Heidelberg and Cochem ()
Of Germany’s estimated 25,000 castles, most of them have stories of violent clashes motivated by divergences over politics, religion and resources. The thick stone walls may have long crumbled, hidden in the woods. Some lucky structures may have been re-mortared and preserved to protect the artifacts within. These estates have been adopted by private owners, maintained by the community that grew up around it or retained by the lines of nobility that managed to hold onto their ancestral castle. Being in Europe, I’m glad to have access to an endless list of these time capsules that are so fascinating to visit.
Landstuhl’s Berg Nanstein
A newcomer to the Kaiserslautern Military Community (KMC) will quickly notice the red-hued ruin of Burg Nanstein above Landstuhl. It is a worth a visit to see the many architectural additions over the years, enjoy the view and have a good meal at the tavern beside it. But the story of the rebellious knight Franz von Sickingen is arguably the most intriguing part of Nanstein’s story. Von Sickingen had been an ally of the Reformation and provided refuge for theologians of the movement, even offering Martin Luther asylum. In a bid to improve the condition of knights, he set his sights on the secularization of power and his target was Richard, the Archbishop-Elector of Trier.
During a series of attacks in 1523 called the Knights’ Revolt, von Sickingen attempted to overtake Trier, one of the oldest cities in Germany. He and his allies were forced to fall back, and von Sickingen fled to Nanstein which suffered bombardment from the Elector’s supporters. He was buried under the rubble of a cannon blast and died of his injuries some days later. The castle was so gravely damaged, that its impressive battery tower lay in ruins. Berg Nanstein had later glory days with repairs and palatial editions by von Sickingen’s descendants but was again pummeled by Elector-Princes during the Thirty Years’ War and then by French troops in 1689. If you look at the stonework up close, you can still see the differences in stone size, mortar and colors where various repairs have been made after assaults.
The city of Heidelberg is charming and impressive all at once, but what is now an idyllic university-filled community was the scene of some of the deepest fissures in European history. In the 17th century, the beginning of the Thirty Years War played out when the owner of Heidelberg Castle, Frederick V of the Palatinate, reluctantly accepted the crown of Bohemia. He was a Protestant amid a mighty religious reckoning between several European ruling parties. His short reign leading Bohemia ended with his battlefield defeat in 1620, hence his title as the Winter King. Heidelberg Castle was left undefended and was captured by the Catholic Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand II’s forces. A further onslaught from the French during the Palatinate War of Succession in 1688 destroyed the fortifications because the French King Louis XIV wanted to eliminate resistance in this region. The mark of this conflict remains to this day in the gaping holes along the skyline of the structure, its windows a ghostly frame of its formerly unblemished grandeur.
The magnificent Cochem Castle today crowns a vineyard-covered hilltop, overlooking a bend in the Moselle River. It was built as a customs castle, or “zollburg” to secure and monitor the river and surrounding area bustling with trades crafters and travelers. Most of what you see today is a 19th-century Gothic revival creation, but the foundations are the remains of a medieval defensive castle. The Palatinate War of Succession brought about the castle’s undoing in 1689 as part of the French campaign to bring the Palatinate to its knees. The French set the castle aflame and then blew it apart. The castle ruins later found luck in the 19th century in the form of the steel and iron magnate Louis Ravené, who extensively renovated it as his summer residence. It is now a must-see in one of the most beautiful Moselle River towns.
This comparatively young and intact castle is actually the third iteration of this symbol of Prussian and southern German power. The first castle was obliterated after nearly a year of ongoing attacks in 1423 by the Swabian League. The Württemberg counts took the castle during the Thirty Years’ War, and the Austrian Hapsburgs followed. It then flipped ownership between the French and Austrians until it was left to the ravages of time in the late 18th century. The only surviving part of the castle from this time is St. Michael’s Chapel, which was expanded. The current towering structure was constructed in the 19th century when King (then Crown Prince) Friedrich Wilhelm IV of Prussia decided the castle should be rebuilt as a glorious Hohenzollern ancestral seat. Wide paths along the castle provide beautiful vistas, a beer garden serves refreshments and glittering displays of royal trappings are shared with visitors. This includes Frederick the Great’s extensive collection of fancy tobacco boxes, of which he was said to own around 300. One tobacco box on display supposedly saved his life on the battlefield because it deflected a bullet from within his jacket, which is also on display. After touring the many rooms, this third version of the castle doesn’t only look like it’s ready for a fight on the outside, but it is protecting a whole other level of magnificence on the inside. Luckily its fighting days full of siege and smoke are behind it, but it does make for a great story.
