Conciliation crosses in Merschwitz
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Conciliation crosses in Merschwitz and Hohe Straße
Erecting conciliation crosses (also known as roadside cross or penitence cross) was widespread in the Middle Ages. They were erected as atonement for crimes committed, but also to commemorate tragic events in which people had lost their lives.
Conciliation crosses are monuments of medieval law. They were part of penitential agreements concluded between two hostile parties to end a blood feud over a murder or manslaughter.
The three conciliation crosses in Merschwitz date from around 1580 and are made of sandstone. They are located on the Hohe Straße, one of the most important trade routes in the Middle Ages, which led to Breslau. Legend has it that three maids, returning from a dance in Goltzscha, were attacked here by the shepherd of the Naundörfchen manor and killed out of jealousy or spurned love. That is why they are also known as the “Three Maidens”.
The majority of conciliation crosses are designed in the shape of a cross, and often the murder weapon or a tool typical of the victim's profession is carved into the stone. In very rare cases, dates are carved into the stone. There is no text on any genuine penitential cross from the 13th to 16th centuries. The simple farmer would not have been able to read it anyway, which is why pictorial representations dominated.
With the introduction of Emperor Charles V's Halsgerichtsordnung (criminal court order) in 1533, private agreements were no longer tolerated and were replaced by the ordinary courts, which sentenced offenders according to the new law. Although these conciliation settlements, known in German as Sühneverträge, were officially abolished, they continued into the 16th century depending on local custom; it was not until the 17th century that they finally disappeared.
Source: www.suehnekreuz.de
Hohe Straße
The Hohe Straße was one of the most important long-distance roads in the Middle Ages. It was first mentioned in documents in 1219 and 1241, but is likely to have been known and used as a long-distance road as early as the 10th century. The main towns along its route were Frankfurt, Fulda, Salzungen, Eisenach, Gotha, Erfurt, Naumburg, Merschwitz, Großenhain, Radeburg, Könisgbrück, Kamenz, Bautzen, Görlitz, and Breslau. In Boritz, it crossed the Elbe ford.
The ford between Boritz and Merschwitz was one of the oldest and most important Elbe crossings since time immemorial. Merschwitz and Boritz were trading posts for long-distance traffic and customs offices in the imperial road system, and thus guaranteed and continuous sources of income. The Boritz castle ward opposite, and later the castle, offered merchants safe protection.
In exchange for a fee, merchants were given an escort to protect them from raids, which were not uncommon. Until the 18th century, Merschwitz was a transshipment and distribution point, particularly for the salt trade.
