| Hildegard von Bingen |
On September 16, 1098, Hildegard of Bingen was the tenth child born into a
noble family in the service of the Counts of Sponheim. She was sickly, and when
she was eight her parents sent her to the church under the care of a popular and
cheerful Anchorite named Jutta, the sister of Count Meinhard of Sponheim,
whom Hildegard's father once served as a knight. Anchors were of both sexes,
but most were women, and they lived shut off from the outer world inside a small
room, usually built adjacent to a church where they could follow the services
through a small window where their food was passed through and waste removed.
noble family in the service of the Counts of Sponheim. She was sickly, and when
she was eight her parents sent her to the church under the care of a popular and
cheerful Anchorite named Jutta, the sister of Count Meinhard of Sponheim,
whom Hildegard's father once served as a knight. Anchors were of both sexes,
but most were women, and they lived shut off from the outer world inside a small
room, usually built adjacent to a church where they could follow the services
through a small window where their food was passed through and waste removed.
They spent most of their time in prayer and contemplation with a few solitary pursuits like sewing.
They were essentially "dead" to the outside world, and as so, received their last rights from the
bishop before their confinement in the anchorage in a morbid ritual complete with a mock burial
ceremony in which the anchor was laid out on a bier. Jutta's cell was such an anchorage, and there
was a door through which Hildegard entered with a couple of other girls from noble families,
attracted by Jutta's fame. When Hildegard was 14, she and one or two others were enclosed in the
church as anchorites, and soon Jutta's anchorhold grew connected to the male monastery of
Disibodenberg. Hildegard began having remarkable visions which she shared only with Jutta.
They were essentially "dead" to the outside world, and as so, received their last rights from the
bishop before their confinement in the anchorage in a morbid ritual complete with a mock burial
ceremony in which the anchor was laid out on a bier. Jutta's cell was such an anchorage, and there
was a door through which Hildegard entered with a couple of other girls from noble families,
attracted by Jutta's fame. When Hildegard was 14, she and one or two others were enclosed in the
church as anchorites, and soon Jutta's anchorhold grew connected to the male monastery of
Disibodenberg. Hildegard began having remarkable visions which she shared only with Jutta.
She traveled widely giving public speeches, a rarity for a woman of the time, and she communicated
with popes, bishops and even Barbarossa. Starting in 1158, Hildegard's travels over the next 13 years
took her to male and female monasteries and to cathedrals to preach to religious and secular clergy.
She was slowly able to enlarge and consolidate the new Bingen monastery's holdings. She also wrote
non-visionary works such as plays, geological treatises, a detailed medical encyclopedia, and notes
for a medical handbook. She felt that natural objects had curative powers, and wrote about natural
history and medicinal uses of plants, animals, trees and stones.
with popes, bishops and even Barbarossa. Starting in 1158, Hildegard's travels over the next 13 years
took her to male and female monasteries and to cathedrals to preach to religious and secular clergy.
She was slowly able to enlarge and consolidate the new Bingen monastery's holdings. She also wrote
non-visionary works such as plays, geological treatises, a detailed medical encyclopedia, and notes
for a medical handbook. She felt that natural objects had curative powers, and wrote about natural
history and medicinal uses of plants, animals, trees and stones.
The Counts von Sponheim also played a role in the history of neighboring Bad Kreuznach. It was
once a Celtic settlement named Crucinacum, but early settlements date as far back as the stone age.
Starting in 50 B.C., Bad Kreuznach witnessed 400 years of Roman occupation, and this gave the
local people their monetary system, laws, progress in agriculture, trade, administration and business.
The Germanic tribes next occupied the area, followed by the Franks who made the fortress a Royal
Palace and reigned over the Nahe region, making it part of the Frankish Empire which ultimately
encompassed much of what is now France, Switzerland, western Germany and northern Italy. The
fortress along with the city of Kreuznach, was given to the Bishop of Speyer. By the year 900, the
existing town was reeling under the feudal era.
once a Celtic settlement named Crucinacum, but early settlements date as far back as the stone age.
