News Archive
Schwäbisch Gmünd is celebrating its anniversary !
Posted 09/01/12
Schwäbisch Gmünd was the very first town founded by the Staufer dynasty in Europe and celebrates 850 years from first being mentioned in records as a town in 1162.
STAUFER FESTIVAL EVENTS LIST 2012 (Extract)
16. January Talk by Prof. Dr. Immo Eberl: “The Staufers and Schwäbisch Gmünd in the
12th and 13th centuries”.
Talk about the rise of the Staufer Dynasty in the Schwäbisch Gmünd area.
29. Jan to 7. Dec “StadtVerFührung: The Secret of the Legend of the Ring” Guided theatre
tours with costumes and stories about the founding of Schwäbisch Gmünd
6. February Staufer talk by Karlheinz Hegele: “The Staufers and Byzantium
– Traces of history in early Schwäbisch Gmünd”
11.-12. Feb International Guggen Music Festival: 20 Guggen Bands with more than
800 musicians from Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Austria, Great Britain
and Germany.
21. February Carnival procession including floats relating to the Staufer saga
6. Mar to 5. Apr “The Staufer era as presented in various media”: A media exhibition in the
town library of Schwäbisch Gmünd
12. March Staufer Talk by Prof. Dr. Hubert Herkommer: “The Mainz Whitsun celebrations 1184
– a reflection of the political culture at the court of Emperor Barbarossa”
21. to 25. March Young Musician of the Year competition – Awarding of a special prize for the best
interpretation of a musical piece from the Staufer era
22. March Benefit concert of the Army Music Corps 10 Ulm , proceeds to the Staufer saga and
procession
31. March Celebrations relating to the installation of the new Staufer column on Johannisplatz
in front of the Staufer basilica
16. April “Parler, Pestilence and Patricians” – Talk by Dr. Klaus Graf on the late Middle Ages
in Schwäbisch Gmünd
19. April “Spellbinding Staufers” by Timo Bader, book reading by the author.
19. Apr to 14. Oct “Faithful and True. Rings – a promise” – Exhibition in the silverware museum
Ott-Pausersche Fabrik.Background for this exhibition of rings from the antiquity until
modern times is that Duchess Agnes, wife of the first Staufer Duke Friedrich, vowed to
have a church (the Johanniskirche) erected in the spot where her lost wedding ring was
found.
May “Noble knights and proud damsels” – Interesting facts and games around the Staufer saga
for children between 6 and 10 years of age. Town library.
5. May Opening of the Staufer cycle trail between Göpping and Schwäbisch Gmünd
11. May to 21. Oct “The Staufers and Schwäbisch Gmünd” – Exhibition in the Prediger Museum
12. May to 21. Oct “Open Air Town History” – Open air exhibition of the city archives on 850 years of
history in Schwäbisch Gmünd, 21 large information boards all over Schwäbisch Gmünd.
13. May to 21. Oct “Schwäbisch Gmünd Town Epic” – Exhibition by Hans Kloss on the most important events
from the founding of the town until the 19th century
8. June to 5. Aug “IN SITU – 850 years Schwäbisch Gmünd” Exhibition and open workshop
– Franz Huber,Sculptor
17. June “Barbarossa and the Universities” – Presentation of seminar results by students,
Prof.Dr.Felicitas Schmieder (Open University Hagen)and
Dr.Peter Hesse (Justus-Liebig-University Gießen)
24. June – end Sept Staufer Splendour “Karfunkelstein” – Exhibition and prize giving, an extraordinary
installation project
28. June Soiree with the Prince of Ethiopia, Dr. Asserate – the author of the book “Manners”
on the relationship between chivalry and today’s code of behaviour
29. June 19.00 hours onwards: Ceremonial opening of the Staufer week with festival service
and premiere of the Staufer Saga play
From 30. June Further performances of the Staufer Saga play
1. to 5. July Several performances of the youth theatre play “Thespians, Swords and Jealousy
– Friedrich Barbarossa’s road to the crown”
1. July Matinee celebration in honour of the twin town anniversaries between Schwäbisch Gmünd
and its five twin towns: 40 years Barnsley (Great Britain), 35 years Antibes (France),
20 years Bethlehem (USA) and Syekesfehervar (Hungary) and
10 years Faenza (Italy).
6. July Concert Corvus Corax – medieval concert in the Stadtgarten
6. -8. July Staufer weekend with medieval market and many other attractions
8. July Historic Staufer Procession through the town centre,
-14.00 hours. Performers of the Staufer Saga and participants from Schwäbisch Gmünd
schools and societies take part in this spectacle.
29. September “The Staufers are back”, authors’ readings
1. to 12. October “Apulia – in the footsteps of the Staufers”. Study trip to explore the core region
of the Swabian dynasty with its extraordinary art treasures and fascinating landscape
4. – 6. October European Conference “European Towns at the Time of the Staufer Dynasty”
– towns founded by the Staufers and their architectural heritage
7. October Passing of the Banner – during the Nagold National Garden Festival,
including Staufer Procession
October “Litara Musica” – a literary and musical soiree of the Staufer era, town library
16. November GmendrGuggeTreff – 11 Guggen Bands from all over the region mark the start of the new
Carnival period
30. Nov to 23. Dec Christmas Market in the town centre
