The Lutheran City of Magdeburg was destroyed by the Catholic forces of the Emperor Charles V in a siege that took place in 1631. It was the worst single tragedy of the Thirty Years War was which was waged by General Tilly in an attempt to eliminate Protestant belief and practice in the Holy Roman Empire. An estimated 20,000 non-combattant citizens died in the siege and fire that developed in the City afterwards: a census from the following year of 1632 only listed 449 inhabitants of the city .[1]
Pope Urban VIII wrote to the Catholic General Tilly afterwards saying ' You have washed your hands in rhe blood of sinners'.
The destruction of the City inflicted an almost incurable wound in the heart of the Church and was itself the unintended consequence of a failure to preserve Christian unity after the Augsburg Diet of 1530. News of it spread rapidly across Europe with reports in pamphlets and in sermons. Magdeburg is undoubtedly also the place where these historical wounds of Christian disunity should be remembered by the leaders of the Churches at the 400th anniversary of its destruction in 2031. [2]
[1] Wilson, Peter H. (2011) Europe's Tragedy. A history of the Thirty Years War, Cmabridge MA
[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sack_of_Magdeburg
Pope Urban VIII wrote to the Catholic General Tilly afterwards saying ' You have washed your hands in rhe blood of sinners'.
The destruction of the City inflicted an almost incurable wound in the heart of the Church and was itself the unintended consequence of a failure to preserve Christian unity after the Augsburg Diet of 1530. News of it spread rapidly across Europe with reports in pamphlets and in sermons. Magdeburg is undoubtedly also the place where these historical wounds of Christian disunity should be remembered by the leaders of the Churches at the 400th anniversary of its destruction in 2031. [2]
[1] Wilson, Peter H. (2011) Europe's Tragedy. A history of the Thirty Years War, Cmabridge MA
[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sack_of_Magdeburg
the history of the destrucTion by otto von guericke
Otto von Guericke (1602-1686)
'The most famous eye-witness account of the siege and destruction of Magdeburg was written by German scientist and politician, Otto von Guericke (1602-1686). He was a physicist who was famouly known as the inventor of the first air-pump and for researching the phenomenon of the vacuum establishing the scientific principles of gas. He was also a Mayor of Magdeburg and a member of the City council for over 50 years. Most importantly historically he witnessed and documented the destruction of his native city in 1631. He described the destruction of the City as a 'total apocalypse'. Magdeburg was set ablaze with soldiers of the Imperial Army engaging in looting, rape murder of the native population. Despite the terrible tragedy he witnessed Von Guericke remained faithful to his city, serving as Mayor and helping to rebuild the city after the war.
Otto von guericke's description of the destruction.
A portion of the City Walls of Magdeburg behind the Catherdral
At this point, in the manner described by General Pappenheim[1], a considerable force of men gathered on the wall near Reustadt [Neustadt?] and nearby in the city streets. Falkenberg[2] was shot, and fires were set everywhere. By this time, it was too late for the city and all resistance was in vain. In several places, to be sure, citizens and soldiers gathered and resisted, but the Imperial forces received ever more reinforcements and had sufficient cavalry. The moat at the point of this bulwark was not yet finished, and the new wall was so low that the cavalry could ride over it into the city. At last, the invaders opened the Kröckenthor and let in the entire Imperial army and the army of the Catholic League—Hungarians, Croats, Poles, Haiduks,[3] Italians, Spaniards, French, Walloons, North and South Germans, etc. Thus did the city and all of its inhabitants fall into the hands of and were placed at the mercy of their enemies. These had all become very violent and cruel, partly from their common hatred for those who adhered to the Confession of Augsburg, partly from having been abused, angered, and embittered after they had been fired upon with chain-shot[4] and other missiles from the ramparts, as usually happens. Then the city was given over to murder, burning, plundering, torture, and beatings. Every enemy soldier demanded booty. When such men entered a house, if the master was able to give them something, he could save and protect himself and his household—until another came along to take whatever he had. Finally, when everything had been given away, and there was nothing left to give, the real trouble began. The soldiers began to beat and frighten; they threatened to shoot, skewer, hang, etc., so that had anything remained, either buried in the earth or locked up in a thousand castles, the people would have gotten it and brought it forth. During such rage, this wonderful and great city, like a princess over the entire land, stood completely in flames amidst terrible misery, unspeakable distress, and heartbreak. Accompanied by unspeakable, terrible cries and much hullabaloo, many thousands of innocent men, women, and children were murdered and slaughtered in all sorts of merciless and wretched ways, so that words alone cannot adequately describe these acts nor tears adequately bemoan them.
