THE URBAN LEGEND OF HAMELIN

Back in 2016, I visited German city of Hamelin or just Hammeln, as it is known in local language. It amazed me with its colorful architecture and picturesque landscape. If you asked me then, I would end up living there with no second thought. The small town kissed by history, embraced in hope and trendy vibes, all I need for my happiness. Shortly, it was just shaped according my measure.

The first wonder was dark tale that is surrounding this ancient city for centuries. I am sure you are all very familiar with the Fairy Tales Route across our Germany but the Hammeln is more than just the location of the urban legend, it is the silent observer of the catastrophe that happened here in 1284. So, yes, this is not just some odd but cute town in Weserberg region but the place of the Pied Piper legend.

This town is proud but at the same time sad about the children exodus from 13th century. During the spring and summer months, the theatre perform the story alive on the backstage and try to portray the tragic event from the old history of Hammeln. What we do know so far is that? You would think it is a reflection of Brothers Grimm spooky book “The German legends” but the fact is that Hamelin has a face that is in scars and pain. The people have never ever forgotten the collective los and reminded daily each others what greed is about and which consequences had on the life of the Hammeln.

The narration brings us back to the time when the rats danced around, spreading disease, fear and panic. It was dark age, with the light that was no promising. Everyone seemed to be the architect of the own downfall. So many social moths and just sometimes beautiful butterfly that end up dying on the first happy sun-ray. It was the tough period and only those who are tougher could have survived but not those innocent 130 children that have been simply vanished.

No, they haven’t been kidnapped by rats but they have been gone with the wind or with the Pied Piper. The legend is sure that the mysterious whistler saved the city from the rat plague because he had so seductive song. The man arrived and led all rats from Hammeln into the direction of river Weser. The music he made with his silber flute made the animals being like in a trance and following him into the final death. The town has been free but not the whistler, who was on the target of the political authority. Instead of paying him and cherishing him for help, the greedy politicians made a stigma about him. The Council didn’t pay anything and they ran him out of town, being satisfied with the decisions. We need to understand that those years were the years of alchemy, darkness and magic but also the time of church fighting enemies all the way long, including innocents. However, our Pied Piper hasn’t been one of those fearful and weak people. He came back to punish the town council and take from them the most vulnerable- children. His enchanting music brought them all away from homes and close to the mountains of Koppenberg that they, based on the urban legends, they have been gone. Only two kids have been found but one blind and the other dumb. Not enough to follow the trace and find out the truth.

The colorful dressed Rattenfänger figure inspired historical scientists for years and all over the world . Who was he and what was his purpose ? There are some who claim he was from another dimension, the angel of justice and revenge. There are also those who believe that there is logical reason for his project at that period of time:”The theories are legion, according to Wibke Reimer, project coordinator at the Hameln Museum who has been organising a special exhibit  that focuses on the global reach of the Pied Piper legend. One of the leading current theories suggests the town’s youth were part of a migration of Germans to Eastern Europe fuelled by an economic depression.’ In this scenario,’ Reimer said, ‘the Pied Piper played the role of a so-called locator or recruiter. They were responsible for organising migrations to the east and were said to have worn colourful garments and played an instrument to attract the attention of possible settlers.’”

So, many scientists state that those vanished youth emigrated to Transylvania but the German linguist Jurgen Udolph has the theory that the children have been moved in the direction of Berlin. It was found many Hammeln family names in the region of Uckermark and Prignitz, that have been center of colonization after making them free from Danes.

The mythical Pied Piper has been also seen through the eyes of medical researcher. They share their studies that actually those kids died in the terrible outbreak and were buried in the common grave. The links to the rats and pipes are just reflection of the dangerous illness that killed the half of the Europe. Some are sure that St. Vitus dance has been responsible for this hysterical behavior but still no enough evidence. These are all suggestions, ideas , possible explanations but none of them is accurate and confirmed. I am afraid they will never be.

Why is the June 26th known as the day of children exodus into the unknown realm? This day is also the beginning of midsummer. You know what usually happened during those feasts ? It was fire and celebration, mostly on the hills . Maybe our whistler brought the youth to the celebration on the hills and some accident occurred. Who knows. There are so many options but the story is famous from Tasmania to Togo, as someone said . The Pied Piper was the mythical figure or he might be the real person who fought for justice in his own way. What if he was recruiter and wanted to animate young people for join the battle for Holy Land or just some funny whistler who fooled the town ? So many things that are controversial but the Hamelin itself remain wonderful, peaceful and dreamy. When you are there , the whole history of heritage merge with the urban culture and the cool vibes. We would never think that Pied Piper wrote the destiny of this special city and put it into the book of unforgettable places.