Entrance of Margrave Ludwig Wilhelm in Baden Following the Turkish War
The Great Turkish War (1683-99) ushered in the phase of expulsion of the Osmanli in Europe. Margrave Ludwig Wilhelm von Baden-Baden brought them a devastating defeat near Novi Slankamen on 19 August 1691. In his homeland the victor bore the name "Türkenlouis" (Turkish Louis) from that time on and was celebrated enthusiastically.
Hoch, hoch ! sei gerufen. Prinz Ludwig der Held
Als Sieger heimkehr von hungarischem Feld:
Dort lernten die Türken bei Salankemm,
Wie schwer es, dem Markgraf genüber zu steh´n,
Schon wollte es schief geh´n, als er wir im Nu
Den Reitern links am Flügel auf einmal sprengte zu;
"Jetzt gilt´s ihr Dragoner! Den Pallasch heraus!"
"Und drauf! Immer weiter! Wie Wetterge braus."
Die Erde erbebte. Der Markgraf voran
Auf schneeweißem Schimmelhengst stürmte er an.
Was stand, - überritten. - Hier Stoß - dort ein Hieb,
Ein Wunder, wenn ein Strohhalm aufrecht
noch stehen blieb." (...)
(Franz Mallebrein)
The White Woman
Palaces, castles and, of course, haunting ghostly women are closely connected in many legends and traditions - and Rastatt Palace is no exception here:
An old saga in Baden tells of the "white woman", who followed the ruling family when it moved from Baden-Baden to the new residential palace in Rastatt. She mostly appeared at night and wore a snow-white garment and a fine, transparent veil over her face, which was illuminated by a dull beam of light. The fixed, ghastly look in her black eyes was said to be unforgettable to those who met her gaze. Her silent appearance in the rooms and hallways, in the chapel and the garden was said to have always announced the death of a member of the royal family.
Mutiny in Rastatt
On 13 May 1849 the garrison in Rastatt mutinied in the course of the Revolution. The soldiers reported to crush the uprising watched without lifting a finger and partially joined the rebels. The Prussian troops already ended the upheaval on 21 June with their victory near Waghäusel and held a parade before Rastatt Palace on 13 August. Today Rastatt Palace is one of the only two residence palaces which also survived World War II undamaged and has been accessible to the public with its main floor since 1989.
Rastatt Palace
The 19th century with its marked awareness of history had also taken up the cause of monument preservation. For example, in 1835 the weekly newspaper "Freiburger Wochenblatt" printed a hymn to Rastatt Palace, which called for the preservation of the baroque palace.
"Noch hat kein Sänger sich erhoben,
Dich hohes, edles Schloss zu loben
Und zu besingen deine Pracht!
Haus, das so großes hat gesehen,
Wie sollst klanglos du vergehen,
Ein frühes Opfer Saturns Macht?
(...)
Einst herrscht' im Schlosse reges Leben,
Und deutscher Helden kühnem Streben
Ward hier manch schallend Hoch gebracht.
Doch längst verscholl der Klang der Becher,
Und durch die öden Prunkgemächer
Rauscht sagenreich die Mitternacht.
Wie schaurig, Haus, verwaist für immer,
Glühst du im rötlich düstr'n Schimmer
Spät abends in der Sonne Gold,
Wenn Phöbus seinen Sonnenwagen,
Auf Feuerwolken fortgetragen,
Hinab zum fernen Weltmeer rollt!
(...)
Und donnernd ruft es aus den Höhen:
"Lasst ja den Frevel nicht geschehen,
Die ihr euch Badens Söhne nennt;
Gestattet nicht, dass sie verderbe,
Die schönste Perl' in Badens Erbe,
Erhaltet Ludwigs Monument!"
Eggs and Curds
A bill for six eggs and a kilogram of curds was nothing unusual for the building supervisor of the restoration measures in the "Belétage" (principal floor) of Rastatt Palace even in the 1980's. Restorers did not use these foodstuffs to prepare a refreshing meal. On the contrary, the eggs were required for gilding and the curds for a casein coating...