The "Devil's Pulpit" in the Spreepark in Neusalza-Spremberg
Before the Thirty Years' War (1618-1648) lived on the manor OberSpremberg - the city of Neusalza was not yet founded - a universal
respected owner. He was a just and courageous man. Also his wife
was goodness itself and alleviated many a hard fate. It was autumn again, and
the old shepherd of the estate named Gotthelf grazed as always with his
two dogs the flock of sheep entrusted to him. As it is an exceptional
If it was a nice day, he decided to go outside with his animals at night too
to graze the meadow near today's Spreepark and in his
Shepherd's cart to stay overnight. The full moon shone brightly down the hallways.
That night the old shepherd had an experience such as he had in his long
life had not yet occurred. He had laid down to rest. There
he was suddenly awakened by a bright glow. A fireball darted behind
past the old elm where he had parked his cart and disappeared
immediately in the nearby forest. The clock in the Spremberg church tower has just struck
twelfth hour. With the sleep it was now completely over. He pondered until
Tomorrow what that means. When it got light, he went to
Walde and looked to see if anything of the fiery sign was still visible. He
was less than fifty steps into the forest, today's Spreepark,
entered, when suddenly an eerie noise resounded, just as if
a strong storm was about to break out. It roared more and more, nevertheless
no branches moved in the forest. The old man's hair rose on end, he
didn't know whether to go on or run back. However, he composed himself
a heart and proceeded cautiously. Then he felt as if the roaring in front of him
retreated. Suddenly he saw a fiery glow, and in the middle it stood
Devil incarnate! Gotthelf collapsed unconscious from the shock
together.
Early on the squire found his shepherd guarded by the dogs in the grass
lying. He took him home and told his wife everything. so
they both waited for the old man to open his eyes again and to himself
would come When Gotthelf opened his eyes, he first asked about his herd and
his dogs. Then he fell back into a restless sleep, from which he
confused speeches again and again startled. Soon he spoke of a ball of fire,
soon by the devil amid fiery embers. His sheep had one that day
look after another servant. The old man couldn't do it. As Gotthelf am
When he came to himself in the afternoon, he had to tell the squire everything that
happened that night, he was sent home. There pondered
However, he constantly follows up on the nightly incident. Because he couldn't find peace
In the evening he went to his friend Christoph, the shepherd of the neighboring village
Manor of Nieder-Friedersdorf. The way there led through the Spreepark, there
the current road to the neighboring towns did not yet exist at that time. He had to
back past the stones where he had seen the bad guy in the night