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Tales of the Nuremberg Sausage
Firstly it is a little embarrassing having to distinguish between the genuine Nuremberg grilled sausage and the larger Franconian variety. A genuine Nuremberg grilled sausage adheres strictly to its slim figure and weight. It is allowed to weigh up to a maximum of 25 grams in its raw state. Its size, therefore, is such that a fully-grown man can polish off a dozen of them at one session.
A Medieval Specialty
The sale of Nuremberg grilled sausages can be traced back to the first half of the 14th century. They were a particular specialty of the Nuremberg hot food stalls. A decision in favour of the small sausage as opposed to the larger "Franconian" variety came about in the 15th century, and this probably represents the birth of the famous Nuremberg specialty. Since then the Nuremberg sausage has been prepared in accordance with time-honored recipes in the cities historic sausage kitchens. a persistent rumou from that period is that the innkeepers of the 15th century who can be credited with the particular size of the so-called "hyphen sausage". The small size of the sausage made it easier for them to push it through the keyholes of the gates of the Imperial City after curfew, thus circumventing the strict regulations of the authorities.
The Nuremberg Sausage Record
Just how popular the Nuremberg sausage was at that time is illustrated by the following incident: In the Middle Ages the Nuremberg patrician and town judge Hans Stromer was, resulting from"heinous talk and the grave suspicion that he was not loyal to the town" condemned to life imprisonment in the debtor's tower. He was however granted one wish before the heavy iron gate slammed forever shut behind him: He requested that for every day he was in prison he be given two Nuremberg sausages. This was done. In his 38-year term of imprisonment he ate more than 27,000 sausages that the city bailiffs brought to his tower cell! This is a record that no one has since beaten.
The Legend of Eppelein von Gailingen
When the Crusades came to an end in the Middle Ages and the influence of the German Emperor began to wane, knighthood became superfluous. The knights now sat around in their castles living off the rents and taxes paid by the farmers. However, they soon became more and more impoverished. Partly for reasons of pride, partly because opportunities were lacking, they could not adapt to any other profession. Understandably they became extremely angry at the cities and merchants, who were becoming ever wealthier and who, in their eyes, were the reason for their own poverty. With the emperor no longer assisting them, they soon took to raiding merchants' caravans and thus became robber barons. Nuremberg, too, suffered greatly under this new development. Not only in the area to the north known as Franconian Switzerland, but also to the west and south of the city lay many castles belonging to robber barons. The most infamous of them all was Eppelein von Gailingen. The members of the von Gailingen dynasty are referred to in documents as lords of castles in Gunzenhausen near Nuremberg and Illesheim. Historical records have little specific information on von Eppelein himself. However, legends about him abound: In disguise he once stole a golden birdcage from the middle of Nuremberg; on another occasion he is said to have befallen and kissed a wealthy patrician bride on her wedding day. Shortly before his first planned execution he is said to have escaped by making a daring leap with his horse over the moat of Nuremberg castle. Today evidence of this daring event, two hoof prints in the castle wall near the Five-Cornered Tower can still be seen. "The Nurembergers dont hang anyone unless they've already captured him" a joke that is still made all over Germany today. Despite this escape, Eppelein von Gailingen later paid the ultimate price for his misdeeds: In 1381 he was caught near the village of Postbauer, tied to a cart wheel, flogged and then beheaded.
The secret of the deep well
This article is currently only available in German.
Es kursierte das Gerücht, wenn man in den Tiefen Brunnen auf dem Burgberg hinabsteige käme man zu einem Gang, der zum Karlsberg führe, wo Kaiser Karl der Große mit seinem Gefolge wohne. Um dies aufzuklären, beschlossen die Ratsherrn einem zum Tode verurteilten Mann das Leben zu schenken, sollte er es wagen in den Brunnen hinabzusteigen und zum Karlsberg vorzudringen um ihnen Bericht zu erstatten. Froh, sein Leben retten zu können stieg der Mann in den Brunnen hinab, fand ein Loch das in einen langen Gang führte und folgte diesem. Er kam zu einer großen Tür, die offen stand und ihm Einblick in einen prächtigen Saal gewährte, in dessen Mitte Kaiser Karl der Große thronte. Als der Verurteilte entdeckt wurde, musste er schnell flüchten. Er hob schnell einen Edelstein vom Boden auf und eilte zurück zum Brunnen. Wieder oben angekommen berichtete er von seinen Erlebnissen. Nur durch den Edelstein konnte der Mann seine Ehrlichkeit beweisen und ihm wurde sein Leben geschenkt. Hört man heute in der Nacht des ersten Mai im Burgberg Geräusche die wie das Traben von Pferden und das Flüstern von Männerstimmen klingen, so zieht Kaiser Karl durch den Gang, um im Tiefen Brunnen seine Rosse tränken.
The Story of the "Nürnberger Trichter" (Nuremberg Funnel)
The Nuremberg Funnel.
What mortal being, large or small would not be pleased to own a funnel through which he could effortlessly pour into his mind all the wisdom required for life together with all the knowledge required for his profession!
The following story tells us that such a funnel is supposed to have existed. Just like the man who supposedly invented the Nuremberg funnel who did in truth truly recognize the needs of mankind. These words were probably quite justly spoken because wherever the good people of Nuremberg go they are asked over and over again whether they have brought their Nuremberg funnel with them. For many years people have been puzzeling over the Nuremberg funnel and there has been more than one tale about its possible makers. The "Russigen" or "Sooty Ones" as the Nuremberg "Feuerarbeiter", blacksmiths and metal workers were called, are said to have forged the funnel in their fires. Eduard Duller tells us in his Stories and Fairytales for Young and Old from 1834 that the tailor´s son Hans Wurst from Tripsdrill traveled to Nuremberg looking for the much coveted funnel. In the workshop of the elderly master of the "sooty ones" he however learned from a fire salamander that the Astronomer Royal of the King of Utopia had acquired the funnel twenty years earlier. Undeterred Hans Wurst travelled on to the castle of the King of Utopia and although he managed to set eyes on the mysterious funnel he could not acquire it. and much to his dismay was instead thrown into prison. Following his escape he met a dwarf of the Hoerselberg who told him of many wondrous things. And so it came about that although he did not gain possession of the much coveted Nuremberg Funnel, he had however seen and learnt so much and had acquired so much wisdom that he no longer wanted the funnel!
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