Klaus Störtebeker

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
"Störtebeker" redirects here. For the aircraft, see Junkers Ju 388. For the brewery, see Störtebeker Braumanufaktur.
Störtebeker
Reconstruction of head from skull ascribed to Störtebeker
Born1360
Wismar, Hanseatic League
Diedassumed 20 October 1401 (aged 40–41)
assumed Hamburg
Cause of deathexecution by beheading
Other namesStorzenbecher
Occupation(s)merchant, privateer, violent entrepreneur
Years activeassumed 1392–1401
Skull ascribed to Störtebeker, found in 1878
court jester of emperor Maximilian I by Daniel Hopfer
, which is often erroneously identified as a portrait of Klaus Störtebeker
The summary execution of Störtebeker, 1401; tinted woodcut tby Nicolaus Sauer, Hamburg, 1701 (Hamburger Staatsarchiv)
Störtebeker memorial in Hamburg.

"Nikolaus" Storzenbecher or "Klaus" Störtebeker (1360 – supposed 20 October 1401) was reputed to be leader of a group of

Latin: victualia) were originally hired during a war between Denmark and Sweden to fight the Danish and supply the besieged Swedish capital Stockholm with provisions. After the end of the war, the Victual Brothers continued to capture merchant vessels for their own account and named themselves "Likedeelers" (literally: equal sharers).[1] Recent studies manifest that Störtebeker was not called "Klaus" but "Johann".[2]

Biography

A large number of myths and legends surround the few facts known about Störtebeker's life. His name is both a nickname and a surname, meaning "empty the mug with one gulp" in

nom de guerre
.

Born in the Baltic port of

Gödeke Michels, Hennig Wichmann and Magister Wigbold) captured Hanseatic ships, irrespective of their origin.[3]

Störtebeker had a stronghold in

Keno ten Broke (c. 1310–1376). A tower bearing his name (Störtebekerturm) still exists at the Evangelical Lutheran Marienkirche in Marienhafe.[4]
[5]

Legend

According to legend, in 1401, a

senate of Hamburg asked the executioner if he was not tired after all this, but he replied he could easily execute the whole of the senate as well. For this, he himself was sentenced to death and executed by the youngest member of the senate.[6]

According to other legends, when Störtebeker's ship was found, the masts contained a core of gold (one of gold, one of silver, and one of copper). This was used to create the tip of St. Catherine's church in Hamburg. His famous drinking cup was stored in the town hall of Hamburg, until it was destroyed in the great fire of 1842.[7]

Recent events have suggested it is more likely that Störtebeker and his crew died in 1400. A bill for digging graves for 30 Victual Brothers dated to this year survives in the Hamburg records. This would also suggest the story that Störtebeker was sentenced to death with 70 other privateers is at least misleading; at minimum, he certainly was buried with 30 other men. The year 1400 also excludes the involvement of Simon of Utrecht and the ship Bunte Kuh [de] ("Colorful Cow"), since the records show the ship was not completed until 1401. In fact, the Hanseatic fleet that attacked Störtebeker was commanded by Hermann Langhe (also Lange) and Nikolaus Schoke (Nicoalus Schocke), who set sail for Heligoland in August 1400, and the course of the battle is not described by any reliable sources.[8]

Appearance

No authentic portrait of Störtebeker is known. An etching made by Fifteenth century German artist

court jester of Emperor Maximilian I. However, a tentative reconstruction of Störtebeker's appearance has been made using a skull alleged to be his. This skull, displayed at the museum since 1922, was stolen in January 2010.[9] In March 2011 it was found by the police.[10]

Memorials and legacy

Novels, TV, and beer

Störtebeker is mentioned in several Apothecer Melchior books by Estonian writer Indreg Hargla


Stortebeker is the name of the leader of the youth gang The Dusters in the novel

Gunter Grass
.

The character of Klaus Störtebeker has appeared in various recent publications including Die Vitalienbrüder: Ein Störtebeker Roman. a German language novel by

ISBN 978-3-356-00658-2
)

Störtebeker was portrayed on television by Ken Duken in Störtebeker, a 2006 miniseries. He was also the subject of a 2007 documentary and of the feature-length movie 12 Paces Without a Head, in the making in 2008.[14][15]

The German brewery Störtebeker Braumanufaktur chose their name as a homage to Störtebeker.

References

  1. ^ Piraten in Norddeutschland (Birgit Bachmann und Stefan R. Müller) Archived 2013-02-10 at archive.today
  2. ^ Hamburger Abendblatt about research and an exhibition questioning the identity
  3. ^ Die Vitalienbrüder, eine Freie Kompanie im Ostseeraum (kriegsreisende.de)
  4. ^ Störtebekerturm (Störtebeker Tower)
  5. ^ Turmmuseum im Störtebekerturm. Ostfriesland Tourismus
  6. ^ Klaus Störtebeker (stoertebekers-teestube.de)
  7. ^ "The big fire - Hamburg 1842 (ksfhh.de)". Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2015-03-11.
  8. ISBN 978-3-593-34525-3
    .
  9. ^ "Hamburg Searching for Plundered Pirate Skull". Spiegel Online International. January 21, 2010. Retrieved 2010-01-21.
  10. ^ "Polizei stellt gestohlenen Störtebeker-Schädel sicher". Hamburger Abendblatt. March 17, 2011.
  11. ^ "Das Störtebeker-Denkmal in Marienhafe (Touristinformation Brookmerland)". Archived from the original on 2016-03-24. Retrieved 2015-03-11.
  12. ^ "Störtebeker Freilichtspiele (Touristinformation Brookmerland)". Archived from the original on 2017-09-14. Retrieved 2015-03-11.
  13. ^ Stoertebekerland Official Website
  14. ^ Störtebeker (moviepilot)
  15. ^ Nicholas Kulish (November 6, 2008). "Germans revive a legendary pirate". NY Times.

Other sources

External links
  1. JSTOR 29542662
    .
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Klaus_Störtebeker&oldid=1189907827"