bavarikon4UKempten Monastery Chronicles
The various German-language texts in the so-called "Kemptener Klosterchroniken" ascribed to Johannes Birk (ca. 1449-1500) from Biberach are important testimonies to Kempten abbey's self-image in the second half of the 15th century. Of the six known late medieval manuscripts the Bayerische Staatsbibliothek München preserves three, including the only illuminated text with manuscript Cgm 9470 acquired from the Ernst von Siemens Kunststiftung art foundation.
The codex Cgm 9470 was probably in the possession of Kempten abbey until 1802, then in private possession and at the Bayerische Staatsbibliothek since 26 August 2010.
Johannes Birk and the "Kemptener Klosterchroniken"
The main text contained in Codex Cgm 9470 bears the title "Stifftung des Gotzhaus Kempten und Sant Hiltgarten Leben" and deals with the history of the foundation of Kempten monastery and the life story of the Queen Hildegard (757- 783), who is worshipped as its benefactress, and her husband Emperor Charlemagne (747-814) as the central theme. The 'chronicle' was written in 1499 by Petrus Brack from Minderdorf.
The codex belongs to a series of six known medieval German-language manuscripts whose texts are summarised under the term 'Kempten Chronicles' or 'Kempten Monastery Chronicles'. They are very closely related in terms of content, literally match in parts but vary the text modules and update the texts. Cgm 9470 preserves the version of the book which is known by researchers as the 'Charlemagne Chronicle' and the only one illuminated with 59 coloured and washed pen-and-ink drawings.
Cgm 5819, written in 1479, is the oldest of the manuscripts. It contains the version known as the 'First Kempten Monastery Chronicle'. Cgm 9280, the "Krälersche Manuscript", written in 1506, contains both versions.
The author of all these German-language 'Kempten Chronicles' and other works in Latin, which also deal with the history of the Kempten Abbey in different ways, is Johannes Birk from Biberach, who was the head of the monastery school in Kempten from the end of the 1460s until at least 1494. However, the question of authorship has not been finally resolved.
Regarding the content of Cgm 9470
In Cgm 9470 the 'Chronicle' is preceded by a calendar and medical and astronomical/astrological texts; Instructions for planting and maintaining trees is added at the end of the manuscript. The contents of the 'Chronicle' itself, about which the introductory chapter offers a short overview, is a colourful mixture of historical reports, legends of saints, miracle stories, fables and the like.
At the beginning there are genealogically influenced reports about the origins of Emperor Charlemagne, his wife Hildegard and their son Louis the Pious (778-840), followed by explanations about the foundation of the Kempten monastery. The consecration of the monastery by Pope Hadrian (died 795) in the presence of Charlemagne and Hildegard is described. The documentary confirmations for the monastery by Charlemagne as well as the names of the monastery's first monks are listed.
Hildegard takes up a lot of space and her holy lifestyle is dealt with in another hagiography. Another hagiography of Charlemagne and annalistic notes up until 1494 follow. The story of the knight "Heinrich von Kempten" is told at the end.
>> This collection is part of the holdings of the Bayerische Staatsbibliothek (Bavarian State Library).