Furthur: Shadows of the past (2)

Goslar

Already in Roman times the Harz mountains in the center of present day Germany but outside the proper Roman empire were known for their mineral wealth. Iron ore mining was known here from around the 3rd century, afterwards rich silver deposits were discovered at the Rammelstein, a mine in the mountains above town.

When the train approaches the station, those mountains are covered in snow. The town itself receives a bit of a drizzle, but the snow cover does not come as far down. Just outside the station is Hotel Niedersächsischer Hof. It is one of those lovely huge old fashioned hotels which slowly seem to get out of fashion in favor of those places without identity, standardized for the international customer expecting the same wherever he comes between York and Osaka.

When I ask, they have got a room, and it is cheaper than when booked in advance at one of the well-known sites. The rate also includes breakfast. You receive a list to specify what you want and it will be ready at your table in the morning. No standing in queues of people who appear like they did not have any food for weeks and go fighting for the last boiled egg. I drop my gear to use the remaining bit of day light for a walk around town.

The Kaiserpfalz in Goslar

The wealth of the Rammelstein mine arose the interest of the mighty. Already in the 10th century the holy Roman emperors started to appear in Goslar. At the time, the emperors were constantly on the move. For their convenience, there were what was called Kaiserpfalz, imperial palaces ready for use when the ruler made up his mind to show up. The closest Pfalz at the time was at Werla. Eventually emperor Heinrich II decided to replace it by a new one in Goslar. Heinrich III extended it to an imperial residence and built a roman cathedral in 1045-1050.

What remains of the imperial cathedral

Much of the imperial residence is still there after almost 1000 years. The cathedral was torn down in 1819. Only the northern entrance hall remains. It shelters the imperial throne.

The imperial throne

Due to the importance for the emperors Goslar became imperial city with the corresponding independence and rights. Important churches and monasteries settled in the town. The prosperous miners were able to built attractive town houses. However, after the end of the rule of the Staufer emperors the city’s importance decreased. To counteract, it joined the hanseatic league and the citizens tried to obtain control of the Rammelsberg mine.

Meanwhile it has started to snow in the town proper. When slippery, the cobbles probably already downed their victims hundreds of years ago and walking requires all the attention. The Rammelsberg mine, imperial remains and the medieval town center are a UNESCO world heritage site.

Well preserved medieval town centers are frequently the consequence of economic decline. After the 30 years war 1618-1648 Goslar became increasingly indebted. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, who stayed here in 1777, called it "an Imperial city rotted in and with its privileges". He was not the only famous literary visitor. The English poet William Wordsworth stayed here in winter of 1798, the coldest of the century.

The German poet Heinrich Heine bitterly complained about the destruction of the cathedral in 1820 to 1822 in his Harzreise travelogue. This was the begin of a long series of architectural missteps. The town center had to be prepared for business. Old store fronts were replaced by modern etalages. Shopping centers which should never have seen the light of day replaced old buildings in the medieval town. Like in many historic German towns the ugliest building housed the Galleria Kaufhof department store. Fortunately they went bankrupt recently and cannot not cause furthur harm. And, without question, the town had to be adapted for the needs of the automobilist, the laziest and most thoughtless of the human species. A multi story car park had to be built in the center of the historic town to accommodate this laziness.

The Rammelberg mines were finally closed in 1988 after more than a thousand years. It was turned into a museum where the dirt, hardships and torment of those old days seem to be far away. Fortunately much of the old town living quarters with their half timbered houses, many of the churches partially dating back to the 11th century and the imperial residence have survived.

Tourism is the new business. History and the romantic feelings about those good old times attract visitors. Goslar has preserved many of those elements of the quintessential German Biedermeier town, then the bourgeois middle class seemingly could cause any harm. There are fancy restaurants and the city bestows the annual award of the ‘Imperial Ring’ to a personality on who has made an outstanding contribution to society and the arts like Henry Moore, Sigmar Pohlke, David Lynch, Joseph Beuys, Anselm Kiefer and Gerhard Richter. Some of their works can be seen in the streets. However, in the winter months, the slippery cobbled streets are quiet, the restaurants are empty and the hotels are cheap.