Martinskirche (Stöckenburg)

Martinskirche

The church of St. Martin in Stöckenburg , a hamlet of the town Vellberg in the district of Schwäbisch Hall ( Baden-Wuerttemberg ), was founded in the 7th century and built in its present form to the 1435th The church is a protected monument and today the seat of the Protestant parish of Stöckenburg . The grounds of the Martinskirche also include a directly adjoining cemetery, which is located on the ridge of the hamlet of Stöckenburg.

history

Emergence

The Martinskirche is mentioned for the first time within the Stöckenburg in a document from Ludwig the Pious from the year 822, which confirms the property of the Diocese of Würzburg to the Bishop of Würzburg, Bishop Wolfgar . This document was demonstrably based on a ruler diploma of the Frankish King Karlmann, which has now been lost, as well as on a confirmation of this donation to the diocese of Würzburg by Charlemagne . The document from 822 mentions a basilica dedicated to St. Martin of Tours . Because of this diploma, the St. Martin's Church in Stöckenburg is considered the original church of the entire region. It can be assumed that the church was built with the foundation of Stöckenburg Castle in the early 7th century.

Martinskirche as the early church of the region

There is evidence that the parish of St. Martin's Church in Stöckenburg in the High Middle Ages included the places Vellberg , Altdorf , Schneckenweiler , Talheim , Anhausen , Sulzdorf , Oberscheffach and Matheshörlebach . The town of Oberaspach with its subsidiary communities Unteraspach , Steinbächle, Gaugshausen and Eckartshausen , the town of Tüngental with Altenhausen, Otterbach, Ramsbach , Wolpertsdorf and the town of Reinsberg with Bielriet Castle , Unterscheffach , Cröffelbach are other parts of the parish from the founding of the church to the High Middle Ages and Wolpertshausen .

It is assumed that Westheim was also founded from Stöckenburg and thus falls within the area of the parish of St. Martin's Church. This connection clearly shows that the Stöckenburg was the starting point for the settlement and Christianization of the surrounding area.

Martinskirche after the turn of the millennium

While the parish must be seen as the center of the Maulachgau before the turn of the millennium , it lost more and more importance over the years. On the one hand, this is due to the fact that the region was increasingly populated and more and more churches were parished out in order to found their own parishes. On the other hand, the Martinskirche was subject to the diocese of Würzburg from the time it was donated by Karlmann. This fact is important because the first lord of Vellberg, Heinrich von Vellberg , was very closely connected with the Staufer dukes of Swabia. It is due to these close connections that Vellberg then came to the Hohenstaufen and took a different opinion in the investiture dispute than the lord of St. Martin's Church in the Stöckenburg. This is probably why the Stöckenburg was not expanded, but a new castle was built on the other side of the Bühler on a ridge. The associated move of the Lord of Vellberg and the Count of Maulachgau to the other side of the Bühler finally deprived the Stöckenburg of its central function within the region. Due to the re-establishment of a castle on the other side of the valley, the fortifications around St. Martin's Church were no longer renewed or repaired and are therefore no longer available.

In the period between the 14th and 16th centuries, the Lords of Vellberg repeatedly granted the St. Martin's Church foundations that were associated with sums of money, including a brotherhood at St. Martin's Church in 1476, which was supposed to serve the salvation of their ancestors and descendants .

In 1404 the parish church of Stöckenburg was given to the collegiate monastery of St. Peter and Paul in Öhringen by the Würzburg bishop, Johann von Egloffstein , as an eternal collage with all rights and obligations within the framework of a foundation capital. On September 20, 1404, this foundation capital was used by the bishop to set up a yearly foundation at the collegiate church of St. Peter and Paul in Öhringen.

150 years later, on May 7th, 1545, Öhringen Abbey sold the parish and the proceeds as a knight's fief to Hieronymus and Wolf von Vellberg with the consent of the bishop . The construction of today's Martinskirche, which was built around 1435, also took place at this time. It is not known how many previous buildings the church had.

