is embossed on both sides of the bust.

back

On the back Hus with the Heretics cap in stake shown attached to a pole standing.

  • In the inscription outside the saying:
    CENTVM. REVOLVTIS. ANNIS. DEO. RESPONDEBITIS. ET. MIHI
    Translation variants:
    When a hundred years have passed, you will answer God and me.
    After a hundred years you will answer to God and me.

This saying was subsequently interpreted as a prophetic prediction of the Reformation . However, it was not expressed by Hus.

  • Inscription inside:
    ANNO. A. CHRIST (o). N / A. - TO. 1415. IO (hannes). HVS. and the inscription on the coin image on both sides of the convict: CON - DEM / NA - TVR.
    Translation: Johann Hus was sentenced in 1415 after the birth of Christ

Explanation

Jan (Johannes) Hus (born around 1370 in Husinec in South Bohemia , died on July 6, 1415 in Constance) was rector of Charles University , and since 1402 also preacher at the Bethlehem Chapel in Prague . He fought for profound reforms of the church and society. On July 6, 1415 he was burned as an arch heretic ( heretic ) in Constance because he did not want to revoke his teachings during the Council of Constance . The conviction took place despite the assurance of safe conduct by King Sigismund .

The medal was issued by the Lutheran Reformation.

The Prophecy

In the “Monthly Talk…” of 1694, published by Thomas Fritsch , Pompejus (* 1591, † 1659) doubted that the saying in the inscription on the back of the Hustaler CENTVM. REVOLVTIS. ANNIS. DEO. RESPONDEBITIS. ET. MIHI (translated: When a hundred years have passed, you will answer God and me.) Comes from Hus: “I will easily admit / said Pompejus / that all these medals were minted in Bohemia / but that they are Husssi's words / I very much doubt . […] Two prophecies from Hussen are known / those to be confounded with none […]. The first is that of the goose and the swan, which Lutherus himself drew. ”It says:“ You will now roast a goose / (because Huss is a goose) but over 100 years you will hear a swan sing / den should let them unusual. "Luther explains," the Hus such out of prison in the Bohemian country had "written. “The other prophecy of Hussens / is now the above of the justification that is imminent after 100 years. […] The longer I ponder the matter and the circumstances ”, […] so Pompey,“ the more uncertain I become. For I did not want to say / that the Bohemia of Hussi and Hieronymi confounded prophecies; and at the same time I find nothing in Hussi Schrifften [...] from the 100th years. "

Lesser's explanation of the front and back image

Portrait of Jan Hus around 1562

Friedrich Christian Lesser described the medal portrait by Jan Hus in 1739:

- "lean figure [...] with a pointed nose, a gagged beard" on the upper lip "and a beard that goes down from the ears, down on the cheeks to the chin, and there itself is pointed".

According to Lesser, there is a picture "from Craslaw in Bohemia" "with the image of Johann Hussens [...] together with Joh. Ziska , who waged the Hussite war ". […] “In the absence of certain news, I cannot say whether this portrait […] was based on age”, says Lesser. But that it is certain that there with old engravings , consistent come showing Huss facial education. "In the medal portrait Huss carries on his head" the old way a Paret ".

Regarding the picture on the back of the medal, Lesser explains that Hus “is naked with his neck as well as with his hands tied backwards by ropes to 3rd stakes, and has only one apron around his loin. Below him is the Scheiter-Hauffen ”.

literature

Individual evidence

  1. Heinz Fengler, ...: transpress Lexikon Numismatics ..., p. 153
  2. Friedrich von Schrötter ...: Dictionary of Coin Studies ..., p. 277 (under Husstaler)
  3. PW Hartmann: Das große Kunstlexikon , 2010
  4. ^ Acsearch: Medal on the Bohemian reformer Johannes Hus (indicated here around 1530) workshop Hieronymus Magdeburger, embossed original collection Donebauer 3445; Katz 70
  5. Interactive catalog of the Münzkabinett of the Staatliche Museen zu Berlin
  6. Annual reports for German history , therein: A. Suhle: Münzkunde, from the interwar period (1925–1938), as of 2005
  7. acsearch: Schautaler-shaped silver medal undated stamp by CJ Leherr, on the burning of Jan Hus. 43 mm, 27.90 g
  8. ^ Münzkabinett, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin
  9. Heinz Fengler, ...: transpress Lexikon Numismatics ..., p. 418
  10. acsearch: Silver cast medal no year (around 1717) (unsigned, probably Chr. Wermuth) Burning of Jan Hus.
  11. Ernst Salomon Cyprianus: Report from the other Protestant Jubelfest , 1719, 3rd part, p. 76: translation of the obverse (medal with Luther / Hus, the saying is the same)
  12. Hans Putz: State History of the West in the Middle Ages ... , p. 385
  13. Heinz Fengler,…: transpress Lexikon Numismatics …, p. 153: Translation of the Spruchs
  14. ^ Münzkabinett, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin: Translation of the speech
  15. Heinz Fengler, ...: transpress Lexikon Numismatics ..., p. 153: "However, Hus did not say anything"
  16. Historical Lexicon of Switzerland , 2015
  17. ^ Meyers Konversations-Lexikon, 4th edition, 1885–1890, p. 839
  18. ^ Heinz Fengler, ...: transpress Lexikon Numismatics ..., p. 153; "The apparition of the Hustaler was caused by the Lutheran Reformation"
  19. Thomas Fritsch (Ed.): Monthly discussions of some good friends ... , pp. 270–275
  20. Friedrich Christian Leßers… / Special Müntzen,… S. 387/388
  21. Friedrich Christian Leßers… / Special Müntzen,… p. 388