Offered here are 46 original German cigarette cards of Important
Events in Early German History (c. 9 AD to 1500 AD). The cards were issued in
1935 by the Reemtsma Cigarette Co. for the album Rühmesblätter
deutscher Geschichte (Glorious Events in German History). Each picture
is a painting done by well-known artists of military scenes. Pictured here
are: No. 1: The Germanic Tribes
are Called to Fight the Romans [Painting by Edmund Herger]. Even at the very
beginning of German history the fight to be free from foreign oppression was
necessary, as was the need to be united in that fight. Justice and freedom,
land and a united country were the driving forces that made the Germanic tribes
rise up. No. 2: Germanic Leader
Versus the Romans, Hermann the Cherusker, Visits a Prophetess before the Battle
of Teutoburger Forest against Roman General Varus (9 A.D.) [Painting by F.
Leeke]. Before an important battle Germanic leaders often consulted a
prophetess to ask advice for the coming fight. Hermann is told in this picture
that he will be victorious and gain the freedom of his people. No. 3: The Battle of the Teutoburger
Forest (September 9 to 11, 9 A. D.) [Painting by Friedrich Gunkel]. The
destruction of the Roman legions by the Germanic leader Hermann (also called
Arminius) represented the final victory over Rome’s attempt to expand east of
the Rhine. No. 4: The “Furor
Teutonicus” at the Battle of the Teutoburger Forest (9 A.D.) [Painting by
Friedrich Gunkel]. Hermann’s plan was a masterpiece. He had a few small tribes
cause an uprising in order to attract the Roman army into the forest, where
Hermann and his main force laid an ambush. The Germanic warriors surrounded
General Varus’s legions and cut them down to the last man. No. 5: The Dying Heroes at the Battle of the Teutoburger Forest (9
A.D.) [Painting by Georg Bleibtreu]. One reason for the bravery of the Germanic
warriors against the Romans was their belief in an afterlife in Valhalla if
they died in battle. No. 6: Songs of
the Skalden in the King’s Hall [Painting by F. Leeke]. During victory
celebrations in the Great Hall, the
“Skalden” (poets) sang of the heroic deeds of the brave Germanic warriors in
battle. No. 7: The Huns Attack the
Goths, Starting the Great Migration (c. 375 A.D.) [Painting by F. Checa]. The
sudden attack of the Huns, an Asiatic nomadic people, against the East and West
Goths caused these Germanic peoples to flee to the West, beginning the period of
the Great Migration. The Huns were finally stopped some time later by a joint
Roman and West Gothic Army at the Battle of the Catalaunian Plains. No. 8: The
Gothic King Alarich I Enters Rome as its Conqueror (August 24, 410) [Painting
by Wilhelm von Lindenschmit]. The invasion of the Western Gothic tribes,
fleeing the Huns, shook the once powerful Roman Empire whose capital, Rome, was
taken in 410. No. 9: Charlemagne Has the Germanic Idol,
the Irmen-Pillar, Toppled (772 A.D.) [Painting by Alfred Rethel]. After the
fall of Rome the Saxons kept their freedom and their religion for three more
centuries. In his desire to convert the pagan Saxons to Christianity,
Charlemagne had their holy pillar, which they believed to be the residence of
the invisible Germanic god. That started a bitter war between the Franks and
the Saxons that lasted some 30 years, until the Saxons were subdued. No. 10: The Triumphant Entry of Charlemagne into the
City of Pavia (774 A. D.) [Painting by Alfred Rethel]. During his military
campaign against the Lombards Charlemagne took their capital city of Pavia
after a siege of eight months. After his victory, he crowned himself with the
“Iron Crown” of the Lombards some of whose metal supposedly came from a nail
used during Christ’s crucifixion. No. 11: Charlenmagne
studies the plans for the great Palace Church in Aachen (796) [From a painting
by O. Knille]. Charlemagne supported the Arts among the Germanic tribes under
his rule. Many beautiful large buildings were constructed during his reign,
including the Palace Church in Aachen (build from 796 to 804), and he
personally oversaw the construction of many of them. No. 12:
The Coronation of
Charlemagne in Rome on December 25, 800 A. D.) [Painting by Alfred Rethel].
