Here stands the Steinerner Mann. It is hidden in a wall recess in Augsburg. The statue is also known as Stone Man. Local legend speaks of a baker. He devised a bold scheme. It supposedly saved the city during the Thirty Years’ War. But history tells a slightly different story.
In the 16th and 17th centuries, Augsburg housed both Catholics and Protestants. Conflicts intensified with the Thirty Years’ War. Catholics tried to dominate in 1629. Then, in 1632, Swedish Protestant troops conquered Augsburg. Imperial Catholic forces besieged the city. This siege prevented supplies from entering for six months. People suffered from terrible famine.
Local lore says that on March 22, 1635, a baker named Konrad Hacker gathered his last flour. He mixed it with sawdust. He baked a large loaf. Konrad climbed the city wall. He showed the loaf to the besiegers. It was a sign of abundant supplies. Konrad was shot. He lost his right arm. He died from complications. He didn’t see his tactic succeed. The imperial troops lost hope of starving the Augsburgers. They withdrew. Grateful residents collected money. They wanted to build a sculpture. It would show the one-armed baker in baker’s clothes. He would hold bread in his left hand. This was to remember the courageous rescuer.
However, the real story differs. Records show a baker named Konrad Hacker. But he died under different circumstances. The siege ended with the city’s capitulation.
The Steinerner Mann statue itself consists of different parts. Examinations show these parts are from before 1550. The proportions are not quite right. Look at the arm holding the bread for example. The upper parts may come from a former cemetery. The lower parts are likely Roman. The city’s construction manager assembled the statue in the 18th century. His location was where excavated sculptures were collected. The statue suffered damage several times. The nose was replaced with a metal copy.
The Steinerner Mann was moved to its current location in 1950. The legend is well-known. But few know its location on Augsburg’s fortification. You can leave the inner city through a gate. Walk through the narrow park. It is between the fortification and the city moat. This is called “Schwedenstiege”.
So the next time you pass the Steinerner Mann, remember. It is more than just a statue. It represents courage, ingenuity, and the complex interplay of history and legend in Augsburg.