Who is in Europe and why celebrates the Pied Piper Day: Curious details of a strange holiday

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

More than seven centuries ago, 130 children disappeared from the small Saxon town of Hameln. According to legend, they were taken away by the mysterious Pied Piper. The legend of the Pied Piper glorified the unknown town throughout the world. Every year on June 26, the Day of the Pied Piper is widely celebrated here. His sculptures and images can be found at every step. But what kind of man was the Pied Piper? What is known about him? And is there some truth in the plot of the legend? While historians are arguing, let's try to figure it out.

A fairy tale that is closely intertwined with history

Hameln benefits from this old legend. For a small provincial town in Lower Saxony, Germany, the Brothers Grimm fairytale Pied Piper of Hamelin is not just a beautiful story. This is their daily reality. The legend of the Pied Piper is so famous and important for the region that it is even protected by UNESCO.

History has it that at the end of the 13th century, Hameln was besieged by an unprecedented rat invasion. Then a plague raged in the city. Residents tried to get rid of the rodents that spread the infection, but nothing helped. Once a mysterious man appeared in the city in strange colorful clothes. He promised to rid Hameln of pests, asking in return for a very solid reward. People were ready for anything, if only he helped them. They agreed.

The Pied Piper began to play some bewitching melody on the pipe. Suddenly the incomprehensible happened: all the rodents began to crawl out of their holes and, as if hypnotized, followed the Piper. All the rats followed him to the Weser River, in which they drowned.

The residents were incredibly happy. Only now I suddenly felt sorry for the money. They refused to pay and simply kicked Pied Piper out of town. He decided to take revenge and returned to the feast of Saints John and Paul (June 24). The piper began to play the flute. Only this time the children were attracted to the melody. They all followed the Pied Piper and no one saw them again.

The fate of the children is not completely clear. Some legends end up drowning in the river like rats. Others say that the children disappeared behind a nearby hill. Still others say that the Piper was paid more than he was promised, and all the children returned home. Many versions tell about one or two children who did not hear the music well and fell behind the rest.

A fairy tale is a lie, but is there a hint in it?

All this has its own grain of truth. There is a mention of this event in historical texts. It is dated 1384. The entry reads: "It has been 100 years since our children left." The local church even had a stained glass window that illustrated the true story. It was destroyed only at the end of the 17th century. What was depicted on it is now impossible to say.

There is one house in Hameln, built at the beginning of the 17th century, called the Rattenfängerhaus (Pied Piper's House). It got its name from the inscription on it. It roughly translates as follows: "In 1284, on the day of Saints John and Paul, 130 children born in Hameln were taken by a piper in colorful clothes over a hill near Coppen and there he lost."

There was a tragedy, but what does the rat have to do with it?

The most interesting thing is that these animals really react in a similar way to sounds of a certain tone. Here the legend may not lie. But the fact that the rats drowned in the river is highly doubtful. Rodents swim well and are able to stay on the water for hours. In addition, historical records do not mention anything like this. There are missing children, but no rats. It turns out that history acquired a rat tint only at the end of the 16th century.

So what happened to the kids? Historians put forward several versions on this score. Some say that this campaign and its tragic outcome were associated with some kind of pagan worship. They say that the cult of druids was popular in these places. Young people went to local caves, where they arranged dances with chants in honor of the pagan gods. Allegedly, during this worship, the grotto collapsed and buried everyone.

Another version says that then recruiters walked around the cities and called on young people to move to eastern Europe. Then this region was devastated by war and plague, and needed new settlers. This assumption lends some credibility to the fact that surnames characteristic of the inhabitants of Hameln also occur in the Prignitz and Uckermark region of Germany, north of Berlin.

There are historians who simply say that the plague took the lives of children.

Hameln today

Today, the city of Hameln is home to about 56,000 people. The city is filled with evidence of a long-standing legend. The figure of the Pied Piper is the most common decoration of local buildings. There are also two themed fountains in the city. There is a restaurant that is completely decorated in accordance with a fairy tale. Also in Hameln there are the so-called "Rat stones". These are small bronze plaques installed in the streets. They point out important historical sights to the guests of the city.

The lost stained glass window was replaced by another on the 700th anniversary of the legend. Also, a clock was installed on the central square, where figures change at regular intervals. Now the Pied Piper leads the rodents, then the children. At certain hours, the piper's melody sounds. Hameln has a museum dedicated to this story.

In addition to protecting landmarks, UNESCO also protects “intangible cultural heritage”. This includes oral traditions, performing arts and celebrations. This is considered a very important factor in the preservation of cultural diversity. After the residents of Hameln filmed a video detailing the importance of the piper tradition, the Legend of the Pied Piper was inscribed on the German Intangible Cultural Heritage List in 2014. Today, this story continues to inspire artists and writers. The city is so devoted to the legend that it seems that it will live forever.

Read more about this time in our other article. 6 reasons why the Middle Ages was not as dark as it is commonly believed.