How the Nazis exploited the legend of the faithful women of Weinsberg. скачать в хорошем качестве

How the Nazis exploited the legend of the faithful women of Weinsberg.

In the small town of Weinsberg in southern Germany, a medieval legend was born — the story of the Faithful Women of Weinsberg. It is a tale of loyalty, wit, and courage, dating back to the 12th century, and it remains one of the most famous episodes in regional history. The year is 1140. Germany is divided by the struggle between the Hohenstaufen dynasty, known as the Staufers, and the rival Welfs. In December of that year, King Conrad the Third laid siege to Weinsberg Castle, a stronghold held by Welf supporters. After fierce resistance, the fortress surrendered. The fate of its defenders seemed sealed. According to legend, King Conrad allowed the women of the defeated town to leave freely, carrying whatever possessions they could bear. The women agreed — but their idea of what counted as a possession would surprise everyone. When the gates opened, each woman walked out not with treasure or clothing, but with her husband slung across her shoulders. By carrying their men, they spared their lives, because Conrad’s promise had to be honored. The king is said to have admired their cunning loyalty, declaring that a king should honor even a trick played in good faith. This act earned the women eternal fame as the Treue Weiber von Weinsberg — the Faithful Women of Weinsberg. Over centuries, poets, painters, and historians celebrated the story as a symbol of devotion and bravery. The event embodies not only medieval chivalry but also the power of wit and solidarity. Even now, Weinsberg remembers. At the castle ruins, known as Weibertreu, visitors can walk through the Women’s Gate, the place where the wives once carried their husbands to freedom. Local traditions and annual commemorations keep the story alive to this day. It should therefore come as no suprise that the National Socialist Women's organisation sought to exploit this story for their own benefit. Gertrud Scholtz-Klink, the first lady of the Third Reich, head of the Nationalsozialistische Frauenschaft, attempted to make a national shrine at Weinsberg to the faithful devotion of German women to their men at this location - but Goebbels did not bite. In this walk around video, I attempt to tell the story.