Reformation to the present

Before the Öhringen monastery sold the church to the Lords of Vellberg, the Reformation was out of the question. But as early as 1546, the pastor Magister Johann Hofmann (* 1523; † 1576) appeared as the first Protestant pastor. He was a cousin of the Schwäbisch Hall reformer Brenz . The Reformation probably introduced Hans Bartholomäus von Vellberg to Leofels , who already professed it before 1545. Wolf von Vellberg, who mediated between the denominations at the time, must also have been involved in the introduction. Magister Johann Hofmann was dismissed as early as 1548 due to the imperial interim . Only after 1552, after the prince revolt against the emperor, did a pastor return to the Stöckenburg. It is not known whether and how services were held in St. Martin's Church between 1548 and 1555. The next known evangelical pastor was the Dutchman Adrian Hamond from Roermond in 1555 .

After Vellberg's Reformation, Konz von Vellberg renewed the choir of St. Martin's Church around 1573 and had a crucifix erected in front of the arch in 1573 . The crucifix bears the inscription: “In 1573, the noble and vest Conrad von Vellberg had this crucifix made”.

In view of the Reformation, the last Vellbergers had the wall and ceiling painting, which was exposed again in 1906 during painting and renovation work, applied. On the wall they deal with events from the Old Testament, while the ceiling shows mainly images from the New Testament. At this time, wall paintings were also installed in the choir and the keystone of the choir was decorated with the coats of arms of von Vellbergs and von Rinderbachs.

After the death of the Konz von Vellberg, the city fell to the imperial city of Schwäbisch Hall . During this time, the church service was often held in the chapel in Vellberg Castle , as the parish of Stöckenburg returned to the diocese of Würzburg as a deceased man's fief, which after a short time gave it back to a new lord.

In the 19th century the church was expanded to the west.

On November 15, 1863, the great friend Eduard Mörikes , pastor Johann Wilhelm Hartlaub , became pastor of the vacant parish of Stöckenburg. His area of responsibility in Vellberg included a. two hours of religious instruction a week and funerals that made him groan because of the number of them. After his investiture in Vellberg, he wrote about the landscape that Eduard Mörike would also like Vellberg.

In the years 1957/58, the term of office of pastor Walter Messerschmidt, the church had a kindergarten with a small apartment built for the kindergarten teacher. This was converted into a community hall in the 1970s.

The Martinskirche was rebuilt by Pastor Hans Paulus (until 1974), Pastor Friedrich Kirschbaum and the parish council in the 1960 / 70s and the nave was reduced, the gallery was torn down and a church hall was set up in the rear area. The pastor's house was also renovated during this phase, which is why Pastor Kirschbaum had to live on the Dürrsching for the first two years.

Martin's altar

The carved high altar was created around 1500 and is attributed to the Riemenschneider school . He is the St. Martin consecrated. It stands in the rib-vaulted Gothic choir, built around 1435, which was renewed by Konz von Vellberg around 1577. Today the altar can no longer be closed because there is a risk that the door leaves will break off. Since some of the original figures were stolen from the altar, it has been fitted with an alarm system. The stolen figures were carved in 1978 by Johann Wolfrum based on older photographs and placed in the altar.

The masonry Altarmensa was later given a baroque wooden paneling. In front of the high altar is a baptismal stand carved in the baroque style. A putti carries the baptismal bowl in the posture of an atlantic. The baptismal bowl is closed by a lid on which John the Baptist is depicted as a full figure at a baptism in the Jordan, together with someone to be baptized.

inside

Left wing door

Left wing door of the Martin Altar (inside)

In the upper part of the wing you can see how St. Martin celebrates the Eucharist in the sunset . Here two angels hold part of his robe, while in the background two acolytes hold his cloak and miter . Two other people stand in the background while the red evening sun shines through a window.

In the lower part of the wing you can see the grave of St. Martin and his burial.

Middle part

The main room in the middle part is occupied by the legend of St. Martin. Of the three sculptural figures, the young Martin is sitting on his horse and, as is customary with images of saints, is proportionally much larger than the beggar in front of him. The third person, a bearded man standing behind Martin's horse, cannot be explained iconographically. It is believed that this figure was taken from an older altar and simply added to this altar. The main scene is entwined with tendrils in which kings and prophets of the Old Testament are embedded as half-figures. The tendrils come from the biblical progenitor Jesse, who is below the main scene in the Old Testament . The figures of the Old Testament testify to the event of salvation. In addition, the crucified Jesus overcomes the Old Testament through his death (death on the cross of Christ) with the New Testament. The burial of Christ can be seen under the progenitor Jesse, in the shrine of the opened predella , which is again accompanied by half-figures. Christ with the twelve apostles is depicted on the closed wings of the predella .

