Obermaßfeld-Grimmenthal

Obermaßfeld-Grimmenthal is a municipality in the district Schmalkalden-Meiningen, in Thuringia, Germany.

Obermaßfeld-Grimmenthal
Municipality
Coat of arms
Location of Obermaßfeld-Grimmenthal within Schmalkalden-Meiningen district
Obermaßfeld-Grimmenthal Obermaßfeld-Grimmenthal
Coordinates: 50°32′N 10°26′E
Country	Germany
State	Thuringia
District	Schmalkalden-Meiningen
Municipal assoc.	Dolmar-Salzbrücke
Government
• Mayor (2021–27)	Martin Hofmann
Area
• Total	5.59 km2 (2.16 sq mi)
Elevation	295 m (968 ft)
Population  (2022-12-31)
• Total	1,250
• Density	220/km2 (580/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+01:00 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+02:00 (CEST)
Postal codes	98617
Dialling codes	036949
Vehicle registration	SM
Website	www.obermassfeld-grimmenthal.de

History

Since 1498, it has been a place of pilgrimage. An early picture of Mary was said to have been miraculous. In 1498 a chapel was inaugurated. From the revenue the Obermaßfelder Werra bridge was built. In 1536, after the Reformation, the pilgrimage ended. Immediately thereafter, a hospital for the poor was created. After 1945, it was a retirement home, which existed until 1990.

• 
  Aerial photo of Obermaßfeld
• 
  Werra bridge of 1534

Martin Luther criticism of pilgrimages to Grimmenthal

A chapel at Grimmenthal was erected by a Würzburg Captain which was dedicated by the Suffragan bishop of Würzburg Prince-bishop Lorenz von Bibra, Georg von Bipolis, on August 24, 1498. The number of pilgrims grew so much and the money came in so abundantly that a bigger church had to be built by the chapel which was inaugurated on May 1, 1502. Martin Luther was critical about this:

“Through the big fraud of the devil came about the pilgrimage of Grimmenthal servant and maids, shepards and women left their jobs and ran away to Grimmenthal. It’s right Grimmenthal, valley of fury (vallis furoris); and evidently nobody talks against it. The Bishop of Würzburg keeps his mouth closed and even agrees with this pilgrimage.”(daher ist kommen der grosse Betrug des Teufels mit den Wallfahrten in Grimmenthal, da Knecht und Mägde, Hirten, Weiber ihren Beruf liessen austehen und liefen dahin. Ist recht Grimmenthal, vallis furoris; da war Niemand, der ein Wort dawider geredet. Der Bishof von Würzburg schwieg stille dazu und williget darein.)

References

• DR. JOHANNES BAIER, Dr. Martin Luther’s Aufenthalt in Würzburg, 1895, Chapter 5 Bischof Lorenz von Bibra und Dr. Martin Luther. VERLAG UND DRUCK DER STAHEL’SCHEN K. HOF- UND UNIVERSITÄTS- BUCH- UND KUNSTHANDLUNG.