This most terrible moment lasted not much more than two hours in the city, as the wind unexpectedly picked up and furiously spread the fire. While Count von Pappenheim is said to have ordered at first that the citizens and inhabitants be made anxious and fearful, later the vile rabble of soldiers showed no discretion and would not stop. By around ten o’clock in the morning everything was engulfed in flames, and by ten o’clock that night, the entire city, along with its beautiful town hall and all its churches, lay in ashes, just a heap of stones. Then, to avoid being burned with the city, the Imperial marauders had to flee the city and retreat to their camps.
On a single day, this renowned and noble city, an ornament of the entire land, was seen to go up in smoke and flames, and the inhabitants who remained with their wives and children were held captive and led before their enemies. Their cries were heard far and wide, as the wind spread the flames and ashes to Wanzleben, Egeln, and other locations.
This most terrible moment lasted not much more than two hours in the city, as the wind unexpectedly picked up and furiously spread the fire. While Count von Pappenheim is said to have ordered at first that the citizens and inhabitants be made anxious and fearful, later the vile rabble of soldiers showed no discretion and would not stop. By around ten o’clock in the morning everything was engulfed in flames, and by ten o’clock that night, the entire city, along with its beautiful town hall and all its churches, lay in ashes, just a heap of stones. Then, to avoid being burned with the city, the Imperial marauders had to flee the city and retreat to their camps.
On a single day, this renowned and noble city, an ornament of the entire land, was seen to go up in smoke and flames, and the inhabitants who remained with their wives and children were held captive and led before their enemies. Their cries were heard far and wide, as the wind spread the flames and ashes to Wanzleben, Egeln, and other locations.
The Siege of Magdeburg Pieter Meulener (1602-1654) Flemish
The women, young women, daughters, and maids, those who had no husbands, parents, or relatives who could ransom them, could still seek help and advice among high-ranking officers. This led to much evil, for some were raped and dishonored, others kept as concubines. […]
The number of those murdered and killed within the city cannot be known with any certainty, because many lives were taken by sword and by fire. After this terrible holocaust, General Tilly[6] ordered that the burnt corpses and other bodies be gathered from the streets, walls, and other places and taken by wagons to be dumped into the Elbe. Furthermore, up to a year after this time, many dead bodies—as many as 5, 6, 8, 10 or more—were found in ruined cellars, where they had suffocated and died. The remnants of those who were badly burned and crushed by falling walls had to be cleared away with pitchforks. Hence, no one can know the total figure. In general, however, it is reckoned that, including the two suburbs and those killed by the Imperial cavalry—who not only took part in the storming of the city but later searched around in the cellars and houses—some 20,000 persons, old and young, lost their lives through such sufferings or in other ways. The dead bodies in front of the watergate that had been carried into the Elbe could not float away because there was no ripple or eddy there to move them. Many also bobbed around there for a long time, some with their heads out of the water, some with their hands stretched to the heavens, giving onlookers quite a horrid spectacle. This sight gave rise to much babbling, just as if the dead were still praying, singing, and crying to God for vengeance. People will gossip about visions, apparitions, and other such things, but no one wants to affirm the truth of them.