Right wing door

Right wing door of the Martin Altar (inside)

In the upper part, the body of the deceased Martin is removed from the grave. Four other spiritual figures are shown, one of which shows a bishop.

In the lower part, Martin's body is transferred to Tours by eight clergymen and a bishop .

Outside

Left wing door

The outside of the left wing door shows Martin being robbed and mistreated by robbers. Below you can see, even if only relatively difficult to see, how Martin wakes a catechumene from death.

Martinsaltar St. Martin's Church (Stöckenburg), right wing door (outside), upper field
Martin Altar of St. Martin Church (Stöckenburg), left wing door (outside), lower field

Back of the altar

The back of the high altar shows a very faded painting that can hardly be seen.

Right wing door

The outside of the right wing door shows in the upper field how Martin had a monastery built. In the lower field, however, you can see Martin in front of Emperor Valentinian , whose throne is burning from below.

Right wing door of the Martin Altar (outside)
Upper field of the right wing door (outside)
Lower field of the right wing door (outside)

Epitaphs

There are numerous tombs and epitaphs inside and outside the church . In the choir is the epitaph for Konrad von Vellberg († 1592) and his wife Elisabeth b. Rinderbach († 1599) can be seen. Further epitaphs remind of Wolf von Vellberg († 1556) and his second wife Anna geb. Treusch von Buttlar († 1562), created by the sculptor Joseph Schmid , as well as to Hans Bartholomäus and his wife Sibylla geb. Nobleman .

Epitaph for Conz von Vellberg

Epitaph of the last Lord of Vellberg. Pictured are Conz von Vellberg with his wife Elisabeth geb. from Rinderbach.

Various coats of arms are attached to the frame of the sculptures.

Below the gable cornice and in the base there are three inscriptions in German.

Inscription gable cornice

Inscription below the gable cornice: “I am the rising and living , whoever believes in me would live even if he dies soon , and whoever lives there and believes me will never die more. Ioannis XI. " Analogous meaning of the inscription: I am the resurrection and the life . Whoever believes in me will live whether he dies soon , and whoever lives and believes in me will never die again. John XI.

Base inscription I

Inscription on the left side of the base: "Anno Dni 1592 the 15 June died the noble streng and vest Conrad vo Vellberg zu Vellberg and Leofels, his name and origin the last, all too resting in Christ Amen." Analogous meaning of the inscription: In the year of the Lord 1592 on June 15th, the noble, Gestrenge and Feste Conrad von Vellberg zu Vellberg and Leofels, his name and origin, died . All- especially since in Christ dormant. Amen.

Base inscription II

Inscription on the right side of the base: "And Anno 1 [599] the [20. May] also died the noble and virtuous Fraw Elisabet von Vellberg born von [n] Rinderbach des Edlen strict Conrads von [n] Vellberg etcc. Marital housefraw God g [---] g [---] i [---] " Analogous meaning of the inscription: And in 1599, May 20th, the noble and virtuous wife Elisabeth von Vellberg, born von Rinderbach des Noble strict Conrads von Vellberg et c (etera) married housewife God g [---] g [--- ] i [---]

Epitaph for Wolf von Vellberg

Epitaph for Wolf von Vellberg. Sculptures and inscription.
Epitaph for Wolf von Vellberg. Sculptures with two coats of arms in the base.

The epitaph for Wolf von Vellberg dates from 1553 and was therefore erected during his lifetime. Wolf von Vellberg and his second wife Anna, geb. Treusch von Buttlar. Since Anna von Vellberg was not yet in mourning at the time the epitaph was erected, she is depicted on it in courtly clothes.

Of the four coats of arms above and below the sculptures, the top two on the left are the Vellberg coat of arms and on the right the Treusch von Buttlar. The lower ones are the coats of arms of the maternal lines of Wolf and Anna von Vellberg.

Below the gable cornice and on the crucifix there are a total of three inscriptions in German.

