Magdeburg
From EpiMedDat
In Magdeburg, a total of 15 epidemic events are known so far. It is a federated state capital city of Saxony-Anhalt, Germany in Germany. The coordinates are 52° 7' 28.92" N, 11° 38' 4.20" E.
Map of Magdeburg
Table
| Disease | DateStart date of the disease. | SummarySummary of the disease event | OriginalOriginal text | TranslationEnglish translation of the text | ReferenceReference(s) to literature | Reference translationReference(s) to the translation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1348-00-00-Lübeck | 1348 JL | 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. | 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. | 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.” | Detmar's Croneke van Lubeke 1884/99, Vol. 1, pp. 513-514. | Translation by ChatGPT-3.5 |
| 1350-05-16-Magdeburg | 16 May 1350 JL | The Black Death strikes Magdeburg and neighbouring territories, a great mortality arisies for almost four months; numbers are given for the Franciscan order. There is a plague pit in Rottersdorf, outside the city. | In dissem sulven jare [1350] erhof sik ein grot sterven in disser stad to hant pingsten und stunt wente na sunte Michels dage und starf untellich volk, dat men se up den kerkhof nicht al graven konde: men moste alle dage utvoren mit twen karen und mit einem wagen und grof grote kulen to Rotterstorp, dar warp men se in. […] Mi jammert to schrivende vand drosnisse und schaden, den Magdeborch nam van den sterven. De wisesten and bedervesten dusser stadt alsmeistich vorgingen, wente ed storven leien und papen, olden und junge, rike und arme. Dat stervent was hir nicht alleine to Magdeborch, ed was ok over al disse land. De barvoten spreken na der tid dat ut orem orden weren storven allein hundert dusent verundtwintech dusten veirhundert und drittech brodere. Hi bi mach men merken wat leien storvent sint in dem jare, nu in einen orden so vele brodere storven. Hir in dem barvoten clostere bleven nicht mehr wenn dre broder levendich. Ik was ok in einen hus sulftegede, dar blef ik sulfandere levendich und achte storven. Ik horde ok sedder seggen dat den Augustineren weren des jares worden twelf schock vruwencleidere to selegered und manscleidere. | In that same year [1350] there was a great mortality in this town from Pentecost to St Michael's Day and countless people died so that they could no longer be buried in the churchyards. Every day they had to go out with carts and a wagon and make large ditches in Rottersdorf; the dead were thrown into them. [...] It is difficult for me to write about all the sadness and the damage that Magdeburg suffered from this mortality. The brightest and the most needy of this city perished to a large extent. Laymen and priests, old and young, rich and poor died. The dying was not unique to Magdeburg, it was everywhere in the country. The Franciscans said afterwards that 124,430 friars from their order alone died. This may give you an idea of how many lay people died that year if so many friars died in one order alone. Here in the Franciscan monastery, no more than three friars remain alive. I myself was present in a house where I and one other remained alive and eight died. I also heard myself say that the Augustinian monks received 1200 pieces of clothing from men and women that year as a testamentary donation for the salvation of souls. | Magdeburger Schöppenchronik 1869, pp. 218-219. | Translation by Martin Bauch |
| 1350-05-23-Magdeburg | 23 May 1350 JL | A poem about how the Black Death strikes Magdeburg, a great mortality arises for almost four months and a plague pit is opened at Rottersdorf. This time is remembered as a time of misery, connected to the return of the "false Waldemar", an impostor pretending to be former Margrave of Brandenburg and the earthquake of January 1348 | Ik mach schriven wol vorwar: / na godes bort schach dusent jar / dreihundert unde veftich / und warde went an sestich / dat god sines tornes hand / streckede hir in dutsche land, / dat in den tein jaren / wart clage noch ervaren. / dat clagent maket al de dot. / ein stervent wart hr also grot / dat men alle dage / sach weinen und clagen / [p. 3] isliken umme sinen mach. / men mende, ed were de leste dach. / dat stervent hof hir in der stadt / an der hochtit trinitat / und stund na sunte Michels dage. / da weinen jammer unde clage / was hir so gemeine, / dat grot unde kleine / jammer mochen schouwen / an mannen unde vrouwen / und an cleinen kinde / ok an den ingesinde. / de seiken men ungern laven / wolde, noch de doden graven. / mit wagenen unde karen / sach man to kerkhove varen / so vele der doden lute; / to Rottersdorp he nute / dar weren grote kulen, / dar inne de doden vulen. / neiman dat getelen kann, / wat vrouwen storve edder man. / […] / dat men noch alle dage / de lude horte clage, / wen se beginnen rogen / und ore dage wrogen. / se spreken, sodan ungemach / in der werlde nu geschach, / alse wi hebben levet: / [p. 4] de erde heft gebevet, / greve Wodenberch de dode man, / sprak men, he we up