Hameln
Last week as part of leading a tour through the Harz for the excellent
Hinckley Social Theatre and Travel Club from the UK we visited the beautiful
town of Hameln by the Weser River.
I think we have all heard of the story of the Pipe Piper which was made
famous by writers such as the brothers Grimm and Goethe. As with many legendary
tales and myths there are always some truth behind the fairy tales.
The pipe Piper as we know him today is based on a legend concerning
the disappearance of 130 children from the town of Hameln in 1284. The
detail of the rats was added 400 years later by the brothers Grimm and did not
play apart in the original legend.
There are many theories to what could have happened, such as a plague
that killed the children, although no mass grave site is known. The original
legend shows the children being led out of the town. Some people think that
this was part of the Children’s Crusade designed to convert Muslims to
Christianity by Nicholas of Cologne.
Other versions say that the piper led the children to the top of Koppelberg
Hill and had his wicked way with them, or that the legend is not about children
at all, and just refers to the mass migration to Transylvania.
The oldest surviving written account, the Lueneburg manuscript (1440 –
50) says this:
war der 26. juni
Dorch einen piper mit allerlei farve bekledet
gewesen CXXX kinder verledet binnen Hamelen gebo[re]n
to calvarie bi den koppen verloren
In the year of 1284, on the day of Saints John
and Paul
on June 26
By a piper, clothed in many kinds of colours,
130 children born in Hameln were seduced,
and lost at the place of execution near the koppen.
on June 26
By a piper, clothed in many kinds of colours,
130 children born in Hameln were seduced,
and lost at the place of execution near the koppen.
What the truth really is I don’t think we will ever know, but a visit
to Hamelin is highly recommended.
Just remember to keep an eye on your kids!
Just remember to keep an eye on your kids!
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