Hülfensberg
| Hülfensberg | |
|---|---|
| Stuffenberg | |
Hülfensberg, view from east, 2009
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| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 448 m (1,470 ft) |
| Coordinates | 51°13′8″N 10°9′29″E / 51.21889°N 10.15806°ECoordinates: 51°13′8″N 10°9′29″E / 51.21889°N 10.15806°E |
| Geography | |
| Geology | |
| Age of rock | Triassic |
The Hülfensberg (called Stuffenberg in the Middle Ages) is a 448 m high, heavily wooded mountain in the Geismar municipality in the Eichsfeld district, Thuringia, Germany. The mountain has been a pilgrimage site since the late Middle Ages, and on its summit are a church containing a 12th-century crucifix, a Franciscan monastery, a chapel dedicated to Saint Boniface, and a large free-standing cross.
The medieval name for the mountain was Stuffenberg, from which the supposed Germanic god Stuffo derives his name. According to some sources the name was changed in the 14th century (or around 1400) because of a famous crucifix in the church, the Hülfenskreuz; another etymology for the modern name was given in 1575, based on the legend that Boniface had defeated an army of unbelievers on the mountain, which was subsequently named Hülfensberg (helfen: to help) in reference to divine help.
The Hülfensberg has been a pilgrimage site since the late Middle Ages, and at one point was one of the seven most popular such sites in Germany; the goal of these pilgrimages was a 12th-century crucifix. Today pilgrimages occur throughout the year. During the East-West division of Germany, the Hülfensberg was less than a kilometer from the border, on the eastern side, meaning that opportunities for pilgrimage were restricted to a small number of people. According to Father Heribert (one of the Franciscan monks, 2010), attendance dropped by two-thirds in 1953, the year after the Hülfensberg was placed inside the expanded and protected border area. Permission for visits to the mountain was usually only granted to locals; all others interested in pilgrimage had to request permission, and half were denied. As of 2010, some 250 pilgrims attend Sunday mass in the church, and 1000 to 2000 people participate in each of the four major pilgrimages per year.
The focal point of pilgrimage on the Hülfensberg is the Hülfenskreuz, a 12th-century Romanesque crucifix. It is one of the most popular pieces of sacral art in the Erfurt diocese as well as one of the most important.
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