Minstrel (saga)
The minstrel is a legendary figure of the city of Monheim am Rhein , which was first written in 1837 by the local poet Vinzenz Jakob von Zuccalmaglio in a story "The funny minstrel von Monheim" in the collection "The prehistory of the countries Cleve-Mark, Jülich-Berg and Westphalen “Was fixed.
As a traveling musician the musician, the saga came in 1615 for the first time over the Rhine to Monheimer fair - but on foot and still fiddle playing! He was then to be tried before a spiritual court for the devil's art. The then bailiff of Monheim took the minstrel under protection to the effect that the water level of the Rhine was so low that it could be crossed on foot. Only playing the violin was condemned as a crime and punished with a penalty. Since then, the minstrel has never returned to Monheim. Of course, there were more reports about him, also under the name “the old God”, since one of his songs began with the words “The old God is still alive”.
Since 1955 the minstrel has appeared as a living figure together with the Monheim Gänseliesel as a traditional couple in the Monheim Carnival. Traditionally, the minstrel is overtaken by a boat from the other bank of the Rhine.
A pub in the old town of Monheim is also named after the traditional character “Spielmann”.