Haellisch-Fraenkisches Museum
Keckenturm
Due to its age, the Keckenturm is often associated with a legend according to which the founding of Schwäbisch Hall was based on seven castles. The medieval tower is said to be one of them. It is certain that the massive stone tower was built in the 13th century. A dendrochronological study showed that the built-in wooden beams were cut between 1238 and 1241. At the time, the building was one of several residential and defensive towers in the city. Both the massiveness and the upward orientation suggest that the idea of protection and defense played a major role in its construction. At the same time, such an imposing building also served as a representation. The building was extended and expanded as early as 1280. The half-timbered structure was not added until 1508. During baroque reconstructions, the medieval windows (probably double windows) were replaced by large windows, which changed the appearance considerably. The tower was inhabited by one of the richest families in the city from the 14th to the 16th century. This family, von Keck, gave the building its name.
Museum shop
In our [museum shop](https://www.haellisch-fraenkisches-museum.de/de/besuch/museumsshop) you will find souvenirs such as Haller salt or postcards as well as a lot of books. In addition to articles on the history and culture of Schwäbisch Hall and the Hohenlohe region, the catalogues of past special exhibitions at the HFM are also for sale. There is also a selection of specialist literature on other topics, for example on Jewish culture and history.
Lockers
According to our house rules, bags and backpacks are not allowed into the exhibition. That's why you will find lockers here in the foyer.
Wardrobe
On Museum Education
In addition to our exhibitions and guided tours, various activities and workshops invite children and adults to get involved in the museum. You can find out more about this [here](https://www.haellisch-fraenkisches-museum.de/de/besuch/angebote/angebote-fuer-kinder) .
The toilets are down the stairs
City wall
The town mill is located outside the medieval town wall. A town gate from the 13th century can be seen here.
Model of the city of Hall before 1728
The model shows the imperial city immediately before the great fire that destroyed large parts of the city center in 1728. It shows the image of the still largely medieval city. Only the Gelbinger suburb was rebuilt after a fire in 1680. The city model was reconstructed based on numerous old views of Hall and partly on the historical buildings that are still preserved today. You can find out more about the development of Hall's cityscape on the screen.
Heller
In the Middle Ages, coins were minted in Schwäbisch Hall from the 13th century onwards: silver pennies, which were called "Haller Pfennige" or "Heller" after their place of origin. Unlike other coins, this means of payment was not limited to a specific circulation area, which is why it quickly spread across large parts of the German-speaking world.
City fire of 1728
On August 31, 1728, large parts of today's old town were destroyed by a fire. Starting in an inn on the Michelmarkt, the fire spread like wildfire and reduced two thirds of the old town, a total of over 400 buildings, to rubble and ashes. Only the quarters around St. Michael, the new building and the Herrngassen were spared. The boiling huts in Haal, the hospital, the town hall and the chancellery burned down to the ground. This copperplate engraving was distributed by fundraisers in the empire along with a description of the fire disaster. You can find out more about the city fire in the “Baroque” section.
Keckenturm
Due to its age, the Keckenturm is often associated with a legend according to which the founding of Schwäbisch Hall was based on seven castles. The medieval tower is said to be one of them. It is certain that the massive stone tower was built in the 13th century. A dendrochronological study showed that the built-in wooden beams were cut between 1238 and 1241. At the time, the building was one of several residential and defensive towers in the city. Both the massiveness and the upward orientation suggest that the idea of protection and defense played a major role in its construction. At the same time, such an imposing building also served as a representation. The building was extended and expanded as early as 1280. The half-timbered structure was not added until 1508. During baroque reconstructions, the medieval windows (probably double windows) were replaced by large windows, which changed the appearance considerably. The tower was inhabited by one of the richest families in the city from the 14th to the 16th century. This family, von Keck, gave the building its name.
Dendrochronological dating
The collection of the Hällisch-Fränkisches Museum is owned by the Historical Association for Württemberg Franconia, founded in 1847. Its mission is to promote research into the history, art and culture of the historical region of Württemberg Franconia, today's northeastern Baden Württemberg. The results are presented to the public through various publications such as the yearbook, as well as through lectures, excursions and conferences.