Charlemagne helped Pope Leo III, who had been chased out of Rome by his
enemies, back to the Eternal City. In return, the Pope crowned Charlemagne in
St. Peter’s Basilica with the title Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, and named
him successor to the Roman emperors. No.
13: Henry the Fowler is Brought the King’s Crown (919) [Painting by H.
Vogel]. In Quedlinburg people still go to the place where the Saxon Duke,
Henry, was surprised by a group of Franconian noblemen as he sat with his bird
traps. They brought him the king’s crown and offered him the royal throne, as
his predecessor Konrad I of Franconia has requested in the event of his death. No. 14: Emperor Otto I and His Brother
Duke Heinrich are Reconciled (Dec. 25, 947) [Painting by Alfred Rethel]. After
a long feud Otto forgave his remorseful brother. This deed is remembered in the
famous poem “In Quedlinburg’s Cathedral”.
No. 15: Markgrave Gero Meets Representatives of the Wends After Conquering
Them (950) [Painting by Heyden]. The “Great Markgrave” Gero, whose fame has
been spread in song and writing, was the one who established German dominance
between the Elbe and Oder Rivers. His fight against the Wends proved him to be
a bold and clever leader. No. 16: Emperor
Otto I Defeats the Magyars (Hungarians) at the Battle of Lechfeld (955 A. D.)
[Painting by Echter]. After a number of initial setbacks the Germans gained a
glorious victory when Otto fought at the head of his troops with the Holy Lance
(that supposedly pierced Christ’s side at the crucifixion) in his hand. No. 17: Emperor Heinrich II (Ruled
1002-1024) Meets Bishop Bernward [Painting by Prell]. Bishop Bernward was a
well-known patron of the Arts and was himself an accomplished metal-caster. He
was also a supporter of the sciences and was often consulted for advice by
Emperor Henry II. No. 18: Rebuilding
Magdeburg (936) [Painting by H. Vogel]. The city of Magdeburg, destroyed by the
Wends in the year 924 was rebuilt by Otto the Great and his wife Editha and
later raised to the seat of an Archbishop. In the Moritz Cloisters in the city
the marble sarcophagus of the couple can still be seen today. No. 19: The
Women of Weinsberg (December 21, 1140) [Painting by Bruckmann]. When the
Hohenstaufen King Konrad III conquered Weinsberg he permitted the women of the
city to leave safely with whatever they could carry. When he saw them leaving
the city carrying their husbands, he said: “A king must keep his word.” No. 20: Emperor Friedrich Barbarossa’s
Triumphant Entry into Milan (1162) [Painting by Julius Schnorr von Carolsfeld].
The city of Milan had resisted the Emperor on various matters, so after a long
siege Friedrich took the city. No. 21: Emperor
Friedrich Barbarossa Pleads with Heinrich the Lion to Help Him Battle the
Lombards (1176) [Painting by Foltz]. In the city of Chiavenna Emperor Friedrich
Barbarossa fell on his knees to ask Heinrich the Lion for help in fighting the
Lombards in Italy. Heinrich, of the Welf family, was more concerned with
developing his lands and thus denied the emperor’s request. No. 22: Friedrich Barbarossa Takes
Leave on His Way to the Third Crusade (1189) [Painting by L. Gey]. As a young
man Emperor Friedrich took part in the Second Crusade and now as a much older
man he prepared to go on the Third Crusade as well. The reason for this Crusade
was the capture of Jerusalem by the powerful Egyptian sultan, Saladin. No. 23: Finding the Corpse of Friedrich
Barbarossa (1190) [Painting by Beckmann]. On the way to the Middle East, while
bathing one day in the Calicadnus River in Cilicia, the 70 year old Friedrich
suffered a stroke and died. In popular legend, however, he is still alive
inside the Kyffhauser Mountain, waiting to return to lead Germany to new glory.
No. 24: A Knightly Jousting Tournament (1184) [Painting by
Hoffmann]. The most magnificent tournament of the Middle Ages was held in 1184
in Mainz where some 70,000 knights took part in celebration of the knighting of
Emperor Friedrich Barbarossa’s sons. No. 25: The Highpoint of Medieval Literature in German Lands (c.
