Kaygass No. 0 Plaque

In the Kaygass, a peculiar plaque commemorates a playful rhyme. “Dreimol Null es Null”, it proclaims, a local phrase meaning “three times zero is zero”. The Kaygass No. 0 Plaque, nestled in Cologne’s Altstadt-Süd district, isn’t just a whimsical decoration. It marks the spot of a former school, a place where young minds once wrestled with arithmetic and perhaps, the very concept of zero. The plaque, installed in 1953, features a quote by Kaspar Braun: “HE AN DEM PLÄTZGE STUND EN STEINAHL SCHULL WO GERECHNET WOHD DREIMOL NULL ES NULL”. This translates to “Here in this place stood a small stone school where it was calculated three times zero is zero”. It echoes a line from a popular local song by Bläck Fööss, further cementing the Kaygass No. 0 Plaque’s connection to local culture. The plaque and the song pay tribute to a time when this quiet alley held a schoolhouse and a teacher named Welsch, both real historical figures. The Kaygass itself has a rich history, its name reflecting the legacy of Cologne’s diverse past. Records as early as the 13th century show individuals like Henricus Keige and various members of the Keye family owning property here. The name “Kaygasse,” derived from these early residents, whispers of Cologne’s vibrant mercantile history and the flow of people and goods through this ancient city. Standing here, in the Kaygass, at the site of “No. 0,” you’re not just looking at a plaque but at a layered story. It’s a story of education, music, and the enduring power of local identity interwoven into the fabric of Cologne. The Kaygass No. 0 Plaque is a small monument, but it speaks volumes about the history and humor of this fascinating city.