Stone Crosses on the Old Rennweg

On the old trade route you come across the Stone Cross with the following Latin inscription: “SUB HOC SANCTO SIGNO PROTE GENS DOMINE” (English: Under this holy sign, God protects the people).

“Each of these crosses can tell its own story and what prompted people to erect “their” cross at this point. (...) These wayside crosses were erected as visible signs and attract the attention of many people. The cross is a symbol of life. It stands as a sign of our Christian hope and wants to direct our gaze to Jesus Christ, who has overcome death (...). The cross is part of our life as it was in the life of Jesus.
So I wish that many people … visit the crosses, whether as places of stillness and breathing space before God, whether as places for community gatherings, prayer and praise to God.”
(Text source: Dean Rainald M. Ollig
in: “Crossroads. Small sacred monuments as a sign of popular piety")

Impressive: The stone cross made of sandstone
It symbolizes a tree. The bulbous trunk below, whose shell-like decoration is symbolically reminiscent of the root system, then tapering upwards into the arms and tip of the cross, the ends of which are shaped like leaves. The center of the cross is adorned with a kind of petal, in the middle of which the Frankish rake is visible through its sublimity. The letters MR or MB can be read on it. This center is framed by a Latin inscription on the crossbar of the cross: Under this holy sign, protect us, Lord!
The number 1773 written on the stem of the cross indicates the year it was made.
Something special!

Not far from the large stone cross is a small round cross. The small cross is simply worked. Also made of sandstone, but short, almost without trunk, it opens its arms just above the base, which end rounded like the cross tip.
The S crossed by a vertical line above the year 1617, which is emblazoned in the middle, is striking.
The S with a vertical line is reminiscent of the snake-encircled staff, which is a symbol of the medical and pharmacist profession. Perhaps it was a call for help to survive the plague that had come to Germany and had already killed many people in neighboring towns, such as Nidda in Hesse? What do you all mean?