Esenser Bear Sculptures

When the town of Esens was once again besieged by enemy troops in the Middle Ages, a traveling musician and his dancing bear were inside the walls. The fighting lasted for a long time, but the town, fortified with walls, ditches and city gates, defied all attacks. The enemies therefore switched to cutting off supply routes and tried to starve the town out.
When the need was at its greatest and capitulation was only a matter of a few hours, the bear that had been imprisoned until then accidentally broke free, climbed onto the tower of a city gate, roaring with hunger, and threw stones around. The enemies drew the wrong conclusion that the people of Esens
had enough provisions to be able to feed even a bear. They broke off the siege; the town was saved.
In gratitude for this, the bear became the heraldic animal of Esens.