Taken from Gesichte Der Belagerung, Eroberung und Zerstorung Magdeburg's Otto Von Guericke Magdeburg 1860 reprinted in Bernd Roeck, ed., Gegenreformation und Dreißigjähriger Krieg 1555–1648. Deutsche Geschichte in Quellen und Darstellung, edited by Rainer A. Müller, Volume 4. Stuttgart: P. Reclam, 1996, pp. 296–301. Translation: Julie K. Tanaka
The number of those murdered and killed within the city cannot be known with any certainty, because many lives were taken by sword and by fire. After this terrible holocaust, General Tilly[6] ordered that the burnt corpses and other bodies be gathered from the streets, walls, and other places and taken by wagons to be dumped into the Elbe. Furthermore, up to a year after this time, many dead bodies—as many as 5, 6, 8, 10 or more—were found in ruined cellars, where they had suffocated and died. The remnants of those who were badly burned and crushed by falling walls had to be cleared away with pitchforks. Hence, no one can know the total figure. In general, however, it is reckoned that, including the two suburbs and those killed by the Imperial cavalry—who not only took part in the storming of the city but later searched around in the cellars and houses—some 20,000 persons, old and young, lost their lives through such sufferings or in other ways. The dead bodies in front of the watergate that had been carried into the Elbe could not float away because there was no ripple or eddy there to move them. Many also bobbed around there for a long time, some with their heads out of the water, some with their hands stretched to the heavens, giving onlookers quite a horrid spectacle. This sight gave rise to much babbling, just as if the dead were still praying, singing, and crying to God for vengeance. People will gossip about visions, apparitions, and other such things, but no one wants to affirm the truth of them.
Taken from Gesichte Der Belagerung, Eroberung und Zerstorung Magdeburg's Otto Von Guericke Magdeburg 1860 reprinted in Bernd Roeck, ed., Gegenreformation und Dreißigjähriger Krieg 1555–1648. Deutsche Geschichte in Quellen und Darstellung, edited by Rainer A. Müller, Volume 4. Stuttgart: P. Reclam, 1996, pp. 296–301. Translation: Julie K. Tanaka
the security of magdeburg cathedral
The Cathedral of Saints Maurice and Catherine, The Dome at Magdeburg
Reinhard Backe, The Cathedral Preacher
There were probably around 4,000 people in the cathedral who had retreated and hidden there. Although some imperial troops initially entered, who allegedly massacred several people and raped two women, sentries were soon posted at the doors and further violence was prevented.
The cathedral preacher, Reinhard Backe, also escaped to this church. Although the Jesuits and other Catholic clergy initially attacked him harshly and rebuked him, he is said to have responded in such a way and contributed so much that they were forced to let him pass and allow him to continue as he pleased, as a Lutheran preacher who had exhorted his listeners to fear of God, honor, and a quiet, peaceful life, while punishing wickedness and disobedience. As for the number of those slain and perished in the city, since not only the sword but also fire consumed many people, it is not really possible to know. Not only did General Tilly, shortly after this miserable cremation, load the burned corpses and other slain from the streets, ramparts, and other places onto carts and have them driven into the waters of the Elbe, but for almost a whole year after that, many dead bodies, five, six, eight, ten, and more, which had suffocated and been infected, were found in the dilapidated cellars. And because those lying in the streets were badly consumed by fire and shattered by the collapsing buildings, so that the remains often had to be picked up with pitchforks, no one can name the actual total. In general, however, it is believed that this included the two suburbs and what remained of the imperial soldiery—as of those. Not only did many people stay here and there during the storm, but many were late, had searched the cellar or house for too long, or had otherwise gotten lost – and died and burned. There were about 20,000 people, young and old, who had to end their lives or suffer other physical injuries in such a gruesome situation. The dead bodies that were led out of the water gate into the Elbe, could not or would not flow away quickly because every path in that place is rippled or eddy, so that many floated around for a long time, some with their heads out of the water, others with their hands stretched towards the sky, as if they were giving the onlookers an almost gruesome spectacle, about which much was made, as if such dead people had still prayed, sung, and cried out to God for vengeance, just as one might say about many faces, ghosts, and similar things, but which no one would fundamentally confirm.
