Things have changed in Germany. The country and its people might not yet have gotten over the collective guilt for what Hitler’s unjust regime did, but they are developing a pride in their history with Medieval festivals.
The German pride in their ancient, far reaching history has grown by leaps and bounds. Nowadays, you can find large and small Medieval festivals all through Germany, not only along the Rhine and Neckar, but also in the heart of Germany, in Hessen, where so many ruins of small knight’s fortresses and castles still give testimony to the long and varied history of this beautiful country.
Even though this was the end of September, the weather was lovely for a foray into one such Medieval festival on Sunday, September 23, 07.
As so many people in Germany do, one can ride bikes to the little towns all around. Starting out from Lollar, a small town near Giessen, it’s less than three miles to the tiny hamlet Staufenberg, nestled alongside a small hill. On top of the hill you can see the fortress, the place of this particular Medieval festival, even before you enter the town limits.
The old fortress is now a fancy hotel and restaurant, decked out with old suits of armor, pieces of the original fortress wall, old tapestries and more. The grounds outside, where the Medieval festival was held, however, are still the way they always were, and ruins of fortress walls, evidence of former stables, towers and turrets abound.
Nestled in these beautiful surroundings, on top of the hill overlooking the town, the town fathers put on their particular Medieval festival. As much as possible, those involved in the festival tried to re-create the lifestyle and spirit of life in the Middle Ages. At one little tent, a smith showed the people how to forge iron, at another, the baker’s wife kneaded the dough, while the baker baked the bread in a small outdoors oven heated with coal while you watched, and the merry-go-round had to be pushed by enterprising fathers who wanted their kids to have some fun just like during Medieval festivals of yore. | 