Textile finds from the house at Lange Straße 49
Textiles such as clothing are rare archaeological finds because they are made of organic material and usually decay over the course of centuries. However, under favorable conditions they can survive the test of time. The 17th century clothing items on display in this display case were discovered in the 1990s during renovation work on the house at Lange Strasse 49 in the Katharinenvorstadt on the other side of the Kocher. The core of the house itself dates back to 1470. [The small house can also be toured virtually.](https://www.haellisch-fraenkisches-museum.de/de/museum/die-haeuser/aussenstelle)
Large special exhibition
Historical Society
Geological Department
In the cellar vaults, the processes that shaped the landscape of today's Hohenlohe-Franconia region are explained using typical rock types and fossils.
Eduard Mörike
Eduard Mörike (1804-1875) was a Swabian writer and translator of ancient literary works. In addition to his professional activities as a pastor, he also collected fossils.
Mammoth tusk
Bones and teeth of large mammals from the Pleistocene (Ice Age) are found again and again. This mammoth tusk was discovered during construction work in 1978. In Schwäbisch Hall there have been reports of such finds since the 15th century. In the past the tusks were often interpreted as the horn of a unicorn. One example is a tusk discovered in 1605 that was hung in the choir of St. Michael.
Marking in the ground
The current museum is a building ensemble of seven historic buildings that was constructed in several phases from the 1980s to 2001 xxx. The architect Werner Schuch knew how to stylishly combine historic building fabric with modern elements such as glass and steel. Different floor coverings also made the lines of the exterior walls of the individual buildings visible.
Historic treadle crane
Here you can see a replica of a medieval crane that can be moved using a treadwheel. In the Middle Ages, such cranes were found on all construction sites of very tall buildings, for example churches such as the St. Michael's Church in Hall, tower houses such as the Keckenturm or fortifications. The wooden lifting machines made it possible to effortlessly lift heavy components to dizzying heights. Under the guidance of our staff, children and adults alike can operate the treadwheel.
Stone Age tools
Here you can get active yourself and try out various replicas of Neolithic tools, such as a knife for removing hair from animal skins or a hand drill.
Roman Antiquity
There are no traces of Roman settlement in Schwäbisch Hall. However, the Upper Germanic-Rhaetian Limes, the border of the Roman Empire, was only a few kilometers west of the city. Roman towns existed in Mainhardt and Öhringen, for example.
Cooking pots
Until well into the Middle Ages and the early modern period, cooking vessels made of metal were the exception rather than the rule. Originally, food was cooked in ceramic vessels close to or even in the fire. The black burn marks on the cooking vessels are evidence of this.
Medieval Piety
A collection of outstanding works of art, as well as altar equipment and evidence of indulgences and pilgrimages, reflect the different forms of late medieval piety before the Reformation. During the Reformation, the sacred works of art from the Middle Ages in some towns and regions often fell victim to so-called iconoclasm. In the new doctrine, works of art depicting Jesus or saints were not welcomed. However, Johannes Brenz, the reformer in Schwäbisch Hall, was very cautious and had many works of art stored in secret. It is thanks to him, among others, that medieval sacred art has survived in Schwäbisch Hall to this day.
Aquamanile in the form of a rooster, 13th century
Aquamaniles (Latin aqua = water, manus = hand) were used in church services until the early modern period. During mass, altar boys would wet the priest's hands with water from such a vessel. The rooster is considered to be the herald of light (= Christ) and a symbol of vigilance, repentance and conversion. Aquamaniles were also used in secular areas. Before meals and between courses, guests were given a shallow bowl of water and linen towels so that they could wash their hands. The water was then poured from the aquamanile over the hands into the bowl. Anyone who wiped greasy fingers on their clothes or ate or drank quickly was not showing good manners. Certain hygienic aspects may also have played a role. A beautiful object to counter widespread clichés and show that the Middle Ages were not always dark, cruel and dirty.
