Culture in Rothenburg

Rothenburg ob der Tauber received a Staufer stele in 2010

In 2010 a Staufer stele was erected in the castle garden in addition to the already existing Staufer stelae. In memory of the important impulses that the Staufer dynasty gave Rothenburg through King Konrad III. This is a fascinating stelae project that transcends European borders and helps to demonstrate the vast sphere of influence of the Staufers. In 1142, King Konrad III had an imperial castle built in the castle garden of Rothenburg. The stele is erected within an international stelae project and underlines the high medieval significance (stelae value) that Rothenburg possesses.

With the death of the last Staufer Emperor Frederick II in 1250, the Staufer Empire had also collapsed. The central imperial power had lost its influence and disputes over the southern Italian kingdom and the German imperial title were the result. Out of this turmoil arose the legend that Frederick II was not dead at all but lived on mysteriously. He had been transferred to an underground castle on the Kyffhäuser mountain. There he would sit sleeping. At a certain time, however, he would rise again, complete the work of the Staufers and lead the empire to new greatness. Over the centuries, this legend of Frederick II was transferred to the person of Frederick I Barbarossa. Probably because Barbarossa was the actual symbolic figure for the unification of several tribes into one empire. The overcoming of the enmity between the Staufers and the Guelphs was attributed to him in particular. Friedrich Rückert took up this legend and wrote his poem “Barbarossa”.

Images credits: Peter Koblank – Peter Koblank – Thank you very much for providing the images.