On Wednesday, September 21, all of the international students at Leuphana University were invited to a reception at the Lüneburg town hall. There, we were officially welcomed to Lüneburg by the mayor (!), who also told us some more about the history of the town we now call home.
The earliest records of Lüneburg date from 956 A.D. in a document bearing the prestigious signature of Otto I, then emperor of Germany. Lüneburg is a special place for many reasons. It was a prominent city in the Hanseatic League (a northern European trade union in the Middle Ages) because of its salt works. Known as "white gold," salt was extremely valuable, as it was the only means of preserving food. Lüneburg became rich through the salt trade, and for a time was granted the right to stamp coins. The city's riches served it well in many ways. One was protection. As Sören put it, "When armies showed up waving their swords and threatening to destroy stuff, Lüneburg paid them and they went away without wrecking anything." Another was architecture. The three churches that dominate the skyline, as well as the magnificent Rathaus complex, all resulted from the salt trade prosperity.
Lüneburg is also one of the first places to abandon the Middle Ages' feudalistic government. The town citizens actually revolted and chased their lord away, then set up their own government founded primarily on virtue and religion (as exhibited in their town hall).
Finally, the mayor pointed out how special Lüneburg's market is. Held every Wednesday and Saturday in the square outside the Rathaus, the market is an opportunity for people to buy fresh produce, yes, but more importantly to talk to one another. The mayor repeatedly emphasized the importance of face-to-face, personal interaction in his address to us.
A guided tour of the Rathaus followed the mayor's welcome. Unfortunately, photography was strictly prohibited, but the flyer at the link below gives a good illustration of the layout and the history inside.
http://www.lueneburg.de/Portaldata/1/Resources/lgm_dateien/lgm_dokumente/tourismus_stadt/prospekte/Rathausflyer_2010_101109.pdf
Our first stop on the tour was the exhibit of the town treasure in the Cloth Hall, the oldest part of the complex. During the high point of Lüneburg's wealth, the townspeople would commission elaborate silver goblets, basins, and the like from town craftsman, and give them as gifts to the city council. Over time, these items were melted and formed into currency to placate attacking armies, or simply sold as they were. Only 33 pieces remain of what once was truly a treasure trove, and those are kept in a Berlin museum. The originals very rarely return to Lüneburg; the pieces on display for us were replicas.
From there, we moved on to the Fürstensaal (Princes' Hall). Still used for city government events today, the large room remains an engineering marvel. The ceiling is supported entirely from above, so no pillars stand in the middle of the floor. The room was once known as the Tanzsaal (Dancing Hall), but was renamed when it was repainted with figures of prominent nobility. The room was lit naturally, by large windows, and by 364 candles, one for each day of the year. Well, each day except Good Friday, the darkest of days when even the salt works shut down (the rest of the year, the salt industry worked 24 hours per day).
Our next stop was the Gerichtslaube (literally, the Alcove of Justice). The original floor, made from porcelain and gypsum tiles, has been covered by a glass platform so visitors can stand in the center of the room without damaging it. On one end is a mural showing Jesus Christ seated on a rainbow (a symbol of justice), with his feet on the world (shown as a round ball), with a lily and a sword (peace and justice) corresponding to his mouth. Across the room is a large stained glass window showing The Nine Worthies - nine kings (three Jewish, three Christian, and three pagan) - presiding over the court room. Among the kings are King David (with a harp on his shield), Julius Ceasar (his shield bears an imperial eagle identifying him as an emperor, even though he never displayed one when he ruled - the eagle is a custom from the Middle Ages), and Charlemagne.
We visited the scribe's office, complete with filing cabinets. Also adorning the walls and windows were torture and punishment implements and swords used for executions. The final room we visited was decorated with incredibly intricate wood carvings on all four walls, and especially around the three doorways. The artist commissioned with the work took four years to complete it. The carvings were inspired by Biblical accounts and traditional virtues (peace, justice, etc.). One doorway depicts Noah's sacrifice after exiting the Ark, featuring the Lüneburg skyline in the background. Another carving shows King Solomon's judgement of the two women quarreling over a child (1 Kings 3:16-28). The Nine Worthies are also present in this hall, as it was used for court sessions after the Gerichtslaube became too small. This final room is one of few that face north, because it was built with clear glass in the windows. The use of colored glass in previous construction dictated that the windows needed a sunny exposure.
Lüneburg's Rathaus is considered among the finest in Germany, and it was certainly a privilege to be given such a wonderful tour. Again, I was struck by the wealth of history Europe in general and Lüneburg in particular possesses, as well as the great pride the people here take in their city and the history all around them. I'm so very blessed to be a part of it.
Cool stuff!
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