Starting in 50 B.C., Bad Kreuznach witnessed 400 years of Roman occupation, and this gave the
local people their monetary system, laws, progress in agriculture, trade, administration and business.
The Germanic tribes next occupied the area, followed by the Franks who made the fortress a Royal
Palace and reigned over the Nahe region, making it part of the Frankish Empire which ultimately
encompassed much of what is now France, Switzerland, western Germany and northern Italy. The
fortress along with the city of Kreuznach, was given to the Bishop of Speyer. By the year 900, the
existing town was reeling under the feudal era.
Hildegard was chosen magistra of the community when Jutta died in 1136, and Hildegard confided to
Volmar, another monk who would become her lifelong secretary, the story of her extraordinary
visions and he suggested she write them down. Later, the local Archbishop requested that Hildegard
continue writing. This resulted in the 'Scivias', a report of 26 visions that would sum up the Christian
doctrine on the history of salvation.
Volmar, another monk who would become her lifelong secretary, the story of her extraordinary
visions and he suggested she write them down. Later, the local Archbishop requested that Hildegard
continue writing. This resulted in the 'Scivias', a report of 26 visions that would sum up the Christian
doctrine on the history of salvation.
She is the first composer whose biography is known. Her own musical plays were performed in the
lively convent she founded. As a child in the monastery, Hildegard had listened to the musical
interplay of words and tones of the monastics' voices and the nuns' everyday chants for almost 4
hours a day and she absorbed the essence of their music. She wrote a collection of her songs from
her written music. She finished her final tour in 1171, at age 73.
lively convent she founded. As a child in the monastery, Hildegard had listened to the musical
interplay of words and tones of the monastics' voices and the nuns' everyday chants for almost 4
hours a day and she absorbed the essence of their music. She wrote a collection of her songs from
her written music. She finished her final tour in 1171, at age 73.
The Count von Sponheim built a castle on Kauzenburg along the opposite bank of the Nahe River to
care for the needs of his nobles. This formed the medieval Neustadt. The inhabitants of Kreuznach
began building in this direction for protection and the two towns were united by a bridge in 1241.
The Sponheims built their castle, Kauzenbergon, atop of the hill overlooking the town and it
remained the seat of the Sponheim dynasty until 1437 when the family died out. The plague struck in
1666, not long after the ravages of the Thirty Years’ War, followed by wars of bloody conquest
initiated by King Louis XIV of France which laid waste to the entire Rhineland area from 1667 to
1689 and again in 1697 when the French troops looted and burned down the town and castle. The
population decreased by one-third.
care for the needs of his nobles. This formed the medieval Neustadt. The inhabitants of Kreuznach
began building in this direction for protection and the two towns were united by a bridge in 1241.
The Sponheims built their castle, Kauzenbergon, atop of the hill overlooking the town and it
remained the seat of the Sponheim dynasty until 1437 when the family died out. The plague struck in
1666, not long after the ravages of the Thirty Years’ War, followed by wars of bloody conquest
initiated by King Louis XIV of France which laid waste to the entire Rhineland area from 1667 to
1689 and again in 1697 when the French troops looted and burned down the town and castle. The
population decreased by one-third.
By 1147, Hildegard was wondering whether the accounts of her visions should be published, so she
wrote to Bernard, abbot of the Cistercian monastery of Clairvaux. He responded favorably, and
when Hildegard's archbishop showed part of Scivias to Pope Eugenius, he suggested approving them
for publication after first creating a commission which came to visit Hildegard. They declared her to
be a genuine mystic and not insane, and with this encouragement, Hildegard was able to finish her
Scivias and her fame began to spread through the Holy Roman Empire and beyond.
wrote to Bernard, abbot of the Cistercian monastery of Clairvaux. He responded favorably, and
when Hildegard's archbishop showed part of Scivias to Pope Eugenius, he suggested approving them
for publication after first creating a commission which came to visit Hildegard. They declared her to
be a genuine mystic and not insane, and with this encouragement, Hildegard was able to finish her
Scivias and her fame began to spread through the Holy Roman Empire and beyond.