Inscription gable cornice

Inscription below the gable cornice: “Anno d omini 1556 vff on the 10th day of April, the noble vnd vest wolff from vel [l] berg died. Anno d omini 1502 vff on the 24th day of octobris, his housefraw died the noble vnd virtue sam Fraw Anna von vel [l] berg was born tre [u] sche von Buthlern God of the Alm [a] genuinely [e] verich iur baide and rest all on the happy [A] uffer formation amen " Analogous meaning of the inscription: In the year of the Lord 1556 on April 10th , the noble and firm Wolf von Vellberg died. In the year of the Lord 1502 on October 24th, his housewife, the noble and virtuous Mrs. Anna von Vellberg, née Treusch von Buttlar, died. Almighty God forgive them both and rest them all until the joyful resurrection. Amen.

Inscription on the crucifix

Inscription on the banner of the crucifix: "MY ARE THE REVWEN WITH VFF THE GRACE OF GOD, I DIE" Analogous meaning of the inscription: I repent of my sins. In the grace of God I am dying.

Epitaph for Hans Bartholomäus von Vellberg

Epitaph for Hans Bartholomäus von Vellberg (general view)

On the epitaph for Hans Bartholomäus von Vellberg are Hans Bartholomäus von Vellberg together with his wife Sibylla, geb. Adelmann pictured.

Four coats of arms on the side pilasters of the sculptures show the coats of arms of the ancestors Hans Bartholomäus and his wife Sibylla. Seven of the eight coats of arms are well preserved, the eighth coat of arms is broken out at the bottom right. The coats of arms show from the bottom left (clockwise): The coats of arms of the families von Späth zu Zwiefalten, von Adelsheim, Schilling von Canstatt, von Vellberg, Adelmann von Adelmannsfelden, von Wöllwarth and von Seckendorff. At the base of the epitaph are the two coats of arms of the married couple, on one side the coat of arms of the von Vellberg family, on the other hand that of the Adelmann von Adelmannsfelden family.

There are two inscriptions in the gable cornice and directly below it.

Inscription gable cornice

Inscription in the gable cornice: "AN [N] OD [OMI] NI 1561 AM 11 DAY IV- NII VERSCHI [E] D DER EDEL VND VEST HA [N] S BART [H] OL [O] M [A] E [U] S VO [ N] VEL [L] BERG AN [N] O 1584 ON 9 DAY APRIL DIE NOBLE VND TV GENTHA FF T FRAW SIBYLLA VO [N] VEL [L] BERG BORNE ADELMENIN HAVSFRAW DI [E] SEN GEBE GOT [T] A FRO [EH] LICHE VRSTEND " Analogous meaning of the inscription: In the year of the Lord 1561 on June 11th, the noble and firm Hans Bartholomäus von Vellberg passed away. In the year of the Lord 1584 on April 9th, the noble and virtuous wife Sibylla von Vellberg, born Adelmann, his housewife, died. May God give them a happy resurrection

Inscription below the gable cornice

Inscription below the gable cornice: "I AM THE VINE YOU HAVE SINCE THE VINE IOAN 15" Analogous meaning of the inscription: I am the vine you are the branches. John 15

organ

The organ was created in 1985 by master organ builder Peter Plum from Marbach am Neckar . The organ front was designed as a counterpart to the high altar; it is provided with double doors and gilding.

Labeling of the organ wing doors

Lettering left wing door: ANNO 19 "FROM RISE OF THE SUN TO ITS DOWN"

Lettering on the right wing door: ' "DOMINI 85 BE PRAISE THE NAME OF LORD HALLELUJA"