Rieden Altar
The carved shrine depicts three events in the life of Mary: in the middle, the birth of Christ in front of a rocky landscape, to the left of it the marriage of Mary and to the right the adoration of the kings. In the raised middle section, God the Father is depicted blessing. The small wings next to it show the crowned Mary and opposite her God the Father blessing her. Saints Catherine and Barbara can be seen on the backs. Mary's entrance to the temple is painted on the large left wing and the presentation in the temple on the right. When closed, the viewer sees the Annunciation scene.
Palm Donkey
Palm processions as a tradition on Palm Sunday have existed in southern Germany since the 10th century. Originally, the priests themselves rode on donkeys, but from the 13th century onwards, such processional props made of wood became increasingly common. In 1489, Emperor Maximilian I is said to have admired the older of the two donkeys during the procession during a stay in Schwäbisch Hall.
Indulgence letter from Indelfingen
Until the early modern period, the Catholic Church issued so-called indulgences, which gave believers the opportunity to repent of their own sins and thus shorten the time spent in purgatory. The indulgence system was one of Martin Luther's main points of criticism of the Catholic Church and motivated him to write his 95 theses. This indulgence letter from 1346 was issued at the papal court in Avignon. It grants visitors to the church of St. Nicholas in Ingelfingen a 40-day indulgence on certain days.
Globe with city coat of arms
In the 16th century, Nuremberg played a leading role in the field of astronomy and geography and therefore also became a center for the production of globes. Globes like this one were acquired in the 18th century primarily for reasons of prestige and for didactic purposes. The globe on display is dedicated to the city magistrate and bears the Hall coat of arms, which indicates a certain self-confidence of the Hall council at that time.
Thomas Schweicker
The example of Thomas Schweicker (1541-1602) shows that some people with disabilities were able to lead independent lives in the early modern period. He was born without both arms, probably due to an amniotic constriction in the womb. Despite his disability, he was able to carry out everyday tasks such as putting on and taking off clothes or eating and drinking. After learning to write and draw with his feet and attending Latin school, he became famous as a writer. Important personalities from all over the Holy Roman Empire came to Schwäbisch Hall to see Schweicker's skills demonstrated, including Emperor Maximilian II. In Heidelberg, he entered the service of the Elector.
Tullau fool
The “Tullaauer Narr”, a sculpture by the Schwäbisch Hall-based sculptor Leonhard Kern, is sometimes described as the forerunner of today’s garden gnome. It comes from a fountain in the garden of Tullau Castle, which Kern acquired in the 17th century. The depiction and the formal language of the small, fat, grinning man can be seen as an optimistic counterpoint to the horrors of the Thirty Years' War, which was raging at the time. The glass in his left hand was a vessel for wine or beer, and he wears a sausage chain around his neck. In his right hand there was probably originally a small beer barrel or a wineskin.
Modern Art
In addition to historical works of art and other objects, the Hällisch-Fränkisches Museum also exhibits works by contemporary artists. Some of these can be found in the permanent exhibition, such as these graphics or sculptures by Thomas Lenk (1933-2014).
Additional toilets
Leonhard Kern
Leonhard Kern (1588-1662) was one of the most important German sculptors of the 17th century. His apprenticeship was followed by travels to Italy and North Africa. After his return, he first ran a sculpture workshop at the court of the Elector Palatine Frederick V before settling in Hall in 1620. Kern was a master of his craft and worked with a wide variety of materials, including stone, clay and alabaster. But he became famous above all for his ivory sculptures. These were very popular during his lifetime and were found in the great European aristocratic courts such as Vienna, Paris and Berlin. His works are characterized by a high level of detail and artistic expressiveness.
Three complaining women
In this sculpture, Kern takes up the motif of the “Three Graces”. These originally come from Greek and Roman mythology. The three naked goddesses represent beauty, grace and joie de vivre. The group of the "Three Lamenting Women" is to be understood in the context of the horrors of the Thirty Years' War, a time in which joy, harmony and art were more than threatened. Through the women's gestures and facial expressions alone, as well as the reference to the "Three Graces", Kern succeeded in creating a moving picture of a bleak time.
