I. Fall der Höchberger Sieben Fälle

Did whispers of fear ever reach you, here at the I. Fall der Höchberger Sieben Fälle? This wayside shrine, part of a larger series known as the Höchberger Sieben Fälle (Höchberg Seven Falls), stands as a stark reminder of a darker time. The I. Fall der Höchberger Sieben Fälle marks the first stage in a 17th-century pilgrimage route, tracing the suffering of Christ. This path, the “Seven Falls,” winds through Würzburg and Höchberg. The I. Fall der Höchberger Sieben Fälle, along with the other six stations, was crafted between 1626 and 1627. The story goes that the Höchberger Sieben Fälle arose from the shadow of the witch hunts. During the eight-year reign of Prince-Bishop Philipp Adolf von Ehrenberg, Würzburg saw 219 supposed witches and sorcerers perish. The fraternity of the prince-bishop’s Würzburg court servants, led by head chef Konrad Bauer, commissioned these shrines. They sought to escape this deadly persecution and proclaim their own pious faith. Several artists contributed to the I. Fall der Höchberger Sieben Fälle and the others, drawing inspiration from Christoph Schwarz’s Passion series in Munich. Among them were Balthasar Grohe, Michael Kern the Younger, and Georg Brenck the Younger, from Bad Windsheim. The passage of time has taken its toll on these shrines. Restorations became necessary in the early 20th century. The fifth station has been entirely remade by Höchberg sculptor Herbert Spielmann. The sixth station was also renewed in 1992 by the Höchberg Beautification Association, standing a short distance from the original, which served as a model for the new piece. Sculptor Erwin Hauck from Estenfeld and Andrea Schimmer from Kleinrinderfeld, who created the medallion, were also involved. The I. Fall der Höchberger Sieben Fälle serves as a powerful symbol. It represents not only the suffering of Christ but also the fear and desperation of those who lived under the shadow of the witch hunts.