literature

Evangelical Church Community Stöckenburg-Vellberg (ed.): Small guide through the Martinskirche Stöckenburg , 2nd edition, Vellberg 1996.
Evangelical Church Community Stöckenburg-Vellberg (Hrsg.): New organ in the Evang. Martinskirche on the Stöckenburg zu Vellberg , Vellberg 1985.
Hansmartin Decker-Hauff & Stadt Vellberg (ed.): Vellberg in history and present , volume I representations, published in the series: Research from Württembergisch Franconia, ed. from the Historical Association for Württembergisch Franconia, the Schwäbisch Hall city archive and the Hohenlohe central archive in Neuenstein, Sigmaringen 1984, ISBN 3-7995-7625-8 .
Hansmartin Decker-Hauff & Stadt Vellberg (ed.): Vellberg in history and present , Volume II Materials: Regesta and documents on the history of the rule and the Lords of Vellberg, published in the series: Research from Württembergisch Franconia, ed. from the Historical Association for Württembergisch Franconia, the Schwäbisch Hall city archive and the Hohenlohe central archive in Neuenstein, Sigmaringen 1994, ISBN 3-7995-7637-1 .
Künstner, Hermann (Hrsg.): The Stöckenburg in the past and present , a guide through the history of the Stöckenburger Martinskirche and a tour for attentive observer, Vellberg 1999, ISBN 3-9804886-4-0 .
Langenbucher, Hellmuth: Vellberg and Stöckenburg , Eine kostlichkeit des Frankenlandes: Schwäbische Heimat, 4 (1953), pp. 119–121. ISSN 0342-7595
Lusin, Jörg: Vellberg , Mörike's friend was a pastor at the Stöckenburg, in: Gräter, Carlheinz; Lusin, Jörg; Fieselmann, Rainer, churches, monasteries and chapels in Hohenlohe, Tübingen 2007, ISBN 978-3-87407-760-6 , pp. 15-17.
Rohleder, Theodor: The church of Stöckenburg , small leader, Metzingen approx. 1900.
Schneider, Alois: The parish church of St. Martin zu Vellberg-Stöckenburg , district of Schwäbisch Hall, former Merovingian royal church and episcopal-Wurzburg parish church, in: Lenssen, Jürgen & Wamser, Ludwig: 1250 years of the diocese of Würzburg, Würzburg 1992, pp. 221–228 .
City of Vellberg (ed.): 1250 years of Stöckenburg , Vellberg, 741 - 1991, a documentation, Vellberg 1991.

Web links

Commons : Martinskirche (Stöckenburg) - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Martinskirche Stöckenburg near the town of Vellberg
Evangelical church district Schwäbisch Hall (with many photos)
Blog of the Evangelical Church Community Stöckenburg-Vellberg

Individual evidence

↑ Bavarian Main State Archive, Munich, document from Emperor Ludwig I the Pious from 822. Digitalized version of the image in the photo archive of older original documents from the Philipps University of Marburg

↑ Hansmartin Decker-Hauff & Stadt Vellberg (ed.): Vellberg in history and present , Volume I depictions, published in the series: Research from Württembergisch Franconia, ed. from the Historical Association for Württembergisch Franconia, the Schwäbisch Hall city archive and the Hohenlohe central archive Neuenstein, Sigmaringen 1984, p. 85 ff.

↑ Hansmartin Decker-Hauff & Stadt Vellberg (ed.): Vellberg in history and present , Volume I depictions, published in the series: Research from Württembergisch Franconia, ed. from the Historical Association for Wuerttemberg Franconia, the Schwäbisch Hall City Archives and the Hohenlohe Central Archives Neuenstein, Sigmaringen 1984, p. 103.

↑ Hansmartin Decker-Hauff & Stadt Vellberg (ed.): Vellberg in history and present , Volume I depictions, published in the series: Research from Württembergisch Franconia, ed. from the Historical Association for Wuerttemberg Franconia, the Schwäbisch Hall City Archives and the Hohenlohe Central Archives Neuenstein, Sigmaringen 1984, p. 104 ff.

↑ Hansmartin Decker-Hauff & Stadt Vellberg (ed.): Vellberg in history and present , Volume I depictions, published in the series: Research from Württembergisch Franconia, ed. from the Historical Association for Wuerttemberg Franconia, the Schwäbisch Hall City Archives and the Hohenlohe Central Archives Neuenstein, Sigmaringen 1984, p. 204 f.

↑ Hansmartin Decker-Hauff & Stadt Vellberg (ed.): Vellberg in history and present , Volume I depictions, published in the series: Research from Württembergisch Franconia, ed. from the Historical Association for Württembergisch Franconia, the Schwäbisch Hall city archive and the Hohenlohe central archive in Neuenstein, Sigmaringen 1984, p. 180 f.

↑ Hansmartin Decker-Hauff & Stadt Vellberg (ed.): Vellberg in history and present , Volume I depictions, published in the series: Research from Württembergisch Franconia, ed. from the Historical Association for Wuerttemberg Franconia, the Schwäbisch Hall city archive and the Hohenlohe central archive Neuenstein, Sigmaringen 1984, p. 191.

