“Stapelrecht” might not ring a bell. But it was the reason Lüneburg built the Lüneburger Landwehr. This ingenious system of ramparts controlled trade and defended the city.
The Lüneburger Landwehr is more than just an old wall. It is a symbol of Lüneburg’s power. It enforced its rights in the Middle Ages. Lüneburg had the right to demand that merchants offer their goods for sale here first.
Imagine merchants trying to bypass Lüneburg. They wanted to avoid the “Stapelgebühr”, a sales tax. They tried to sneak around the city on side roads. Lüneburg responded by building the Lüneburger Landwehr. This barrier forced traders back onto the main routes. It ensured they paid their dues.
The Lüneburger Landwehr consisted of dense ramparts. They were separated by water-filled ditches. Natural streams were incorporated to fill the moats. Only a few easily controlled passages existed. Some of these had watchtowers.
The “Alte Landwehr”, or Old Landwehr, was built first. Construction took place from 1397 to 1406. It stretched four kilometers west of Lüneburg’s city gates. The Landwehr had up to five ramparts. Ditches as deep as two meters separated them. Starting at the Ilmenau River near Goseburg, it ran west. It passed south of Bardowick. Then, it turned south near Vögelsen. It continued west of Reppenstedt to the Hasenburger Bach. The Landwehr then followed the water to the Roten Schleuse on the Ilmenau. Watchtowers stood guard. They were positioned south of Bardowick and near Reppenstedt. The watchtower at Hasenburger Bach still stands. It was built between 1450 and 1480.
Around 1700, descriptions show the Landwehr crossed the road to Celle. This happened at the Hasenburger Bach control post. Another road to Celle went via Embsen and Betzendorf. Even the post to Ebstorf used the Hasenburger checkpoint. A barrier forced travelers to stop.
Today, the earthworks and ditches of the Alte Landwehr remain. The wooded section between Reppenstedt and Bardowick is impressive. A forest path allows you to walk the entire route.
Seventy years later, Lüneburg decided to expand the defense. The “Neue Landwehr”, or New Landwehr, was built. From 1479 to 1484, it arose five kilometers east of Lüneburg. This Landwehr featured a two-meter-high and six-meter-wide embankment. It was flanked by 1.5-meter-high walls on both sides. It stretched from Rullstorf south. It went over Neu Wendhausen to the Dieksbach swamp near Deutsch Evern. Watchtowers were built near Neu Wendhausen and east of Deutsch Evern.
Building the ramparts needed much soil. Workers took earth on-site. Near Rullstorf, this created the Osterteich. The pond was dammed and integrated into the Landwehr. But the Osterteich silted up within 300 years. A forest grew in its place.
The earthworks of the Neue Landwehr are also well-preserved. They run mainly through forests. Parts are densely overgrown.
The Lüneburger Landwehr shaped Lüneburg. It wasn’t just defense. It was about controlling trade. It ensured Lüneburg’s prosperity. So next time you see these ramparts, remember their story. They speak of Lüneburg’s power and its clever merchants.n