Whose soul rests beneath the shadow of the Steinernes Kreuz? Here, in the heart of Bremen, stands a silent sentinel, a stone cross bearing a tragic tale. The Steinernes Kreuz, also known as the Vasmer-Kreuz, isn’t just a landmark. It’s a tombstone, a reminder of the city’s tumultuous past. It commemorates Johann Vasmer, a former Bürgermeister of Bremen, who met an untimely end. In 1430, Vasmer was accused of treason during a period of intense political upheaval. He was found guilty in a trial shrouded in controversy and swiftly executed near the Ostertor gate. Years later, through the relentless efforts of his son, Heinrich, Johann Vasmer was posthumously exonerated by Emperor Sigismund himself. As part of the reparations, the city was ordered to erect a Sühnekreuz, a cross of atonement, at the site of Vasmer’s execution. And so, the Steinernes Kreuz came to be, a stark reminder of justice served, albeit belatedly. The cross you see today is actually a replica, the original safely housed in the Focke Museum. But even as a copy, it retains its solemn presence, its weathered stone whispering a centuries-old story of betrayal, injustice, and eventual redemption.
Spiegelhof
Welcome to the Spiegelhof, a hidden gem nestled in the heart of Bremen. Standing tall and proud at Lesumbroker Landstrau00dfe