The cathedral preacher, Reinhard Backe, also escaped to this church. Although the Jesuits and other Catholic clergy initially attacked him harshly and rebuked him, he is said to have responded in such a way and contributed so much that they were forced to let him pass and allow him to continue as he pleased, as a Lutheran preacher who had exhorted his listeners to fear of God, honor, and a quiet, peaceful life, while punishing wickedness and disobedience. As for the number of those slain and perished in the city, since not only the sword but also fire consumed many people, it is not really possible to know. Not only did General Tilly, shortly after this miserable cremation, load the burned corpses and other slain from the streets, ramparts, and other places onto carts and have them driven into the waters of the Elbe, but for almost a whole year after that, many dead bodies, five, six, eight, ten, and more, which had suffocated and been infected, were found in the dilapidated cellars. And because those lying in the streets were badly consumed by fire and shattered by the collapsing buildings, so that the remains often had to be picked up with pitchforks, no one can name the actual total. In general, however, it is believed that this included the two suburbs and what remained of the imperial soldiery—as of those. Not only did many people stay here and there during the storm, but many were late, had searched the cellar or house for too long, or had otherwise gotten lost – and died and burned. There were about 20,000 people, young and old, who had to end their lives or suffer other physical injuries in such a gruesome situation. The dead bodies that were led out of the water gate into the Elbe, could not or would not flow away quickly because every path in that place is rippled or eddy, so that many floated around for a long time, some with their heads out of the water, others with their hands stretched towards the sky, as if they were giving the onlookers an almost gruesome spectacle, about which much was made, as if such dead people had still prayed, sung, and cried out to God for vengeance, just as one might say about many faces, ghosts, and similar things, but which no one would fundamentally confirm.
the destruction of the city AND ITS churches
In this terrible fire, all the churches and places of worship in the Old City were completely burned down to their masonry and reduced to ashes, chief among them St. John's, the largest and tallest church, whose two high spires were covered with lead and the roof above the church entirely with copper. Then St. Ulrich's, the most beautiful, housed the most magnificent epitaphs and paintings, which noblemen and members of the city's families erected in them as a memorial, often costing from 1,000 to 2,000 thalers. Likewise, St. Catherine's, which also burned down in the fire of 1613, but had been completely rebuilt a few years earlier with a roof and high spires. St. James's, which also suffered considerable damage in the first siege of 1550, now had to be rebuilt like all the others, along with the Church of St. Peter and the Church of the Holy Spirit. In these six main and parish churches, sermons and services were held not only every Sunday, but also mostly during the working days. Therefore, the ancients divided these six parishes into the following rhymes: to St. Ulrich the rich - to St. John the clean - to St. Catherine the dark goods - to St. Jacob the poor - to St. Peter the fishermen - to the Holy Spirit the carpenters. The two collegiate churches of St. Nicholas and St. Sebastian, the Church of St. Peter and St. Paul, along with other cells and hermitages on the New Market, as well as the Augustinian monastery church in the Old Town, which the Feuerhacken family built and founded here, as well as the Barfüßer monastery, from which the council established a school after the Reformation, the Virgins' Convent of Mary Magdalene, the Church of St. Gertrude, the Church of St. Anne, along with all the hospitals, almshouses, chapels, and the like, were also consumed by the fire and smoke.
the destruction of the town hall and other housing
The heat of the fire also destroyed the beautiful, well-built town hall, on which many old monuments, images, and coats of arms carved in stone and painted, along with the newly built armory, and the towers and gates of the city with their other bridges - except for the Sudenburg Bridge - could not be passed, so that in the afternoon, when the council's powder mill and the other ship mills from it were set on fire, the short Elbe bridge also had to be reduced to ashes. Finally are all the residential buildings of the city, among which there were many beautiful buildings, especially Thomas Mauritz's House, near the Golden Arm, which he, as the last of his family, built in memory and which cost over 20,000 thalers. Item of the von Quitzow House on the New Market, the Anhalt Court and all other similar noble and bourgeois stately homes were completely burned and reduced to ashes, so that only a few houses on the New Market, along with the cathedral and the Holy Latter-day Saint Convent, remained standing. These may have been preserved by the Catholic clergy, who are said to have urged the soldiers to extinguish the fire. Just as the fishermen along the bank also retained their homes.
