Fantastical legends foretelling the Black Plague exist throughout Europe that would leave whole cities without any living. In Munich, Germany, a legend talks about a mysterious black hooded figure at the cemetery of St. Peter’s church being the omen of death. 

When the Black Plague hit Munich in 1349, almost half the population of the city fell victim to it. Some historians claim that the Black Death struck Munich up to 25 times between the mid-14th and late 17th centuries – a period of approximately 350 years. During these years, many legends and tales about what caused it spread.

Read More: Check out all ghostly legends from Germany

One of these legends goes, one evening in 1349, a maid was on her way to her employer’s house on Kaufinger Street, one of the oldest streets in Munich. Today it’s one of the most important high end shopping streets in Munich, but back then, there was no street lighting or paved roads yet, only a narrow path of red bricks for pedestrians along the frontages of the houses. As it was already getting dark, she took a shortcut through the cemetery at Old Peter’s Church.”

St. Peter’s Church: St. Peter’s Church , also known as Peterskirche , is the oldest parish church in Munich . The earliest structure likely dates back to the 12th century, while the Gothic building was consecrated in 1294. Its 91-meter-high tower, popularly called “Old Peter ,” is one of the city’s landmarks. In the 15th century (1487), St. Peter’s also had its own cemetery (“gotzacker”). During the Second World War, the church was so badly damaged that only the stump of the tower and remnants of the choir remained.

As she ran through the graves, she suddenly noticed, in the glow of a small light, a black, ragged figure sitting on a grave. Seized by sudden terror, she ran on, but when she turned around, she saw the figure floating toward her. She hurried on, hearing bony fingers tapping in rhythm. Finally, she reached the merchants’ house, slammed the door shut, and locked it behind her. But there, sitting on the step before her, the black man grinned at her with a pale face: “I am the Black Death.” 

Black Death in Munich: Munich experienced six waves of the plague epidemic from 1349 to 1634. In 1349, the mob spread the false story that the Jews had poisoned the wells and thus caused the plague. “the Jews were burned, slaughtered, dismembered, and otherwise butchered and killed as a result of wicked slander.” Munich merchants maintained good relations with Italian trading cities, especially Venice, as early as the 14th century, making it quite possible that the plague pathogen entered the city via this route.

Soon after, a Munich man was found dead. His body was bruised and misshapen. Following a vague premonition, he was taken to the doctor and he declared the plague had come to the city. A week later, all the inhabitants of the house the maid had run into had died of the plague, which spread from there throughout the entire city. 

The Old Peter Spire: The spire, for example, is slightly twisted. “The story goes that the devil once stormed into the church. The brave watchman beat him with a wooden cross until he was able to drive him away – the building itself probably suffered some damage in the process.” “The devil’s kick is said to have bent the cross.” In reality, under Ludwig II, the cross was turned to prevent the strong westerly winds from bending it further.

In 1349 alone, almost 5,000 Munich residents, half the city’s population, died of the Black Death,  often within just a few days. It is estimated that one in ten inhabitants of what is now Germany died during this pandemic.

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References:

Münchner Mythen: Besondere Geschichten zu bekannten Sehenswürdigkeiten – Ein Überblick 

Kaufingerstraße – Wikipedia 

Serie: Münchner Geheimnisse: Erinnerung an den Schwarzen Tod

Schauriges München: Grusel-Tour durch die Altstadt

München und die ersten Pestjahre

https://www.sueddeutsche.de/muenchen/pest-mittelalter-geschichte-1.4250084

Pest, Pocken, Cholera: München und seine Seuchen