1200) [Painting by Hoffmann]. At
noble courts many knightly poets, such as Walther von der Vogelweide and
Wolfram von Eschenbach, sang of noble women, love, German customs and heroic
adventures. No. 26: Emperor
Friedrich II (ruled 1212 to 1250) Receives a Legation in Sicily [Painting by von
Ramberg]. Friedrich II, who wanted to free the Empire of the influence of the
Church, set up his magnificent court in Sicily. Beautiful women, foreign nobles
and dignitaries and troubadours from many lands could be found at his court
there. No. 27: Rudolf of Habsburg
Receives the News of His Election to Emperor (1273) [Painting by Julius Schnorr
von Carolsfeld]. In the attempt to protect their rights and privileges, the
princes of the empire elected Rudolf of Habsburg, of somewhat lower nobility, to
emperor in the belief that they could control him. However, because of his keen
political sense, he outwitted them and became a powerful ruler. No. 28: Count Rudolf of Habsburg and
the Priest (c. 1270) [Painting by Peter Paul Rubens]. A priest who was bringing
the Eucharist to a dying man, was traveling on foot. Rudolf, seeing this, gave
the priest his horse. Rudolf, founder of the Habsburg dynasty and later King,
became with this deed a model of Christian service and humility in the Middle
Ages. No. 29: Medieval Siege Methods
(c. 1300) [from an engraving; artist unknown]. When besieging a town defended
by strong walls and deep moats the main means of breaching the defenses was to
ram one of the gates, construct a siege tower or construct a protective structure
for workers who would try to undermine the wall in order to create a gap. No. 30: Arnold Winkelried, the Swiss
Hero of the Battle of Sempach (July 9, 1386) [Painting by Grob]. In the
uprising of the “crude farmers” Arnold Winkelried and his companions faced the
Austrian knights and their lances. In order to make a path for his comrades
through the wall of knights and lances, he gathered together a number of lances
and skewered himself on them, so that the men of his side could penetrate the
enemy’s armored wall. No. 31: Eberhard
of Württemberg Cuts the Tablecloth While at Table with His Son Ulrich (died
1388) in 1377. (Painting by König). When Count Ulrich suffered a great defeat
to the Swabian City League in the Battle of Reutlingen (May 14, 1377), his father,
Count Eberhard, while at table with his son, cut the tablecloth in two as a
sign of his displeasure. No. 32: The
Return of Count Eberhard of Württemberg after the Battle of Döffingen (1388)
[Painting by J. E. Lauffer]. Eberhard suffered the loss of his son in the
fighting at Döffingen, but upon his return home he was surprised by the happy
news of the birth of a grandson. No. 33:
The Future Emperor Sigismund is Rescued by Count Johann of Nuremberg at the
Battle of Nikopolis (September 28, 1396) [Painting by Hermann Knackfuss].
Sigismund was about to be captured by the pursuing Turks, until Johann pulled
him onto a ship and to safety. When he later became Emperor Sigismund gave
Johann’s brother, Friedrich, Mark Brandenburg out of gratitude for this act. No. 34: The Hansa Fleet Returns to
Hamburg After Defeating the Vitalian Brothers (Pirates) in 1401 [Painting by
Hans Bohrdt]. The pirate Klaus Störtebeker wreaked havoc on the shipping lanes
of the North Sea and Baltic Sea in the early 15th century. The Hanseatic
League captured his ship and brought him to Hamburg where he was tried and
executed. No. 35: The Fortress of
Bergedorf is Surrendered (1420) [Painting by Grotemeyer). The Dukes of Saxony of the Lauenburg Dynasty resided in the
fortress in Bergedorf. The cities of the Hanseatic League opposed the
aggressive Lauenburg Dukes and troops from Lübeck and Hamburg captured the
fortress after heavy fighting. No. 36: Agnes
von Rosenberg Surrenders Her Father’s Fortress to the Hussites (1426) [Artist’s
name not given]. After the death of her father during the siege of Rosenberg by
the Hussites, Agnes led the continued defense of the fortress. When she was
forced to surrender, the brave Agnes and the few other remaining survivors of
the fighting were permitted to leave the fortress with their belongings.
Each card measures 2 and ¼ inches
by 2 inches.
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