A drawing of Domplatz Magdeburg from 1760. The area around thre Cathedral was not destroyed in the inferno.Klusemann-Sabine Ullrich. Die Geschichte Magdeburger Domplatzes Seite 27
LOOTING AND BURNING OF THE CITIES PROPERTIES AND TREASURES
Destruction and looting of Magdeburg. Copperplate engraving Unknown artist 1631
But as soon as the heat and blaze had subsided somewhat, the Imperial General of the Artillery, a Baron von Schönberg who had remained with him shortly afterward in the Battle of Leipzig, had all the brewing pans, bells, and other copper utensils brought together in various large piles and kept for himself as his booty. Moreover, an incredible amount of ironwork, iron stoves, brass pots, basins, candlesticks, etc., was found on the burned-out sites and, especially in the cellars, a great deal of tinwork and the like, some of which had been collected and dispersed here and there by the imperial soldiers. Shortly afterward, some of the citizens themselves, who had remained in the city at the time, and especially those who used the water and ships, gathered these metals and stole them from the soldiers for a very small sum of money, secretly transporting them to Hamburg and other places, so that some of them became much richer than before. However, the majority of the brewing pans, broken bells, and other metals, which the above-mentioned general of the artillery and other imperial troops had collected, they later had to surrender along with the city and hand over to the Swedes. In addition to all this, a great deal of magnificent and irretrievable household goods and all manner of imposing movable property, including old books, writings, monuments, paintings, and the like, some of which had fled to the city by noblemen, and some of which belonged to the most distinguished citizens and could no longer be acquired for money, were burned along with the rest, thus leaving the soldiers with their loot. In many cellars, people were even up to their knees in beer and wine, because the arrogance and wickedness of the common soldiery was so great that if a bucket of beer or wine was tapped from a barrel, they wouldn't put the tap back in, thus letting the beer and wine run away. The sutlers acquired the most magnificent garments, blankets, silks, gold and silver trimmings (braids), all kinds of linen and other household goods for a considerable amount of money and transported and sold them by the cartload throughout the Archbishopric of Magdeburg, the Anhalt region, and Brunswick. Gold chains, rings, jewels, and other gold and silver utensils could also be bought and bargained for from the common servants for more than ten times less than their true value.
Wie liegt die Stadt so wüst, die voll Volks war! Luther bible klagelieder 1:1
How doth the city sit solitary which was once full of people! king james Bible lamentations 1:1
Where the city's archives, letters and seals, privileges, registers, protocols, and other documents ended up is unknown, since the most distinguished members of the council and the citizens, as many as remained after the fire and sword, had not returned to the city or found shelter there for a year. Whether such documents, letters, and handwritten documents were preserved by anyone, since everything was stored in vaults and was unlikely to have burned, is unclear; nevertheless, the city suffered irreparable damage in this regard. Tilly's soldiers, who had built huts on the desolate burnt sites, made use of what was left in the cellars.
The clergy, and other members of the order, monks, and the like, who had long been waiting for this, also destroyed the cathedral—which, along with the cathedral on the wide, spacious square of the New Market, stood several houses there remained unburned – to be reformed and have begun to make new arrangements in this and other churches.
The King of Sweden, suspecting that there would be disparate opinions about this sad event that the city had not been seconded in time, issued a manifesto in which he initially cited the Magdeburg expulsion in ipso principio et limine, [ at the very beginning and threshold] and then stated that they were unwilling to pay out considerable sums of money for the new recruitments and similar war necessities, etc., as Chemnitius mentions in the first part of his Swedish War History, fol. 162.
