page_title: Zimmern Chronicle
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: Zimmern Chronicle / History
caption_attribution_description: Froben Christoph von Zimmern: Zimmerische Chronik (1. Band der Reinschrift), Meßkirch 1566, Papier, 407 Bl., 39 x 28 cm Württembergische Landesbibliothek Stuttgart, Cod. Don. 580a Abbildung: Seite 33 der Handschrift, Zeichnung wohl aus einer Nachfolgewerkstatt des Meisters von Meßkirch
context_page_description: The Zimmern Chronicle is a family chronicle describing the lineage and history of the noble family of Zimmern, based in Meßkirch, Germany. It was written in a Swabian variety of Early New High German by Count Froben Christoph of Zimmern. The chronicle is an eminent historical source of information about 16th century nobility in South-West Germany, its culture and its values. It is also an important literary and ethnological source for its many folkloristic texts. The text has survived in two manuscripts, both in possession of the Württembergische Landesbibliothek in Stuttgart.
context_section_description: In 1540, Froben Christopher had written the genealogical "Liber rerum Cimbriacarum" whose structure shows many resemblances to the later work.
  The beginnings of the chronicle as we know it today lie probably in the year 1559, and it was not even finished at Froben Christopher's death in 1566.
  Two manuscripts were written by secretary Johannes Müller at Froben Christopher's chancellery at Meßkirch Castle:
  Manuscript A (Cod. Don. 581): 296 sheets, probably started by Müller as a fair copy. Many later corrections by Froben Christopher, some sheets and illustrations removed. Probably eventually used as a draft copy for manuscript B.
  Manuscript B (Cod. Don. 580): 1567 pages (divided in two volumes since 1792, hence also known as B1/B2), illustrated with 43 images of coats of arms, a picture of a flag bearer and three ornamental pages.
  With the Zimmern family expiring with the death of Froben Christopher's only male heir Wilhelm von Zimmern as early as 1594, the work never materialized as the memorial and textbook that it was originally intended to become. The chronicle manuscripts eventually wound up in the possession of the counts of  Fürstenberg, probably via Appolonia von Helfenstein, a daughter of Froben Christopher's. The books were stored for nearly four centuries in the Fürstenbergische Hofbibliothek at Donaueschingen, until that library was sold and scattered by the princes of Fürstenberg for financial reasons in 1993. Since 1993, the manuscripts are in possession of the Wurttemberg State Library (Württembergische Landesbibliothek) in Stuttgart.
caption: Illustration from manuscript B
exif: {}