Ulrichsbrunnen
An Ulrichsbrunnen ( Ulrichsbrünnlein , Ulrichsbründl , Ulrichsquelle ) is a spring sanctuary dedicated to St. Ulrich of Augsburg . Ulrichsbrunnen are mainly found in Austria , Bavaria , Swabia and Alsace , where the saint was particularly venerated.
The majority of them are from medieval times. This is especially true for many sources that have the basic word fountain in their name, because fountain was a common word for source until early New High German times. According to documents, the sources in Möggers in Vorarlberg and Habach in Upper Bavaria were dedicated to Ulrich in 1005 and 1073, respectively. This means that they were dedicated to the saint at a time when the memories of the living Ulrich were still very fresh. Ulrich died in 973 and was canonized in 993. Many sources have lost this dedication in the course of time (for example in Bad Wörishofen ), some no longer exist (for example in Kissing or Eurasburg ), but the tradition persists. Wells were still consecrated to the Holy ( Adelberg , Rettenbach , Augsburg Cathedral ) today .
At the source there is often a memorial stone , a well house or a chapel . Some customs have also been preserved. On the day of the saint's death, July 4th , there are processions to the source ( Eresing , Habach, Möggers, Seibranz ) or popular festivities ( Heiligenkreuz am Waasen ).
Ulrich springs are considered holy springs. The spring water is often said to have healing properties. Some - like many other holy sources - are said to help especially with eye problems. Others are said to relieve the fever. Ulrichsbrunnen should not dry up even in the hottest summers. This is how you call St. Ulrich even when there is a lack of water. Water is consecrated in its day.
Why Ulrich became an important source saint is not clear. Its attribute, the fish in the hand, reveals a clear symbolism of water, but the fish probably means that Ulrich did without meat. In addition, the fish is not documented as an attribute of Ulrichs before the 14th century. The vitae of the saints also has references to water through the Wertach miracle and the shipwreck on the Danube. But this does not explain the numerous source sanctuaries, for which legends often explain the way in which St. Ulrich brought the source into being. Particularly in the area of the diocese of Augsburg is said that the saint rested on a trip on a hot summer and through prayer or his bishop's staff was the source of spring, because he was thirsty.
Older research sees behind these source myths a Germanic belief that the storm god Donar was the originator of the source. As the deity of the thunderstorm, Donar was also a deity of fertility through the thunderstorm rain. A holy spring sprang from where its lightning hit the earth. In the language of myths , the bishop's staff of St. Ulrich, which is assigned to him as another attribute, corresponds to lightning. In this context, Ulrich's day of worship, July 4th, has pre-Christian significance. From time immemorial, this day was the final day of the solstice celebrations of the midsummer circle with fountain and spring festivals - even in areas where Ulrich was irrelevant.
literature
- Karl Weinhold : The veneration of the sources in Germany. 1898. Online .
- Concise dictionary of German superstition , vol. 8. 1937, col. 1296 f., Keyword "Ulrich, hl."
- Adolf Layer : Ulrichsbrunnen in southern Germany and Austria. A contribution to religious folklore. In: ZHV Schwaben (Journal of the Historical Association for Swabia and Neuburg), Vol. 67. 1973, pp. 95–115. Online .
Individual evidence
- ^ Layer 1973, pp. 95, 113
- ^ Layer 1973, p. 113
- ^ Layer 1973, p. 112
- ↑ An exception to this is, for example, the Ulrichsquelle in Grafrath .
- ^ Layer 1973, p. 113
- ↑ HdA 8, Col. 1296
- ↑ Josefa Margarete Sauerteig: The tradition of the German-language Ulrich legend in the late Middle Ages. In: ZHV Schwaben (journal of the historical association for Swabia and Neuburg), vol. 67. 1973, p. 93 online
- ^ Layer 1973, p. 96
- ^ Layer 1973, p. 113
- ↑ Weinhold, in part also HdA 8, Sp. 1296