1348-00-00-Lübeck
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| Date startStart date of the disease. | 1348 | + |
| Date endEnd date of the disease. | + | |
| SeasonSeason (spring, summer, fall or winter) | ||
| Date otherOther mentioned dates. | ||
| PlacePlace(s), city or location of the disease. | Lübeck, Magdeburg | |
| RegionHistorical region(s) | ||
| CountryCurrent country | ||
| RiverMentioned river(s) | ||
| Natural eventMentioned natural event(s) | ||
| PersonMentioned persons(s) | ||
| GroupGroup(s) of people mentioned | ||
| VictimIndication of victims | + | |
| AnimalMentioned animal(s) | ||
| DiseaseMentioned disease(s) | Plague | |
| Epidemic waveAssociated epidemic wave | ||
| Social responseSocial response that happened in reaction to the disease | God | |
| LanguageLanguage of the original text | German | |
| KeywordFurther keyword(s) | Astrology, Jews, Mortality, Poisoning, Solar eclipse | |
| last edited | 23. 12. 2025 by EpiMedDat-Bot. |
The Master Johan Dannekowe explains the great plague in Magdeburg and Lübeck by a conjunction and a solar eclipse. In addition, the Jews were accused of poisoning people during this time.
Text originalOriginal text
666. In deme sulven jare schref mester Johan Dannekowe, de wiseste mester in der kunst astronomia, de to den tyden in Dudeschen landen was, von deme stervende van Meydeborch to Lubeke sinen sunderliken vrunden. he schref: 'wetet van der suke des stervendes, als my dunket, dat de sake desser suke was unde is en eclipsis des manen, de dar was vor der samelunghe der planeten Jovis unde Saturni in deme jare Godes 1345 an unser vrowen nacht in der vastene der bodescap, unde was an deme negheteynden daghe des Merten, an der nacht dar na des sulven jares, unde was desse eclipsis an dem mynsliken (p. 514) tekene, als an deme tekene, dat de libra eder de waghe heited, unde de ascendens des halven eclipsis was des scorpionis tzaghel. dor der stede willen betekende de eclipsis over mynslike slechte unde dor des ascendens willen, dar de planete Mars here over is, betekent he mordent unde sukent, unde na wane dor des schorpionis tzaghels willen betekent he vorghift; unde wente desse vorsproken eclipsis was an der tiid der sammelunghe der grotesten planeten Saturni unde Jovis, als hir vor sproken is, wente se beide warn in deme sulven enen grade, dar umme betekent he langhe warenden anval, als de hoghe mester Ptolomeus sprekt in deme boke quadriperto. mer ik hope, dat Almania van desser betekenunghe nicht vele liden schal, wente aries dat teken is over Almanien, unde Mars de planeta, de dar here is over dat teken aries, was here des ascendentis desses eclipsis. 667. Nu hadden ok de joden grote mestere in der sulven kunst astronomia, de langhe vorgheseen hadden de tiid des stervendes. Do ghewunnen de joden arghe danken, unde wurden des to rade, dat se mit vorghifnisse hemeliker sake unde mit arghen dinghen tolegheden unde hulpen desseme vorbenomenden tokomenden stervende, uppe dat se dar nicht ane vordacht worden unde wolden sik vryen van der eghenscap, dar se inne syn. nu wolde Ghod, dat dit to wetene wart den mechtighen heren in den landen unde den guden steden; de worden des to rade, dat se de undat wreken wolden an den joden, unde sloghen se in manighen landen unde in menigher stat to dode.
Text translationEnglish translation of the text
666. In the same year (1348), Master Johan Dannekowe, the wisest master in the art of astronomy in the German lands at the time, wrote to his special friends about the plague that affected Magdeburg and Lübeck. He wrote: “Be aware of the cause of this plague, as I see it, which was an eclipse of the moon that occurred before the conjunction of the planets Jupiter and Saturn in the year of our Lord 1345, on the night of the Annunciation of Our Lady, during Lent, on the 29th day of March, and the following night of the same year. This eclipse happened in a human sign, namely in the sign of Libra (the Scales), and the ascendant of the partial eclipse was in the sting of Scorpio. Due to its position, the eclipse signified harm to humanity, and due to the ascendant, which is ruled by the planet Mars, it signifies death and disease, and furthermore, due to the influence of Scorpio's sting, it signifies poison. Because this mentioned eclipse occurred at the time of the conjunction of the great planets Saturn and Jupiter, as was spoken of before, since they both were in the same degree, it therefore indicates a prolonged assault, as the great master Ptolemy speaks of in the book Quadripartite. However, I hope that Germany will not suffer greatly from this omen, since Aries is the ruling sign over Germany, and Mars, the planet that governs Aries, was in the position of the ascendant for this eclipse. 667. Now, the Jews also had great masters in the same art of astronomy, who had foreseen the time of the plague long before. Then, the Jews developed evil intentions and decided to add to the impending plague by means of poison and wicked deeds, to avoid being blamed for it themselves and to free themselves from the distress they were in. But God willed that this knowledge came to the attention of the powerful lords in the lands and the good cities, who resolved to take revenge for this evil on the Jews, and they put many to death in numerous lands and various cities.”