↑ Hansmartin Decker-Hauff & Stadt Vellberg (ed.): Vellberg in history and present, Volume I depictions, published in the series: Research from Württembergisch Franconia, ed. from the Historical Association for Württembergisch Franconia, the Schwäbisch Hall city archive and the Hohenlohe central archive in Neuenstein, Sigmaringen 1984, p. 593 ff.

↑ Hansmartin Decker-Hauff & Stadt Vellberg (ed.): Vellberg in history and present, Volume I depictions, published in the series: Research from Württembergisch Franconia, ed. from the Historical Association for Wuerttemberg Franconia, the Schwäbisch Hall City Archives and the Hohenlohe Central Archives Neuenstein, Sigmaringen 1984, p. 396.

^ Bernhard Peter, Epitaphs in the Stöckenburg . (As of June 17, 2013)

49.089444 9.881667Coordinates: 49 ° 5 '22 " N , 9 ° 52' 54" E

[1] Bavarian Main State Archive, Munich, document from Emperor Ludwig I the Pious from 822. Digitalized version of the image in the photo archive of older original documents from the Philipps University of Marburg

[2] Hansmartin Decker-Hauff & Stadt Vellberg (ed.): Vellberg in history and present , Volume I depictions, published in the series: Research from Württembergisch Franconia, ed. from the Historical Association for Württembergisch Franconia, the Schwäbisch Hall city archive and the Hohenlohe central archive Neuenstein, Sigmaringen 1984, p. 85 ff.

[3] Hansmartin Decker-Hauff & Stadt Vellberg (ed.): Vellberg in history and present , Volume I depictions, published in the series: Research from Württembergisch Franconia, ed. from the Historical Association for Wuerttemberg Franconia, the Schwäbisch Hall City Archives and the Hohenlohe Central Archives Neuenstein, Sigmaringen 1984, p. 103.

[4] Hansmartin Decker-Hauff & Stadt Vellberg (ed.): Vellberg in history and present , Volume I depictions, published in the series: Research from Württembergisch Franconia, ed. from the Historical Association for Wuerttemberg Franconia, the Schwäbisch Hall City Archives and the Hohenlohe Central Archives Neuenstein, Sigmaringen 1984, p. 104 ff.

[5] Hansmartin Decker-Hauff & Stadt Vellberg (ed.): Vellberg in history and present , Volume I depictions, published in the series: Research from Württembergisch Franconia, ed. from the Historical Association for Wuerttemberg Franconia, the Schwäbisch Hall City Archives and the Hohenlohe Central Archives Neuenstein, Sigmaringen 1984, p. 204 f.

[6] Hansmartin Decker-Hauff & Stadt Vellberg (ed.): Vellberg in history and present , Volume I depictions, published in the series: Research from Württembergisch Franconia, ed. from the Historical Association for Württembergisch Franconia, the Schwäbisch Hall city archive and the Hohenlohe central archive in Neuenstein, Sigmaringen 1984, p. 180 f.

[7] Hansmartin Decker-Hauff & Stadt Vellberg (ed.): Vellberg in history and present , Volume I depictions, published in the series: Research from Württembergisch Franconia, ed. from the Historical Association for Wuerttemberg Franconia, the Schwäbisch Hall city archive and the Hohenlohe central archive Neuenstein, Sigmaringen 1984, p. 191.

[8] Hansmartin Decker-Hauff & Stadt Vellberg (ed.): Vellberg in history and present, Volume I depictions, published in the series: Research from Württembergisch Franconia, ed. from the Historical Association for Württembergisch Franconia, the Schwäbisch Hall city archive and the Hohenlohe central archive in Neuenstein, Sigmaringen 1984, p. 593 ff.

[9] Hansmartin Decker-Hauff & Stadt Vellberg (ed.): Vellberg in history and present, Volume I depictions, published in the series: Research from Württembergisch Franconia, ed. from the Historical Association for Wuerttemberg Franconia, the Schwäbisch Hall City Archives and the Hohenlohe Central Archives Neuenstein, Sigmaringen 1984, p. 396.

[10] Bernhard Peter, Epitaphs in the Stöckenburg . (As of June 17, 2013)