She was still working on Scivias and writing hymns when she decided to leave St. Disibod with her
nuns and establish themselves separately at a new monastery on the Rupertsberg at Bingen on the
Rhine. In 1151, she completed Scivias. Her visions were summarized and interpreted with assistance
provided by Volmar, with pictures of the visions in three books: Scivias, Liber vitae meritorum and
De operatione Dei. The books were printed for the first time in Paris in 1513.
nuns and establish themselves separately at a new monastery on the Rupertsberg at Bingen on the
Rhine. In 1151, she completed Scivias. Her visions were summarized and interpreted with assistance
provided by Volmar, with pictures of the visions in three books: Scivias, Liber vitae meritorum and
De operatione Dei. The books were printed for the first time in Paris in 1513.
The Romans were the first to discover Bingen's strategic value of the confluence area of the Rhine
and the Nahe, and Drusus had the Castellum Bingen built as part of the Rhine border fortification in
11 B.C. The fortress remained solid until seized in 355 A.D. by the Alemannies who then reigned a
short time until the Frankonians declared Bingen as theirs. Otto 11 gave the "Bingen Country" to
Willigis in 983, and Mainz Cathedral received Bingen in the middle of the I5th century, with which it
would remain united for centuries.
and the Nahe, and Drusus had the Castellum Bingen built as part of the Rhine border fortification in
11 B.C. The fortress remained solid until seized in 355 A.D. by the Alemannies who then reigned a
short time until the Frankonians declared Bingen as theirs. Otto 11 gave the "Bingen Country" to
Willigis in 983, and Mainz Cathedral received Bingen in the middle of the I5th century, with which it
would remain united for centuries.
Napoleon annexed Bingen in 1804 and, when he was defeated at the Battle of Leipzig, the Rhineland
was returned to the German Association of States. In 1816, it was added to the Greater Duchy of
Hessia. After the Second World War in 1946, the victors carved up Hesse, with the right side of the
Rhine remaining partly Hessian, and the left and part of the right side becoming the new state of
Rhineland-Palatinate.
was returned to the German Association of States. In 1816, it was added to the Greater Duchy of
Hessia. After the Second World War in 1946, the victors carved up Hesse, with the right side of the
Rhine remaining partly Hessian, and the left and part of the right side becoming the new state of
Rhineland-Palatinate.
The small town of Bingen was all once enclosed within the walls around Klopp hill where a castle
was first recorded in 1282. The Basilica of St. Martin was built on the grounds of a Roman temple
which was partly ruined in 883 but later redesigned and reopened as a church in 1220. It went
through much destruction and rebuilding until about 1505 when it was enlarged as a basilica. During
the Thirty Years War Bingen was plundered, and again ruined later by French troops during their
occupation in 1797.
was first recorded in 1282. The Basilica of St. Martin was built on the grounds of a Roman temple
which was partly ruined in 883 but later redesigned and reopened as a church in 1220. It went
through much destruction and rebuilding until about 1505 when it was enlarged as a basilica. During
the Thirty Years War Bingen was plundered, and again ruined later by French troops during their
occupation in 1797.
The monastery in Eibingen that Hildegard of Bingen founded isn't there anymore, but there is a small
parish church in Eibingen with a shrine holding her remains and containing some of her symbols and
images. Nothing is left of the Rupertsberg convent, the French having destroyed its last remains in
1689. The monastery where young Hildegard learned from Jutta and where she began writing Scivias
is now in ruins, but it once stood with banks on the sides falling steeply to the Rhine, which was then
rockier and more turbulent.
parish church in Eibingen with a shrine holding her remains and containing some of her symbols and
images. Nothing is left of the Rupertsberg convent, the French having destroyed its last remains in
1689. The monastery where young Hildegard learned from Jutta and where she began writing Scivias
is now in ruins, but it once stood with banks on the sides falling steeply to the Rhine, which was then
rockier and more turbulent.