The Story of the Monastery

It was founded between 1132 and 1133 by St. Otto of Bamberg, with monks from Ebrach Abbey settling under the first Abbot, Rapotho. This monastery became one of the wealthiest in Germany, holding extensive properties throughout Franconia, reaching as far as Regensburg and Württemberg. The substantial endowments primarily came from the Dukes of Abenberg and their descendants, the Hohenzollern Burgraves of Nuremberg. It served as the ancestral burial site for the Hohenzollern family, where ten burgraves of Nuremberg, five margraves, and three electors of Brandenburg, along with many other notable figures, were laid to rest.

Early settlement

In the 8th century, the Franks established settlements in the area between Rangau and Sualafeld, naming them after noble leaders, including Onolzbach and Cadolzburg. This probably happened before the year 800 at the sources of the Schwabach, where around 30 springs contribute to the flow into the Rednitz at Limbach. The abundance of water made the region attractive for agriculture. Due to variations in spelling in historical documents, the places have been referred to by different names. In 1003, after a failed rebellion, the Emperor granted land to the Counts of Abenberg, who built a manor and noble residence near the "Untere Tor" and later a burial chapel in the cathedral.

The founding of the Monastery

In 1098 a group of Benedictine monks set out from their monastery in Burgundy to reform the rules of St Benedict, eventually leading to the establishment of the Cistercian Order. Heilsbronn Abbey was founded in 1132 by Bishop Otto of Bamberg and later welcomed Cistercian monks. Heilsbronn served as the second daughter foundation of the Cistercian Abbey of Ebrach, which supplied the first monks. In 1139, Pope Innocent II confirmed Heilsbronn as a bishop's abbey. Later it was temporarily under imperial protection.

Foundation Certificate, 1132.

Foundation picture (15th century): Bishop Otto von Bamberg (on the left) carries a model of the cathedrall with Count Rapoto von Abenberg, the first abbot of the monastery.

The Story of the Refectory Portal

The refectory, the dining hall for the monks, was built in the 13th century as a single nave building. The portal, completed between 1263 and 1281 under Abbot Rudolf, was richly decorated and made of Franconian sandstone. It served as the entrance to the refectory for 600 years. In 1884, Crown Prince Friedrich III acquired the Romanesque main portal for the Germanic National Museum. Unfortunately, it was completely destroyed in a bombing raid in 1945. In the 18th century the portal was damaged when it was walled up. A replica of the portal was added to the Friedenskirche in Potsdam in 1863. The memory of the original remains alive in Heilsbronn, although many of its inhabitants are unaware of it.

The burial site of the Hohenzollerns in Heilsbronn is uncertain, but it is known that Burgrave Friedrich III was buried there in 1297. The original burial chapel was removed in 1284, and the graves were integrated into the monastery church. Excavations in 1853 revealed 41 bodies,including members of the Abenberger family and their successors, the Zollerns. The Hohenzollerns continued to be buried there until the 17th century, when the practice shifted to Ansbach for safety reasons. The Heilsbronn monastery became known as the "sleeping chamber of the Franconian nobility," where many nobles sought to be buried, believing in the monks' prayers for their souls.

Heilsbronn as a Burial Place

From King Rudolf of Habsburg (1273-1291) to Emperor Frederick III (1491-1493), every German emperor visited the Cistercian monastery at Heilsbronn. Emperor Charles IV was a frequent visitor, as were his successors Wenceslas and Sigismund. In 1357 Charles IV travelled from Prague with his wife Anna and the queen mother of Hungary to the tomb of St Elizabeth in Marburg and on to Aachen. The route passed through Mergentheim, Miltenberg, Frankfurt and Friedberg.

Bishop Otto I of Bamberg founded Heilsbronn Abbey in 1132 and Cistercian monks settled there in 1142. The church was dedicated to the Virgin Mary and St James the Greater. A pilgrimage route connected Brno-Jihlava-Prague-Nuremberg-Heilsbronn-Rothenburg. On the feast of St James in 1992, the "Franconian Way of St James" was launched, linking Nuremberg, Heilsbronn and Rothenburg and inspiring the networking of pilgrim routes throughout Germany.

Pilgrimage symbolises a journey towards spiritual fulfilment, as expressed in Hebrews 13:14 and Philippians 3:20. A pilgrim is described as a dignified figure, modern yet timeless, seeking meaning in a chaotic world. Pilgrimage offers solace in the midst of disorientation, confusion and the search for meaning.

Imperial Visits and Pilgrimage

Charles IV, fragment of a mural painting from the Hansa Hall of Cologne City Hall around 1360, public domain

The Judensau

The "Judensau" or "Jew's pig" is an anti-Semitic motif from medieval Europe that depicted Jews derogatorily alongside pigs, deemed impure in Judaism. Often found in sculptures and illustrations on churches, it aimed to humiliate and mock the Jewish faith. The special thing about the Judensau in Heilsbronn is that it is inside the church and not outside, as is usual in almost all other churches (click to see an example of St. Sebaldus Church in Nuremberg). The earliest "Judensau" depictions date to the 13th century in Germany, found on church facades and public spaces, such as the 1305 image at Wittenberg's Stadtkirche. Martin Luther, a resident of Wittenberg, referenced this image in his writings, linking it to his anti-Jewish sentiments.

Anti-Semitic stereotypes were reinforced, promoting hatred of Jews.
It legitimised the discrimination and exclusion of Jews
The "Jewish pig" symbolised Christian superiority, portraying as inferior.

The 'Judensau' typically shows Jews interacting with a sow, viewed as degrading and meant to demean the Jewish faith by linking Jews to an unclean animal. It often includes other negative portrayals of Jews as evil or grotesque figures.