Krögelstein Castle (Ruin)

The castle ruin of Krögelstein is located in the Krögelstein district of the town of Hollfeld in the Bayreuth district. It rises above the village in the valley on a rocky mountain spur typical of Franconian Switzerland.

The noble free lords of Krögelstein, who may have been related to the equally noble free Walpoten, are documented for the period from 1149 to 1239. It can be assumed that the spur castle already existed at this time, but it is only explicitly mentioned as a "castrum" in a document in 1328. After the family died out in the mid-13th century, the castle passed to the Prince-Bishopric of Bamberg. Bishop Wulfing von Stubenberg (1304–1319) pledged the castle to the Bamberg Cathedral Chapter in 1313. From 1400 onwards, the castle was predominantly administered by Bamberg officials. It is demonstrably in the hands of the von Aufseß family, and subsequently, until its destruction in 1523, with the von Giech family.

Destruction of the Castle in 1523

On October 17, 1500, the Prince-Bishop of Bamberg, Heinrich III. Groß von Trockau (1487–1501), received the castle back from the Cathedral Chapter. He gave the castle as a male fief of the Prince-Bishopric of Bamberg to Dietz von Giech. Georg Wolf von Giech was married to Ottilie von Absberg, the sister of the notorious robber knight Hans Thomas von Absberg. Since he frequently provided refuge for his brother-in-law at the castle, the castle was destroyed in 1523 by the Swabian League. Reconstruction did not take place.

Hans Wandereisen, as a war correspondent in 1523, accompanied the Swabian League on its punitive expedition and made woodcuts of the destruction of the castles. The image shows the castle at eye level from its original entrance side. In the valley behind, one can see isolated half-timbered houses, some of which are built against the rock formations typical of Franconian Switzerland. On the left side, the area of the church is indicated by a cross and a memorial pole. Troops of the allied army in the foreground bring combustible material into the castle, which is already in flames. In addition to landsknechts, some captains on horseback are also depicted. The massive castle complex is characterized by half-timbering in the upper floors. The tower is decorated with four oriels at its top. The woodcut also bears the following remark: XI. Kriegelstain belonged to Jorgen von Gycht / Lies near Hollfeldt. Was taken and burned by the League on the 4th day of July. 1523.