irstan. | I will write down the following: / After God's birth a thousand years / three hundred and fifty / and that lasted until sixty / that God stretched out the hand of his wrath / here to the German lands / that in the ten years / there was much to mourn. / The mourning was because of death. / Dying was so great here / that every day / weeping was seen and lamentation was made by everyone for his own. / People thought it was Judgement Day. / Dying began here in the city / on the Feast of Trinity / and ended around St Michael's Day. / Weeping, wailing and lamentation / was so widespread here that great and small experienced misery, men and women / and even small children and servants. / The sick were not cared for / nor did people want to bury the dead. / With wagons and carts / one saw many dead people travelling to the churchyard / out to Rottersdorf, / there were large mounds / into which the dead were allowed to fall. / No one can put into words / how many men and women died / [...] / one always heard people lamenting / when they were shaken up / because they were asked about their lives / they spoke: At that time only disaster happened in the world / when they lived: / [p. 4] the earth shook / and Count Waldemar, the dead man / was said to have risen again. | Magdeburger Schöppenchronik 1869, pp. 2-4 | Translation by Martin Bauch |
| 1357-00-00-Magdeburg | 1357 JL | Plague strikes Magdeburg, symptoms of bubonic plague are described and Jews were persecuted, expelled and killed as they were blamed for the epidemic outbreak | Dar na [1350] aver seven jare / wart hir echt ein stervent sware (...) In dem jare wart hir grot stervent in der stadt, und was de suke der lude vor wesen hadde over seven jare, also dat den luden drose worden under den armen edder an dem halse edder boven an den beinen. Dit stervent lede men den joden to, dat ed van orer gift were. Dar umme vordref men de joden, und orer wart vele vordelget | But after that 1350 there was a very heavy mortality here for seven years. ... In that year [1357] there was a great dying in the city. And it was the same thing that had affected the people seven years earlier. People got swellings under their arms, on their necks or on the upper part of their legs. The Jews were blamed for the deaths, saying it was caused by their poison. That is why the Jews were expelled, and many of them were also killed. | Magdeburger Schöppenchronik 1869, pp. 3, 223 | Translation by Martin Bauch |
| 1375-00-00-Magdeburg | 1375 JL | The plague strikes Magdeburg and neighbouring territories, a great mortality arises and plague pits are opened in different cemetaries of local churches. | In dussem sulven jare was grot stervent hir in der stad und al umme und stunt to Magdeborch wol anderhalf jar, dat men to sunte Johanse nicht graven konde up den kerkhof, sunder men makede grote kulen [p. 268] to dem hilgen geiste, to unser vruwen, to sunte Pawele, to den barvoten, to sunte Augustine und to sunte Marien Magdalenen, dar men se in warp unde begrof. | In the same year there was a great mortality in the city and also in the surrounding area and this remained in Magdeburg for a year and a half. It was not possible to bury people in the churchyard of St Johannes, but large mounds were made at the Heiliggeistkirche, Liebfrauen, St Paul, the Friars, St Augustin and St Maria Magdalena, into which the dead were thrown and buried. | Magdeburger Schöppenchronik 1869, pp. 267-268 | Translation by Martin Bauch |
| 1383-06-00-Magdeburg | June 1383 JL | Plague strikes Magdeburg in summer, a great mortality arises. | In dem sulven jar des sommers was hir grot stervent . | In the summer of the same year (1383), there was a lot of mortality here. | Magdeburger Schöppenchronik 1869, pp. 288. | Translation by Martin Bauch |
| 1395-00-00-Magdeburg | 1391 JL | A great mortality in Magdeburg, afflichting mostly children, is connected with a dearth and food scarcity caused by Danish-Swedisch war. Mortality had been prevalent since 1391. | In dussem sulven jare (1395) storven vele lude und bi namen untellike kinder. Dat stervent hadde gewart wol veir jar, dat de lude in dusser stad an underlat storven. In dissen veir jaren was strenge tid an korn, an spise, an heringe und an allerleie kopmescop; dat makede ein grot krich de dar was twischen den twey koningen Denemakren nd Sweden. | In the same year (1395) many people died, especially countless children. The mortality had probably lasted four years, during which the people in this city died without ceasing. During these four years there was a great shortage of grain, food, herring and all kinds of goods. This was because of a great war between the two kings of Denmark and Sweden. | Magdeburger Schöppenchronik 1869, p. 294 | Translation by Martin Bauch |
