Germany’s night watchmen

Many German towns have night watchmen. In Dinkelsbühl in June ’05, we joined a group following the costumed Jakob Hamerslag as he made his evening rounds from one restaurant to the next. At each one he tooted his horn, sang his song and was offered a glass of white or red Franconian wine by a smiling waitress.

This nightly medieval ritual was free. And there was a bonus: at later stops, the large wine glass was passed among his followers. One toot of the horn meant he wanted wine; two toots signified apple juice. Fortunately for us, Hamerslag was on a “one-toot” patrol.

A convivial though quiet atmosphere developed as he told us in German of medieval night watchmen’s lives and duties. Formerly, the night watchman was armed, acted as the town’s policeman and lit all the gas lamps on his rounds. He gave the alarm if he spotted fires — a big problem in medieval times. He took town drunks home. He also insured that soldiers were manning the wall’s towers and, more importantly, were awake.

Today, it’s a sought-after position. Dinkelsbühl has five who alternate duties and are members of the International Night Watchmen Association. The group has annual conferences where ideas are swapped on armor, capes, costumes and history.

Rounds begin at 9 p.m. and wind up at 10:30. Sometimes a choir accompanies Dinkelsbühl’s night watchman.
Hamerslag said that one night he skipped the town’s hospital as he was running late. The next day, city officials reprimanded him because the hospital’s patients would not go to sleep without his nightly call.

We did not skip the hospital.

HARVEY HAGMAN
Ft. Myers, FL