Here stands a simple stone a silent sentinel. This is the Stülper Huk Stele. It marks a spot of immense historical significance. For centuries this small elevated peninsula jutted into the Trave River. It commanded a strategic position overlooking the waters.
The Stülper Huk was more than just a piece of land. It was the site of Alt-Travemünde the oldest Travemünde. Archaeological finds confirm the area was inhabited during the Stone Age. Its strategic location made it a valuable site. Its elevated position above the ancient meltwater channel of the Trave provided a natural defensive advantage.
In the 12th century Henry the Lion recognized the Stülper Huk’s importance. He fortified it with a castle. This castle unfortunately met a fiery end. The Abodrites a Slavic tribe destroyed it about three decades later. The reasons for the destruction remain shrouded in the mists of time. Perhaps it was a conflict over power or resources. Perhaps something else entirely.
Excavations during the 19th and 20th centuries uncovered the castle’s remnants. They found moats earth bridges and a stone foundation. This foundation suggests the remains of a tower about 30 to 40 meters in diameter. The strategic location was clear. Access was limited to a narrow passage.
The Stülper Huk’s strategic location played a key role in the region’s conflicts. In 1147 or 1149 Count Adolf II of Holstein fortified the site. He assembled troops there when facing threats from the Slavs or Danes. The castle’s importance declined after 1158. That year Count Adolf II ceded Lübeck upstream to Duke Henry the Lion. Henry seemingly took over the Stülper Huk castle as well.
The chronicle of Arnold of Lübeck recounts the castle’s destruction. The Abodrites allies of Emperor Barbarossa burned it down during the siege of Lübeck in 1181. This act of destruction followed the banning of Henry the Lion in 1180. He had refused participation in the Second Crusade. The emperor subsequently seized the duke’s possessions.
Around 1186/87 Count Adolf III oversaw the castle’s rebuilding. However it was relocated downstream. The name Travemünde was transferred to the new location. The old Stülper Huk site lost its significance. A new defense system likely arose between today’s Rose Street and the lighthouse. Its precise location though remains unknown.
After 1226 the Lübeck Imperial Freedom Charter forbade fortifications within two miles of the lower Trave. This marked the end of Stülper Huk’s military importance. Today the Stülper Huk Stele stands as a poignant reminder of a once vital stronghold. It silently bears witness to Lübeck’s complex and fascinating past. Look closely. The past lives here in the shadows.