Piethan

Piethan was a legendary robber baron from Nörvenich , Düren district , North Rhine-Westphalia .

The legend tells that Piethan lived near the old Heerweg, today Bundesstrasse 477 , in the old castle . The legend of the godless life and the violent death of Piethan has grown up around this castle, of which only remains are left.

One summer's day the pack ran out of wine during a drinking bout. The horses were saddled and a cart was carried. Then it went down the steep path into the Neffelbachtal . They moved to the Johannes Junker monastery , which was on the way from Nörvenich to Hochkirchen , where the cross stands today. Piethan imperiously demanded admission with his cronies. After a loud knocking, the gate of the monastery was opened and anyone who opposed the pack was struck down with a club. The wine barrels from the cellar were loaded onto the wagon and the prior and his companions were tied to the wagon . The roof of the monastery was set on fire. Once in the courtyard, the journeymen continued their shameful game. In a dying voice the prior called out: "As surely as there is a just God and avenging judge, so surely you will atone for your shameful act this night!"

For more drinking the crowd withdrew to the castle hall, where soon all the drunkards fell asleep. Towards morning a small black point appeared in the sky in the west, which soon enlarged to a large dark cloud. Lightning flashed from the cloud towards the castle, accompanied by a deep rumble of thunder. The castle, according to the legend, sank with the knight Piethan and his pack and was never seen again.

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• Legends from the Düren region, robber baron Piethan , Gerhard Bahnschule, Rath, in Heimatjahrbuch 1964, Kreis Düren, p. 61, published by the Eifelverein and the Kreis Düren.