Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: Schmallenberg

Oberkirchen, a village that is now part of Schmallenberg, is known for the witch trials that took place here. 75 people fell victims to these trials between 1595 and 1685, when the village may have had a population of about 300. In March 1630 9-year-old Christine Teipel was interrogated. She named 15 people who allegedly participated in the devil dance. 8 men, 6 women and a little girl. In seven process waves, 58 people died at the stake during the three months from April to June. Christine Teipel was executed on 4 May 1630. At that time St. Getrudis existed, as excavations proved a first church here within the 11th century. Burn marks were found, so this building probably burned down before 1200. The church erected after 1200 was destroyed by fire around 1470 and rebuilt until 1479. By 1640, this church building was heavily dilapidated, especially the tower, that got restored 1663 - 1666. At that time the nave and completely rebuilt.

Oberkirchen, a village that is now part of Schmallenberg, is known for the witch trials that took place here. 75 people fell victims to these trials between 1595 and 1685, when the village may have had a population of about 300. In March 1630 9-year-old Christine Teipel was interrogated. She named 15 people who allegedly participated in the devil dance. 8 men, 6 women and a little girl. In seven process waves, 58 people died at the stake during the three months from April to June. Christine Teipel was executed on 4 May 1630. At that time St. Getrudis existed, as excavations proved a first church here within the 11th century. Burn marks were found, so this building probably burned down before 1200. The church erected after 1200 was destroyed by fire around 1470 and rebuilt until 1479. By 1640, this church building was heavily dilapidated, especially the tower, that got restored 1663 - 1666. At that time the nave and completely rebuilt.

I found this wonderful device in Grafschaft, a small village meanwhile belonging to Schmallenberg. It is not really old but tells a story, that once upon a time, there were no cellphones, no internet and even yellow phone booths were scarce. That was the time when we sent postcards home instead of messages.

The village of Grafschaft, now part of larger Schmallenberg, developed around a Benedictine monastery, founded by Saint Anno, Archbishop of Cologne in 1072. The first monks settling here came from Siegburg, where Anno had established an abbey some years before. As Anno had interfered into the existing balance of power and as he tried to extend his influence, already in 1114 the Grafschaft abbey was raided by troops, led by Giso IV, Count of Gudensberg. It was severly damaged. The abbey recovered and prospered again, but moral and economy declined in the 15th century, so that in 1508 the abbey joined the Bursfelde Congregation, to reestablish a Beneditine monastic life. A economic revival was triggered, when the monks "invested" into smelters and hammer mills instead of agriculture. All existing convent buildings were demolished and got replaced between 1729 and 1770 in Baroque style. Only the tower of the Romanesque church (seen here) still exists. The Barroque church (behind the tower) was in ruins and got demolished in 1833, The abbey was dissolved in 1804 as a consequence of secularisation. The premises were privatly sold. After WWII Borromäerinnen ("Sisters of Mercy of Saint Charles Borromeo"), who had been expelled from Silesia, settled here. Meanwhile a large part of the complex now hosts as a hospital. www.krankenhaus-klostergrafschaft.de

The village of Grafschaft, now part of larger Schmallenberg, developed around a Benedictine monastery, founded by Saint Anno, Archbishop of Cologne in 1072. The first monks settling here came from Siegburg, where Anno had established an abbey some years before. As Anno had interfered into the existing balance of power and as he tried to extend his influence, already in 1114 the Grafschaft abbey was raided by troops, led by Giso IV, Count of Gudensberg. It was severely damaged. The abbey recovered and prospered again, but moral and economy declined in the 15th century, so that in 1508 the abbey joined the Bursfelde Congregation, to reestablish a Benedictine monastic life. An economic revival was triggered when the monks "invested" into smelters and hammer mills instead of agriculture. All existing convent buildings were demolished and got replaced between 1729 and 1770 in Baroque style. Only the tower of the old church still exists. The abbey was dissolved in 1804 as a consequence of secularisation. The premises were privately sold. After WWII Borromäerinnen ("Sisters of Mercy of Saint Charles Borromeo"), who had been expelled from Silesia, settled here. Meanwhile, a large part of the complex now hosts as a hospital. www.krankenhaus-klostergrafschaft.de

Wormbach is just like neighbouring Berghausen part of Schmallenberg. The romanesque parish church of Wormbach dates back to the 13th century. The parish of Wormbach is one of the oldest in the Sauerland area. A legend tells, that St. Bonifatius himself (or -maybe- one of his followers) built the first chapel in Wormbach, what would mean - around 750. Excavations, undertaken in 1908, found the foundations of a small 8th century-basilica. This was a hub of early christianisation. All of the those places that were important during the Christianisation in die area (eg Balve, Hellefeld, Stockum, Huesten) probably had some ritual importance already during pagan times. But it is Wormbach, where strange, esoteric and sometimes weird theories found their center. This interest was mainly triggered, when in the mid 1950 the signs of the zodiac where found under the layers of plaster. The signs have been painted in the 13th century. To be buried in Wormbach had a strong attraction already in very early times. Still in medieval times, dead bodies have been carried over long distances, to be buried right here in Wormbach. Old maps show a net of little paths ("Totenwege"), that all run to - Wormbach.

