Carved from stone. This is the fifth station of the Höchberger Sieben Fälle. Feel the weight of history. This remarkable Way of the Cross wasn’t always as it is today.
The Höchberger Sieben Fälle a 17th-century pilgrimage route partially runs through Würzburg and Höchberg. It started near the Würzburger Hofbräu AG. It ends at the Kreuzkapelle of the Mariä Geburt pilgrimage church in Höchberg. Its story begins far away in the Holy Land. Pilgrims there walked the path of Christ’s suffering. From the 12th century sites mentioned in the Gospels were marked with stones or chapels. Initially only seven stations were known. Later the number increased to fourteen.
The Höchberger Sieben Fälle was created between 1626 and 1627. Legend links its creation to the witch hunts. During Prince-Bishop Philipp Adolf von Ehrenberg’s eight-year reign 219 alleged witches and warlocks perished. To show their devoutness the brotherhood of the princely Würzburg court staff commissioned the wayside shrines. Hofkochmeister Konrad Bauer led the effort.
Several artists were involved. They used engravings of the Passion sequence by Munich artist Christoph Schwarz. Balthasar Grohe Michael Kern the Younger and Windsheim master Georg Brenck the Younger worked on the sculptures.
The condition of the stations required restoration early this century. The fifth station a depiction of Christ falling under the cross was completely redesigned by Höchberg sculptor Herbert Spielmann. The Höchberg beautification association renovated the sixth station in 1992. It was placed a few meters from the original which served as a model. Erwin Hauck from Estenfeld and Andrea Schimmer from Kleinrinderfeld were involved. Schimmer crafted the medallion.
This fifth station a testament to faith and artistry stands as a powerful reminder of a turbulent past. It’s a part of a significant pilgrimage route. It is a symbol of resilience and the enduring power of belief.