Bernau - Hussiten vor Bernau


Historians have always tried hard to substantiate that the Hussites had wasted their efforts to capture Bernau and ist citizens. They wrote a lot about the course of events since the 16th century but most of it is based on probabilities and assumptions. Here are a few incomplete , preserved facts from that time and shortly after it: In the old town archives, which unfortunately seem to have got lost, it is written: "---1432 AD, on St.George’s Day, on a Wednesday, at Holy Easter, the Bohemians came and wanted to conquer and ravage the town....they attacked us visciously, but we put up resistance very bravely with the Lord’s and St.George’s help. Many of them were killed and burned by us---" A document from 1434 says that Bernau "---suffered damage by the wicked heretics---" Another document from 1441 verifies that in 1432 “.....the town had been besieged by the Hussites. All inhabitants were afraid of the capture and destruction of the town, which obviously lay ahead......” In an older chronicle of the Town of Bernau you can still read this: In the following the explanation of a historian is given which agrees with the document of the Bohemian historian Pulacky and which is, on closer examination, probably nearest to the truth. About the reason of the Hussites’ invasion into the “Mark Brandenburg” this historian says: One might assume that the Hussites wanted to put pressure on the Council of Basel and the involved Elector Friedrich. In addition the Hussites tried to get booty in the “Mark Brandenburg” which up to this time had remained spared. “ The terrible destruction of their homeland let them use their swords” Moreover, there might have been the purpose to take revenge on the Bishop of Lebus, Chr. von Rothan. The Hussites’ army consisted of about 7000-8000 men and besides them old men, women and children, who accompanied the army. It is difficult to prove that the Hussites intended to besiege the “Mark Brandenburg”. April 13th, 1432 assault on Frankfurt with defeat of the Hussites April 14th, 1432 Battle of Muellrose with 400 fatalities (almost only children and women) among the Hussites..........inhabitants of Frankfurt followed the track and attacked it.......ensuing plundering of Lebus April 17th, 1432 destruction of Muencheberg and Buckow April 18th, 1432 destruction of Strausberg Thereupon they chose the way to Eberswalde to destroy the Monastery of Chorin, which was well-known to them. However, they did not succeed in finding it in the densely wooded area. The further advance was led via Biesenthal. Thus they came to the north side of Bernau, incidentally the only place which allowed an assault due to the fact that the town was situated in a marsh in the south. This was because defence of the town was only possible through a wall and a moat. The enemy army arrived on Wednesday April 23rd, on St.George’s Day. The Hussites might have marched all night long in order to attack the town at daybreak. The repeated onslaughts were successfully repelled by the brave inhabitants. Even women did their bit to help.. They poured boiling porridge from the town walls and towers onto the Hussites. This gives rise to the suspicion that the Hussites retreated on the same day. Bernau’s armed men had been watching the Hussites and risked an attack on the marching off Hussites. Perhaps it was overtiredness or drunkenness of their enemies which made it possible to take them by surprise at a favourable place. The majority of the Hussites’ army went back via Alt-Landsberg, which had been destroyed by them, passed the River Spree near Fuerstenwalde and immediately withdrew to Bohemia through the Lausitz. “......On the one hand the Hussites appreciated the treasure of Chorin’s monastery and on the other they coveted Bernau’s money and beer.......” Supplement: The Hussites destroyed over a hundred castles and towns, over five hundred churches and monasteries and over 1,500 villages and other places. The courage of Bernau’s citizens in the Hussite-Age is therefore especially remarkable. There is no doubt that Bernau would have had the same hard fate as all the other places had the Hussites succeeded in capturing it.

Historians have always tried hard to substantiate that the Hussites had wasted their efforts to capture Bernau and ist citizens. They wrote a lot about the course of events since the 16th century but most of it is based on probabilities and assumptions. Here are a few incomplete , preserved facts from that time and shortly after it:

In the old town archives, which unfortunately seem to have got lost, it is written:
"---1432 AD, on St.George’s Day, on a Wednesday, at Holy Easter, the Bohemians came and wanted to conquer and ravage the town....they attacked us visciously, but we put up resistance very bravely with the Lord’s and St.George’s help. Many of them were killed and burned by us---"

A document from 1434 says that Bernau
"---suffered damage by the wicked heretics---"

Another document from 1441 verifies that in 1432
“.....the town had been besieged by the Hussites. All inhabitants were afraid of the capture and destruction of the town, which obviously lay ahead......”

In an older chronicle of the Town of Bernau you can still read this:
In the following the explanation of a historian is given which agrees with the document of the Bohemian historian Pulacky and which is, on closer examination, probably nearest to the truth. About the reason of the Hussites’ invasion into the “Mark Brandenburg” this historian says:
One might assume that the Hussites wanted to put pressure on the Council of Basel and the involved Elector Friedrich. In addition the Hussites tried to get booty in the “Mark Brandenburg” which up to this time had remained spared. “ The terrible destruction of their homeland let them use their swords” Moreover, there might have been the purpose to take revenge on the Bishop of Lebus, Chr. von Rothan. The Hussites’ army consisted of about 7000-8000 men and besides them old men, women and children, who accompanied the army. It is difficult to prove that the Hussites intended to besiege the “Mark Brandenburg”.

April 13th, 1432 assault on Frankfurt with defeat of the Hussites April 14th, 1432 Battle of Muellrose with 400 fatalities (almost only children and women) among the Hussites..........inhabitants of Frankfurt followed the track and attacked it.......ensuing plundering of Lebus April 17th, 1432 destruction of Muencheberg and Buckow April 18th, 1432 destruction of Strausberg

Thereupon they chose the way to Eberswalde to destroy the Monastery of Chorin, which was well-known to them. However, they did not succeed in finding it in the densely wooded area. The further advance was led via Biesenthal. Thus they came to the north side of Bernau, incidentally the only place which allowed an assault due to the fact that the town was situated in a marsh in the south. This was because defence of the town was only possible through a wall and a moat.
The enemy army arrived on Wednesday April 23rd, on St.George’s Day. The Hussites might have marched all night long in order to attack the town at daybreak.
The repeated onslaughts were successfully repelled by the brave inhabitants. Even women did their bit to help.. They poured boiling porridge from the town walls and towers onto the Hussites. This gives rise to the suspicion that the Hussites retreated on the same day. Bernau’s armed men had been watching the Hussites and risked an attack on the marching off Hussites. Perhaps it was overtiredness or drunkenness of their enemies which made it possible to take them by surprise at a favourable place.
The majority of the Hussites’ army went back via Alt-Landsberg, which had been destroyed by them, passed the River Spree near Fuerstenwalde and immediately withdrew to Bohemia through the Lausitz. “......On the one hand the Hussites appreciated the treasure of Chorin’s monastery and on the other they coveted Bernau’s money and beer.......”

Supplement:
The Hussites destroyed over a hundred castles and towns, over five hundred churches and monasteries and over 1,500 villages and other places. The courage of Bernau’s citizens in the Hussite-Age is therefore especially remarkable. There is no doubt that Bernau would have had the same hard fate as all the other places had the Hussites succeeded in capturing it.