1517-09-29-Erfurt
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| Date startStart date of the disease. | 1517-09-29 Saturday | + |
| Date endEnd date of the disease. | + | |
| SeasonSeason (spring, summer, fall or winter) | ||
| Date otherOther mentioned dates. | ||
| PlacePlace(s), city or location of the disease. | Erfurt | |
| RegionHistorical region(s) | Thuringia | |
| CountryCurrent country | ||
| RiverMentioned river(s) | ||
| Natural eventMentioned natural event(s) | ||
| PersonMentioned persons(s) | ||
| GroupGroup(s) of people mentioned | ||
| VictimIndication of victims | 16 per day | + |
| AnimalMentioned animal(s) | ||
| DiseaseMentioned disease(s) | Plague | |
| Epidemic waveAssociated epidemic wave | ||
| Social responseSocial response that happened in reaction to the disease | ||
| LanguageLanguage of the original text | German | |
| KeywordFurther keyword(s) | Mass grave | |
| last edited | 6. 01. 2026 by EpiMedDat-Bot. |
A mortality in Erfurt leads to the creation of mass graves. A drunk beggar unvoluntarly spends a night in the massgrave of the Canons Regular's church (Reglerkirche).
Text originalOriginal text
Vmb Michaelis hub sichs an, vnd ward ein groß sterben. Es storben die leute an der Pestilentz, das man zu den Regelern 16 Cörper auf einen Tag auf ein mal einlegte, da hatte man ein viereckicht loch gemacht auf den Regelern kirchof, das legte man (p. 230) des nachts mit bretern zu, das war ein bettler Hieß Schuch, der war auf einen tag vol, vnd fellet durch die dielen auf die todten, liegt die nacht drinnen. Des morgens da er erwacht, greift er vmb sich, hebt an zu wimmerleichen, da wollten die leute nicht ander wehnen, es were ein todter wieder lebendig worden, vnd gieng niemand hinbey, biß das es 9 schlug des morgents, da sie darnach dazu komen, da war es der grund schalck Schuch der bettler.
Text translationEnglish translation of the text
Around Michaelmas 1517, it began, and a great dying occurred. People died of the plague so much so that 16 bodies were placed each day in the mass graves of the Reglerkirche. They had made a square hole in the graveyard of the church, and at night they covered it with planks. There was a beggar named Schuch, who was drunk one day and fell through the boards onto the dead, spending the night there. When he woke up in the morning, he grabbed around him, started to whimper, and people would believe a dead had turned alive. Nobody came close until 9 o'clock in the morning, and when they came to see, it was indeed the notorious beggar Schuch.