Wormbach is just like neighbouring Berghausen part of Schmallenberg. The Romanesque parish church of Wormbach dates back to the 13th century. The parish of Wormbach is one of the oldest in the Sauerland area. A legend tells, that St. Bonifatius himself (or -maybe- one of his followers) built the first chapel in Wormbach, what would mean - around 750. Excavations, undertaken in 1908, found the foundations of a small 8th century-basilica. This was a hub of early Christianisation. All of those places that were important during the Christianisation in die area (eg Balve, Hellefeld, Stockum, Huesten) probably had some ritual importance already during pagan times. But it is Wormbach, where strange, esoteric and sometimes weird theories found their centre. To be buried in Wormbach had a strong attraction already in very early times. Still in medieval times, dead bodies have been carried over long distances, to be buried right here in Wormbach. Old maps show a net of little paths ("Totenwege"), that all run to - Wormbach.

The village of Berghausen is part of larger Schmallenberg since some decades. It existed already around 1200, when St. Cyriakus was erected, a very small basilica. The church was built on the floorplan of a "greek cross" and originally had three apses. The small right apse got lost, when the sacristy was added. During a renovation in 1936 frescoes were discovered under the plaster. Most remarkable is this large apse fresco. Christ Pantocrator in a mandorla.

The village of Berghausen is part of larger Schmallenberg since some decades. It existed already around 1200, when St. Cyriakus was erected, a very small basilica. The church was built on the floorplan of a "greek cross" and originally had three apses. The small right apse got lost, when the sacristy was added.

The village of Berghausen is part of larger Schmallenberg since some decades. It existed already around 1200, when St. Cyriakus was erected, a very small basilica.

The romanesque parish church of Wormbach, a little village near Schmallenberg, dates back to the 13th century. The parish of Wormbach is one of the oldest in Sauerland. A legend tells, that St. Bonifatius himself (or one of his followers) built the first chapel in Wormbach, what would mean - around 750. This was a hub of early christianisation. But there were a couple of those places (eg Balve, Hellefeld, Stockum, Huesten), and all of them had probably some ritual importance already during pagan times. But it is Wormbach, where strange, esoteric and sometimes weird theories found their center. To be buried in Wormbach had a strong attraction already in pre-christian times. Still in medieval times, dead bodies have been carried over long distances, to be buried right here in Wormbach. Old maps show a net of little paths ("Totenwege"), that all run to - Wormbach. The signs of the zodiac under the vaults of a remote little church - in the sticks. They were discovered during the restauration period (1955-1957) under a coat of paint. Facing west, to the organ, it is clear, that all three bays have the zodiacs. Heinz Kaminski, a chemical engineer, radio-amateur, astronom and the very first, who recorded the beeping tones of the Russian Sputnik in 1957, saw here "the oldest signs of the zodiacs north of the Alpes" - and he saw these signs as pagan/pre-christian symbols. Kaminski connected the order, in which they are to be seen here, with the solstice. Contemplating about a pagan/celtic/germanic center of astronomy, he found out, that Wormbach and Stonehenge share the same latitude (51th). So - he saw Wormbach as a stone age observatory. From that idea, he developed the "Wormbach System", that I tried to explain (a bit) on the predecessing photo. In case you have the impression, Kaminski is already "left of the field", then let me introduce you to Herbert Knorr and Wolfgang Thiele. Knowing Kaminski´s system of a grid that runs all over central Europe, they have focussed on the region - and found not less than "The First Wonder of the World between the Rivers Weser, Lippe Ruhr and Rhine". In 2003 they published "Der Himmel ist unter uns" (= "The Sky is below us"), as they had found the largest zodiac signs ever. Here! Actually the authors listed about 200 cult- and/or ritual places in the area, connected them by lines - and found that they had found the complete northern sky. Wormbach is in the center of the Virgo constellation (= delta vir), connecting to Attendorn (my vir) 30kms east, Berghausen (epsilon vir) 5kms northwest, Schmallenberg (gamma vir)... The constallation stretches about 40kms east/west. The Great Bear constellation stretches over Sauerland from Wenholthausen in the west, via Meschede to Thuelen and Bontkirchen in the east, what sums up to nearly 50kms.