| 1415-00-00-Magdeburg | A great mortality in Magdeburg and surrounding lands, killing also the father of the archbishop. | In diesem sulven jare [1415] was to Magdeborch ein grot stervent und in anderen landen; und do starf greve Gunter van Swarzborch, unses heren vader van Magdeborch, in sunte Allexius dage. | In the same year 1415 there was a great mortality at Magdeburg and also elsewhere; Count Günther von Schwarzburg, father of our Lord the Archbishop of Magdeburg, died on St Alexius' Day. | Magdeburger Schöppenchronik 1869, p. 343 | Translation by Martin Bauch | |
| 1428-03-01-Magdeburg | 1 March 1428 JL | A mortality strikes Magdeburg for 9 months, mainly lower social stratas are affected. There is a considerable number of apparent deaths among the victims of this disease. | In dem sulven jare was hir grot pestilence. De enstunt ersten in der vasten und warde wente to winachten, und storven doch nich tvele namhaftiger lude, doch worden grote burkulen to sunte Johannes gegraven, und mang den doden in den burkulen stonden ein deils wedder up des anderen und des dridden dages wol bi 30 edder 40 minschen . | In the same year (1428) there was a great epidemic here. It first began during Lent and lasted until Christmas. Few notable people died, but large mass graves (literally: peasants' mounds) were dug near St Johannes. Some of the dead in these mass graves rose again the next or third day, totalling between 30 and 40 people. | Magdeburger Schöppenchronik 1869, pp. 378-379 | Translation by Martin Bauch |
| 1463-00-00-Lower Saxony | 1463 JL | A great mortality all over Lower Saxony. | In dussem sulven jare (1463) do was eyn grot starve to Brunswick, Hanover, Hildessem, Megedeborch unde Halverstadt, de hoff an in dem harveste, und stod went in den vastelavende, und do starff vele volckes. | In the same year (1463) there was a great mortality in Braunschweig, Hannover, Hildesheim, Magdeburg and Halberstadt, which started in Autumn and continued until Carnival, and many people died. | Chronecken der Sassen 1711, p. 410. | Translation by Martin Bauch |
| 1463-00-00-Magdeburg | 1463 JL | A mortality strikes Magdeburg. | Im jar 1463 war hir grosse pestilentz. | In the year 1463, there was a large epidemic here. | Magdeburger Schöppenchronik 1869, p. 405. | Translation by Martin Bauch |
| 1463-05-00-Göttingen | May 1463 JL | A procession because of ongoing plague in Göttingen and a plague all over Lower Saxony. | Anno domini 1463, feria 6. Ante Assensionem Domini, do ging men mit einer procession wulln und barfuß umb der pestilentz willn, so dar regerde in vilen stedten. […] Dan in diesem jare regirde auch eine grosse pestilentz in vilen enden und orten, also auch in Gottingen, das grosse hauffen absturben. Tho Brunswig, Hildesheim, Hannober, Magdeborch, Halberstadt starb es auch gleich so sehre. Dusser sterben find an in dem herbst und werete bis in den Fastelavent. | In the year of our Lord 1463, on a Friday before Ascension, a procession of barefoot people was made because of the pestilence that ruled in many cities [...] And in this year, there ruled a pestilence in many place, also in Göttingen, that killed a lot of people. In Braunschweig, Hildesheim, Hannover, Magdeburg and Halberstadt people died in the same way. This mortality started in autumn and ended during Carnival. | Göttinger Annalen 1994, p. 191 | Translation by Martin Bauch |
| 1484-07-25-Magdeburg | 25 July 1484 JL | A mortality strikes Magdeburg and the surroundings, higher social strata and young women particularly affected. | Im selben jar (1484) war auch hir gros sterben, war ein landtsterben, und fing an umb Jacobi und werhete bis auf Michaelis. In diesem sterben storben viel vornehmer leut und sonderlich viel jungfrawen. Andere schreiben, dis sterben hab angefangen umb pfingsten und gewerhet bis Martini. | In the same year (1484) there was a great dying here, and throughout the country. It began around St James' Day and ended on St Michael's Day. Many noble people and especially many young women died as a result of this plague. Others wrote that the deaths began around Pentecost and lasted until St Martin's Day. | Magdeburger Schöppenchronik 1869, p. 417. | Translation by Martin Bauch |
| 1516-00-00-Magdeburg | 1516 JL | A mortality strikes Magdeburg. | Im jar 1516 war hir pestilentz. | In the year 1516, there was an epidemic here. | Magdeburger Schöppenchronik 1869, p. 421 | Translation by Martin Bauch |
| 1583-00-00-Erfurt | 1583 | A plague in Erfurt, Prague, Magdeburg, Goslar, Arnstadt and Königsee in Thuringia kills high numbers of people. | Diß iahr (1583) hatt die pestilentz an vielen orten vnd landen gar heftig sehr regieret, sonderlich zu Praga in der Stadt da in die 20000 menschen gestorben sindt. Desgleichen zu Magdeburg, Goslar, zu Arnstad fast in die 2000, zu königssee in die 1000. Desgleichen allhier zu Erffurdt 1767 menschen gestorben, aber nicht alle an der pestilentz. | In this year (1583), the pestilence raged very fiercely in many places and lands, particularly in Prague, where around 20,000 people died in the city. Likewise, in Magdeburg, Goslar, and Arnstadt, nearly 2000 died, and in Königsee, around 1000. Similarly, here in Erfurt, 1767 people died, although not all from the pestilence. | Wellendorf Chronik 2015, p. 450. | Translation by Martin Bauch |
