The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1872-02-02
MistellaneOns Selections.
For the Fremont Journal.
LETTER FROM GERMANY.
NO. "
BERLIN, November %, III.

Before leaving Rudolstadt, ]
though it necessary to make little
excursion to this old ruin. This is
really the best kept ruin (unused) !
have found in my wanderings. The
road, the best I have ever met, leads
through beautiful valleys, along
lively brooks, and through rich fields
aud pretty nesting villages, and in
two hours you stand at the foot of
a steep limest one rock 1854 # high
on the top ofwhich stands the well
preserved Castle Ehrenstein. A
deep trench over which formerly the
portcullis closed, separates this
part from the neighboring mountain
chain. The old castle road many
year past, made alive by steel clad
knights and gay danes on richly
accoured steeds, is sill plainly vis-
ible, winding around the mountain
between rows Of walnut and oak
trees. The castle was erected in
1874, by the rich Earl of Gleichen,
but soon fell into the hands of the
Earls of Schwarzburg. In 1852 the
castle passed, as marriage dover,
with Anna, daughter Of Guenther,
who married Ludwig of Gleichen,
again into the hands of the Gleichen
family. Since then the castle has
passed through many changes of
ownership, plumber aud fire, until it
fell out of repair so that it was only
inhabited by government officials,
who in turn were compelled to aban-
don it in n1767.
sAALFELD.
A very interesting trip can be
made to this strange old city, in a
four mile walk through the villages
Of Bumbach and Preilipp, along the
foot of an interesting mountain
chain on the left bank of the river
Saale, through a beautiful valley of
fields and meadow lamb. We soon
came in sight of the new railroad just
completed, and the great event was
being celebrated by speeches, music,
and cannon firing, and all other
kinds of merry making, in which the
German pleasure God, "Beer" con-
tributed the greatest share. There
was also the garlanded, flower COW
cred locomotive" the bringer of
new energies, progress and wealth,
one could almost imagine scowl
on the face of the old "Sorbenburg"
in close proximity, at the infringe
ment of its long held power and in
terest. But the first thing of wonder
and interest is
THE OLD STONE BRIDGE,
Which was commenced in the
yesr 963, and required seven years
Of steady labor to complete it. The
Earl of Schwarzburg improved it in
1879. and added the st. Geh ilfen
chapel, ornamented or surmounted
by a stone carving of the Holy Kun
merness on the cross. The latter
and nearly all of the first, remains
to this day, and is with its connec-
ting legend of much interest to the
traveller. The tradition is as fol-
lows: A young lady "Kuemmerniss"
daughter of a Heather King, was
converted to Christianity, by the
great Bonefacius, which incensed
her father so much that he had his
daughter thrown in'o deep dun
geon, and afterward nailed to the
cross. But in her prison appeared
the Lord, who babtized and gave
her his own form. To a Lutte player
at her feet, who endeavored to sooth
her suferings, by song and music,
she cast her golden slipper, in ac-
acknowledgement of his devotion. The
above picture represents this holy
woman in a mans form nailed to the
cross-the Lutte player at her feet.
The picture turned out to be quite
a profitable speculation, as thousands
of pilgrims came yearly from all
parts of the world to be healed and
blessed by this picture.
The bridge was much injured dur
ing the thirty-year war, in 1900, and