Rabenstein (Cologne)

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Franz Hogenberg : Beheading of Hieronymus Michiel (1588).
The execution of the two kidnappers of the baker Philipp Ecks on the roundabout in Melaten, 1588; the perpetrators were whacked and then beheaded.
Hof Melaten west of Cologne
Place of execution south of the Melaten farm

The Rabenstein was an area in what is now the Lindenthal district west of Cologne , which served as a place of execution from at least 1285 until 1797 . It was located near the "hoff to Malaten", the Leprosorium Melaten , today in the area of ​​the Melaten cemetery , south of Aachener Straße .

history

Leprosy and execution site were often connected. The Judenbüchel , the Heumarkt , the Alter Markt and the Junkernfriedhof near Mechtern also served as places of execution .

The convicts were transported on a so-called “poor man's cart”, which was provided by the leprosy institute, from the episcopal prison ( “Hacht” ) at Cologne Cathedral past the Blauer Stein over the Breite Strasse, the Ehrenstrasse, through the former honor gate and finally over the former Melatener Weg brought to the place of execution. Not far from the three-bedroom gallows, a roundabout was built so that the people could better watch the executions. The rondel was used for so-called honorable executions by the sword. The dishonorable executions, on the other hand, were carried out on the gallows and on the bike. Close to the gallows was the so-called Kesselkuhle, a hollow in the ground in which those condemned to death by fire were publicly burned.

On October 9, 1527, the robbery murderer Ludwig von Tetz (he committed at least 17 murders) was "wheeled" on Melaten, with his limbs being torn to pieces by the executioner with an iron wheel. On September 28, 1529, the Protestants Adolf Clarenbach and Peter Fliesteden were burned at the stake as heretics . A memorial stone near today's main entrance on Piusstrasse, placed on March 27, 1979, commemorates her.

The place of execution at Melaten was expanded in 1588 at the latest, when a roundabout for spectators was built next to the triangular gallows. On August 22, 1587, in front of up to 7,000 spectators, General Commissioner Hieronymus Michiels, from the Netherlands and Electorate of Cologne, is beheaded for alleged robbery. He was brought to the judge from the hight , where he received his death sentence, which, according to the old custom, was irrevocable on the “blue stone”; then he was taken to Melaten. After the baker Philipp Ecks was kidnapped, he reappeared on October 3, 1588, and his two kidnappers were beheaded on October 28, 1588 (“uff rader gesatzst, die köp cut off”).

On May 8th, 1593, reported Hermann von Weinsberg , the privateer Johann von Polheim was "untheupted and entertained on the Rabenstein". The Cologne Schweidkarte of Abraham Hogenberg showed in 1609 already two roundels. The first witch burning took place on December 19, 1617 in a lit hut, on May 19, 1627 Katharina Henot , sister of the canon Hartger Henot , who was accused of witchcraft , was burned at the stake in front of a large crowd in Melaten without confession. At the beginning of the 17th century, over 30 women and girls fell victim to the persecution of witches on the site .

On July 13, 1797, the church robber Peter Eick was the last to be hanged on the gallows at the Melaten execution site in front of a large crowd. Shortly afterwards, the gallows was destroyed during the French era at the end of 1797.

Web links

Commons : Rabenstein  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Johannes Asen, Das Leprosenhaus Melaten near Cologne , 1908, p. 24.
  2. ^ Gregor Heinrich Klövekorn: The leprosy in Cologne. 1966
  3. ^ A b Franz Irsigler, Arnold Lassotta: Beggars and jugglers, prostitutes and executioners, marginalized groups and outsiders in Cologne 1300-1600. 1984, p. 241.
  4. ↑ Sigrid Schmitt, Michael Matheus: Crime and Society in the Late Middle Ages and Modern Times. , P. 16 f.
  5. ^ Ludwig Röhrscheid: Annals of the Historical Association for the Lower Rhine. Volumes 80-82, 1904, p. 86
  6. ^ Peter Hanstein: Publications of the Society for Rhenish History. Volume 2/16, 1898, p. 47
  7. ↑ beheaded on the Rabenstein and cut into four parts
  8. ^ Jürgen Wilhelm: The great Cologne Lexicon. 2008, p. 205
  9. ^ Friedrich Everhard von Mering: History of the castles, manors, abbeys and monasteries in the Rhineland. Volumes 1-4, 1833, p. 151.
  10. ↑ Friedrich Everhard von Mering: https://books.google.de/books?id=lxEWAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA204 1840

Coordinates: 50 ° 56 '0 "  N , 6 ° 54' 59.3"  E