A triangular stone commemorates the place of justice "Zum Freie Stuhl". Feme courts were held under a tree. The Westphalian Feme developed from the "Freigericht" or the "Freistuhl". It was the successor of the high medieval court of counts.
The border triangle
The stone on a sand hill next to the Boker-Heide Canal on the border of Lipperode, Westenholz and Mastholte still has a special meaning today. The districts of Paderborn, Gütersloh and Soest meet at the "Dreiländereck".
The place steeped in history lies in a wonderful, varied natural landscape. As a beautiful destination, the adjoining restaurant "Zum Freien Stuhl" with its cozy guest rooms and large beer garden invites you to linger.
About what and who was negotiated
In the Middle Ages, only negotiations were held here about or against "free people" as well as counts and other sovereigns. The Gogericht was responsible for dependents and serfs. The task of the Freistuhlgericht was to certify changes in ownership of land, donations, claims and obligations from farm property. Today, this is done by the officially appointed notary. In 1565, the Count of Waldeck was informed of three free chairs from ancient times. They would have belonged to Paderborn, Rietberg and Lippe and belonged to the "Wendish bacon" in Lipperode. This was a piece of land belonging to the people of Wend in a swampy area. The "Freye chair" was mentioned for the last time on May 4, 1771 by Count Philipp Ernst zu Lippe-Alverdissen in a petition to Elector Max Friedrich of Cologne.
Three embossed coats of arms write Westphalian history on the stone. They show the Lippe rose and an eagle with the letters WAGzR (Wenzel August Graf zu Rietberg). The Bavarian lion, the letters CABiP (Clemens August Bishop of Paderborn, he died in 1761) and the year 1757 can be seen in the third diamond coat of arms.