Now after this unspeakable misfortune had befallen this city, formerly the residence of the first German emperor, and the surviving Magdeburgers had been scattered here and there, there was much inquiry from the outsiders, to whom the exiled Magdeburgers had come, as to how it had come about that the city had fallen into such misery and distress, whether it had failed to defend itself or provided the soldiers with adequate provisions so that they could fight, or whether the citizens had become discouraged and run away from the ramparts, or whether they had slept through it, or whether they had been so ungodly that they had to punish God in this way, or how it often happened, etc. One person would cite one reason, another, another reason. In general, however, because there were two parties in the city—one advising and promoting the conjunctures with the Administrator, the other opposing them and, as it were, proclaiming the great disaster to be feared as a result—one party blamed the other and were thus, both before and after the conquest, fiercely opposed to each other. Those who had prophesied the disaster could clearly demonstrate that it happened as they predicted; but the others, who had initiated the plan and brought it about by seducing the common people, blamed those who had not joined in; they would have been good imperialists, would have been in cahoots with them (the Imperials), and even betrayed the state of the city to the enemy, otherwise things would have turned out differently, etc.
This, therefore, is the correct, true course of the conquest of this good city of Magdeburg, which no one, unless the truth is to be reported otherwise, can be opposed to.
Taken from the Geschichte der Belagerung, Eroberung und Zerstörung Magdeburg’s von Otto von Guericke on the Internet Archive https://archive.org/details/geschichtederbel00guer/page/90/mode/2up Translation preparation by the author.
The clergy, and other members of the order, monks, and the like, who had long been waiting for this, also destroyed the cathedral—which, along with the cathedral on the wide, spacious square of the New Market, stood several houses there remained unburned – to be reformed and have begun to make new arrangements in this and other churches.
The King of Sweden, suspecting that there would be disparate opinions about this sad event that the city had not been seconded in time, issued a manifesto in which he initially cited the Magdeburg expulsion in ipso principio et limine, [ at the very beginning and threshold] and then stated that they were unwilling to pay out considerable sums of money for the new recruitments and similar war necessities, etc., as Chemnitius mentions in the first part of his Swedish War History, fol. 162.
Now after this unspeakable misfortune had befallen this city, formerly the residence of the first German emperor, and the surviving Magdeburgers had been scattered here and there, there was much inquiry from the outsiders, to whom the exiled Magdeburgers had come, as to how it had come about that the city had fallen into such misery and distress, whether it had failed to defend itself or provided the soldiers with adequate provisions so that they could fight, or whether the citizens had become discouraged and run away from the ramparts, or whether they had slept through it, or whether they had been so ungodly that they had to punish God in this way, or how it often happened, etc. One person would cite one reason, another, another reason. In general, however, because there were two parties in the city—one advising and promoting the conjunctures with the Administrator, the other opposing them and, as it were, proclaiming the great disaster to be feared as a result—one party blamed the other and were thus, both before and after the conquest, fiercely opposed to each other. Those who had prophesied the disaster could clearly demonstrate that it happened as they predicted; but the others, who had initiated the plan and brought it about by seducing the common people, blamed those who had not joined in; they would have been good imperialists, would have been in cahoots with them (the Imperials), and even betrayed the state of the city to the enemy, otherwise things would have turned out differently, etc.
This, therefore, is the correct, true course of the conquest of this good city of Magdeburg, which no one, unless the truth is to be reported otherwise, can be opposed to.
Taken from the Geschichte der Belagerung, Eroberung und Zerstörung Magdeburg’s von Otto von Guericke on the Internet Archive https://archive.org/details/geschichtederbel00guer/page/90/mode/2up Translation preparation by the author.
MAGDEBURG
A 'THIRD ROME' ALONGSIDE ROME AND CONSTANTINOPLE
BURIAL PLACE OF OTTO THE GREAT
SURVIVED THE TIHRTY YEARS WAR AND WORLD WAR 2
SARCOPHAGUS EMPEROR OTTO 1 THE GREAT (+973)