“Excessive, voluptuous, and blasphemous.” That is how legends describe the people of Vineta. But here in Leipzig, Vineta takes on a different form and meaning. We are standing before Vineta Yes, a memorial to a lost place.
The Vineta Yes is a floating structure on a German lake. It symbolizes the Magdeborn church. This church and other places had to make way for the Espenhain brown coal mine. The Vineta Yes stands as a reminder of that sacrifice.
This floating structure reaches 15 meters high. That makes it the highest floating structure on any German lake. It also serves as an extraordinary event location.
The story of Vineta is ancient. It speaks of a legendary city on the Baltic Sea’s southern coast. This city, sometimes called Jumne or Jomsborg, was known for its wealth. But the people of Vineta were said to live lives of excess. Legend says they were punished by a great flood. The city sank to the bottom of the Baltic Sea. Some tales say the city reappears on certain days. It serves as a warning to those who see it.
Ibrahim ibn Jaqub wrote about this city around 965. He used Arabic letters. He called it Weltaba. That means “a place among waves” in modern Polish. Adam of Bremen described it as a trade center around 1075. He said Slavs, barbarians, and Greeks lived there. Saxon merchants also traded there.
Helmold of Bosau wrote about Vineta around 1163. He used the name Uineta. The Nordic Knytlinga saga told of sieges of Jomsborg. Saxo Grammaticus called the place Julinum.
Some believe Vineta sank off the coast of Koserow. Others say it is near the island of Ruden. Rudolf Virchow declared, “Vineta is Wollin.” Today most historians agree that Vineta was located near Wolin.
The legend of Vineta has inspired many artists. Wilhelm Müllers wrote a poem called “Vineta.” Johannes Brahms set it to music. Heinrich Heine wrote a poem called “Seegespenst.”
The story of Vineta appears in novels by Theodor Fontane and Selma Lagerlöf. Günter Grass also referenced Vineta in his novels. There have been plays and operas about Vineta. A film was made in 1923 called “Vineta, the Sunken City.”
Even today, Vineta lives on in place names. There is a Vineta Street and a Vineta Square in Berlin. The German navy had several ships named Vineta.
Here at Störmthaler See near Leipzig, the Vineta Yes rises from the water. It is a modern symbol of the lost city. It reminds us of the past. It also speaks to the future of this region. The Vineta Yes is a unique landmark. It offers a place for reflection and remembrance. As you look at the Vineta Yes think about the stories it holds. Consider the past, present, and future.