Hülfensberg

The Hülfensberg from west

The Hülfensberg from the east, 2009bdep2

The Hülfensberg is a 448 m high mountain in the municipality in the district of Geismar calibration field in Thuringia, Germany. It is located southwest of Geismar near the former inner- German border, and belonged to the GDR era to the exclusion zone.

Since the late Middle Ages the mountain serves as a place of pilgrimage. On its summit plateau are among other things a church, a Franciscan and a visible cross. The current name of the mountain Stuff originally mentioned survey is derived from Hülfenskreuz (Saint assistant, Sante Hulpe ), serving as a central pilgrimage figure crucifix in the church.

Geography

Composed of Triassic rocks mountain situated in the southern calibration field and is almost completely forested. The adjoining the forests at the foothill areas are used for agriculture. Are located in the surrounding wooded hills and ridges more than flat - tapered witnesses mountain, the Hülfensberg lifts but clearly from them.

Geographically, the area is one of the Hülfensbergs the unity of Osthessischen highlands and in the Lower Werra Bergland. It is located in the large Eichsfeld Hainich Werra and is available as 23 -hectare conservation area Hülfensberg under protection.

Nearest towns are belonging to Geismar villages Bebendorf and Döringsdorf south of the mountain. Between the two places, the only access road to the summit and to a forest car park for cars and buses, of which can be reached after about half an hour's walk from the summit area begins. On the north side of the mountain leads from Geismar starting the traditional Stations of the Cross on the mountain that is created in the open fields on the lower slope than about 700 m long and straight avenue. Other pilgrimage routes are from the beginning in Großtöpfer west of the mountain " processional ", which was interrupted during the communist era through the inner German border, and the southern " Walk of the Dead " by Bebendorf.

History

Probably was on the mountain a pre-Christian Germanic place of worship. 1867 were also prehistoric burial sites and urns found during excavation work on the mountain.

Church " Christ the Redeemer "

The oldest document with news about the Pope Hülfensberg is a document from the year 1351, in the parish of St. Salvator 's called Stuff on the mountain. Another certificate is dated May 30, 1352. At that time belonged to the Hülfensberg Martinstift in the Holy City, which had the patronage of the Cistercian monastery Anrode 1357 on the Sanctuary. From Anrode from the pilgrimage was organized for Hülfenskreuz. The emergence of the crucifix is usually dated to the 11th or 12th century. It is located on the " altar of grace " in which was built around 1360 to 1367 Church of the Redeemer " St. Salvator ". This new church was built on an older, on the south side, adjacent to the sacristy part. That part, a house of prayer, dates from the period before the year 1000.

1583 was the Hülfensberg kurmainzisch and remained - like the entire calibration field - even during the Reformation Roman Catholic.

Church of the Redeemer has been expanded several times over the centuries and changed, in particular they learned in the 17th century in Baroque style a cautious.

Main altar

Gnadenaltar with Hülfenskreuz - 11th or 12th century

Left side altar

1810, the monastery Anrode of King Jérôme Bonaparte was lifted and sold, with all its possessions to Franz Just von Wedemeyer. This was the Hülfensberg privately owned. Eleven years later gave Wedemeyer the plateau of Hülfenberges with his grace church of the bishop's authority.

1890, the church was enlarged novelty to plans by the Franciscan Paschalis Gratze. The attached Boniface first chapel was dismantled and rebuilt on another site. On the foundations of the old chapel, the apse was built with the altar and chancel.

On 5 April 1945, the Hülfensberg was the target of a U.S. artillery attack. Here, the church roof and tower were damaged.

Boniface Chapel

Right next to the church is the Chapel of St. Boniface inaugurated in 1903. It was built on the foundations of a former Duke Chapel.

According to the old tradition of the Eichsfeld has on the mountain a Donareiche stood as Germanic nature sanctuary, which is said to have precipitated within the framework of Christianity in the 8th century missionary Boniface. The reason for this assumption is primarily the name of the place just north of Geismar Hülfensbergs. Add to Boniface stories is reported that the Donareiche then used to build a chapel in Fritzlar stood at Geismar. Is regarded as more likely today, however, that the decision taken by Boniface oak has stood at belonging to the same village Fritzlar Geismar in the north of Hesse, which fits well to the vicinity of St. Boniface vertex Büraburg. Apart from this it can be assumed that in the Christianization not just a tree, but several " sacred trees " were like in different places. A corresponding oak may therefore have stood on the striking elevation of Hülfensbergs.

Another legend, Boniface is said to have said of the Hülfensberg reminisces, " When will peace float over this beautiful meadow ". Folk etymology can be from the names of nearby towns Wanfried, Frieda, Schwebda and Aue derived. A mural on a house on the road through Wanfried Aue illustrates this story.

Franciscan

The Franciscan branch on the mountain was founded in 1860. The four living on the Hülfensberg Franciscans belong to Deutsche Franciscan Province of St. Elizabeth, headquartered in Munich.

Dr. Konrad -Martin Cross

Konrad Martin was from 1856 to 1875 Bishop of Paderborn; He was born in nearby Geismar. In his honor, the " confessor Cross" was opened on the north side of Hülfensbergs on 7 August 1933. In 1990, the 18.60 -meter-high steel cross was mined for the purpose of restoration and re-erected in May 1991. It is partly illuminated and visible from several kilometers away.

The place on the cross is designed as a lookout point with sweeping views over the calibration field. During the German reunification was inaugurated a memorial plaque on the Cross in March 1990, which is reminiscent of the "victims of the fascist and Stalinist dictatorship."

Pilgrimages

Pilgrimages to the Hülfensberg have been known since the late Middle Ages. You can now find place several times a year to various religious dates.

Because of its location near the German- German border - the distance between the summit and the west boundary line was less than a kilometer - was the Hülfensberg to 1989 in the GDR restricted area. The from the GDR regime merely tolerated Christian pilgrimages could take place only limited at this time. They were only possible for the owner of a laissez-passer and for residents of the surrounding villages.

Simulated " Francis Cave " tent for religious services

Statue of Mary on the Hülfensberg