October 10, 2022

The Spooky Stories

Written by Rachel Gyarmati

Welcome one and all to Autumn. The season of harvest, cooler weather, and football. It’s also the season of all things spooky. In the spirit of this season, we want to share with you the best of German lore.

German lore is fun to research because they’re stories that have lasted hundreds of years. The longevity of lore is the exact opposite of Trick-or-Treating, which has only been celebrated in Germany since the 1990s.

Whether your Autumn traditions are hundreds of years old or ones that are new, we want to join you! So come out of the cold to enjoy our Seasonal Bier, the Festbier (6.0% Alc by Vol). It is the original Märzen made to celebrate the marriage of Prince Ludwig.

Rattenfänger von Hameln / The Rat Catcher of Hameln

Americans know this story as the tale of the Pied Piper. It was written by Robert Browning in 1842 and is technically a poem.

Here’s the story:

The town of Hameln found itself deep into a rat problem. It was so bad that the putrid creatures had completely taken over homes and businesses. What’s more, is that the rats carried the plague, which is another problem altogether.

The mayor called on a famed piper into the village to remedy the situation. The Pied Piper had a reputation for leading rats out of cities by playing his pipe. The rodents would follow him straight out of town. After agreeing to a payment, the Piper worked his magic, leading a procession of rats out of town.

When it came time to pay the Piper (yes, that’s where the saying comes from), the ungrateful town folk refused. The Piper grew angry; instead of storming off in a rage, the enraged musician used his talents to lure the kids from the town and into a cave. The town’s children were never seen again.

The moral of the story is always to settle debts, or else the consequences can be dire.

The Glockenspiel Clock of Goebel Park in Covington, Kentucky, is a fun tribute to the tale of the Pied Piper. At the top of each hour, the clock’s bells chime and trigger statues that move in the middle. The beloved landmark is undergoing restoration and is not chiming, but it will soon!

Herr de Berge/Lord of the Mountain

According to the internet (which is truthful, right?), the lore of the Lord of the Mountain is from Norse culture. The being known as Herr de Berge, or Lord of the Mountain, is a shapeshifter. He changes his form to scare off and manipulate those who dare to climb the mountain he conquers.

Those who dare to go against Herr de Berge can expect him to shapeshift into those who are familiar and will sabotage them. His most common forms are hunters, charcoal makers, and a monk who wears grey.

Adversaries can also expect natural disasters and obstacles to be in the way. But, of course, the scariest are storms while it’s sunny out and bad luck.

Lorelai/Lorely

If you ever find yourself on the left bank of the Rhine River in Germany, be wary of large rocks. That’s because they are occupied by Lorelai, the protector of the Rhine. Lorelai is said to be a beautiful mermaid who spends her time sunning on the giant boulders of the Rhine.

It is said that this mermaid protects the Rhine by luring sailors with her song and brushing her gorgeous hair. However, once trespassers are distracted by this, they crash their boats onto the rocks and perish.

Lorelai may be less than welcoming, but we believe in the concept that the more, the merrier!

Scary Good

Few things are more comforting after a day at a pumpkin patch or Trick-or-Treating than a belly full of good food. With National Pretzel Month, this blogger recommends a hot pretzel with Bier cheese. If you’ve been a fan of the Biergarten Blog for any time, you know that this is a national holiday for this blogger.

What pairs well with the decadence of our bier cheese? We strongly recommend the Steak Jäger Spätzle. It will fill you up on a warm day and make you dance as you enjoy the creamy Burgundy Wine and parmesan cream sauce that coats this dish.

Don’t forget the little ones when you’re out! Fuel your little ones up for Trick-or-Treating with food from our kids’ menu. The meals range from our traditional Schnitzel to more familiar favorites like pizza and cheeseburgers.

We can’t wait to celebrate Autumn with you and yours. So what’s your favorite spooky story? Let us know on social media!