The Rothstein near Sohland grants one of the most beautiful distant views that the Upper Lusatian Mountains offer; it resembles a magnificent rampart laid out in the shape of a horseshoe, with the opening facing south and the curve facing north. The low western hilltop is called the Georgenberg and bears the ruins of an old chapel dedicated to St. George. It was held in high esteem in the Middle Ages, but suddenly fell into ruin as a result of an atrocity committed there. The cause was as follows. On the eastern crest of the mountain stood a castle that belonged to the Knights of Rothstein. But he was a feared robber baron, and his activities soon brought it to the point that the chapel was no longer visited by anyone. Once, from the window of his castle, he saw a carriage accompanied by richly dressed servants driving down the country road, and since a large part of his people were out on a raid, he could only hope by cunning to make a lucky catch. So putting on a pilgrim's robe and making himself as unrecognizable as possible, he descended the mountain and went to the house of a farmer, in front of whom the carriage had stopped. He pretended that he was coming from distant lands and wanted to make a pilgrimage to the Georgenkapelle for a vow, and he also succeeded in persuading the owner of the carriage, a distinguished Polish noblewoman who was on a journey through Germany after the death of her husband cause to join the pilgrimage to the nearby mountains. In order to make everyone quite safe, he took the farmer with him as a guide, and so they climbed the mountain only accompanied by one of the lady's servants. Arrived at the chapel, he easily managed to lure the unsuspecting peasant aside and murder him, and some of his servants, who were lying hidden near the chapel, easily seized the stranger and dragged her up the Rothstein, but the servant girl escaped them by the swiftness of her feet, rushed down to the village, and made a noise. Some of the knights who happened to be present were asked by her to free their mistress and decided, if possible, to take the robbed castle by raid. They also succeeded because the garrison was not in the castle to break in, the knight and the few servants who were upstairs , fell after desperate resistance, but the noble lady did not find them - the villain had probably murdered them. Inflamed with anger they set fire to the robber's nest, and it collapsed in ruins, and in its fall buried the treasure-filled underground chambers. Since that time the Georgenkapelle has been fearfully avoided by everyone, it has fallen into disrepair, and it is said that at night there is a tumult and whimpering within it. The wailing is said to be caused by the unfortunate lady, but the ghostly figure that has been seen from time to time is said to be the spirit of the robber baron, who finds no rest anywhere, not even in the chapel.
Source: Grässe Legends Treasure of the Kingdom of Saxony
Translated by Google •
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