Fire engine
The fire engine, which dates back to the 18th century, was filled with water using a chain of buckets and pumped out a powerful jet of water. Four firefighters had to carry the engine to the fire site. A similar fire engine like this one burned down right at the beginning of the fire-fighting operations during the town fire of 1728.
Schützenscheibe with the registry of the city archives
The Schwäbisch Hall City Archives have been in existence for several hundred years. This target shows what the registry in the New Town Hall looked like in the 18th century. You can find out more about the work and offerings of the City Archives [here](https://www.schwaebischhall.de/de/unsere-stadt/geschichte/stadtarchiv/allgemeines) . [The city archives can also be explored virtually.](https://www.schwaebischhall.de/de/unsere-stadt/geschichte/stadtarchiv/virtueller-rundgang)
Wigs
Here you can try out different historical wigs and slip into the role of councillors, judges or noble ladies. You are welcome to upload the photos to Instagram under #barockstarhfm.
Imperial Eagle
Guild signs
Children's sled
Then, as now, sledding was one of the most popular winter pastimes for children - not necessarily to the delight of the city authorities. The Hall police regulations of 1703 expressly prohibited "shameful sledding" on Sundays, which children even indulged in during church services.
Apothecary cabinet
Lighter
Waffle iron
Ladies' toilet
Men's toilet
Modern Architecture
In order to make the building usable as a museum, the town mill had to be renovated. The contemporary materials of concrete, steel and glass show where the historical building structure has been supplemented.
City mill
The town mill was built in the late Middle Ages, but has undergone many changes over the years. The current building structure dates mainly from the early 19th century. The town mill was still in operation until 1937. Today it houses exhibits from the 19th and 20th centuries, as well as the subject areas of Louis Braun, salt, Jewish life and historical toys. There is also an area for special exhibitions in the winter garden. With the exception of the toy department, the entire town mill is wheelchair accessible via an elevator.
Mousetrap
This mousetrap dates from around 1800. The shape of the guillotine and the painting in the colors of the tricolor are an allusion to the French Revolution of 1789. Its ideas of freedom, equality and fraternity spread across the continent and had a major impact on politics and society in the following century, including in Schwäbisch Hall.
National flag with city coat of arms
Grossag
Industrialization in Schwäbisch Hall started hesitantly at first, as the infrastructure was not suitable for the development of industry. It was only after the introduction of freedom of trade and the connection to the railway in 1862 that more and more companies were founded. The Grossag company, for example, specialized in the manufacture of irons. Today, numerous medium-sized companies and world market leaders are based in the region.
Penny-farthing
The history of the bicycle begins in the 19th century. Initially designed as a balance bike, over the years it developed into the penny-farthing bike and into the form we know today. Bicycles are now an indispensable part of our lives and their popularity has increased, particularly since the sale of e-bikes.
Club activities
The 1848 revolution also came to Hall, where several political associations were founded as a result. The Democratic Association (from 1849: People's Association), founded by Theodor Rümelin from Hall, was the largest democratic association in Württemberg with around 480 members. The Stuttgart teacher and author Wilhelm Zimmermann was elected by the people of Hall to the National Assembly in the Paulskirche and joined the left-wing republican-democratic Donnersberg faction. After the failure of the revolution, the right-liberal Citizens' Association was founded in Hall, which competed with the People's Association for voters in the elections for the Württemberg State Assembly. In 1852, the People's Association was banned.
Marie Sieger-Polack
Marie Sieger-Polack (1886-1970) was a painter from Schöntal an der Jagst. She is one of the early academic painters from Germany. Her diverse work consists of landscapes, still lifes and portraits, as well as textile designs, prints and drawings. Her estate has been in the possession of the Hällisch-Fränkisches Museum since 2003.
Panoramic painting
In his career as a painter, Louis Braun created eight panoramic paintings that were over a hundred meters long and up to twelve meters high. This model shows the Battle of Murten in 1476, a panorama that he created in 1893/94 for the Zurich Poster Company. It is the only original panorama by the artist that has been preserved.
Louis Braun
Louis Braun (1836-1916) was born in Schwäbisch Hall and is one of the most famous German military painters. He mainly painted battle scenes from the German-Danish War of 1864 and the Franco-Prussian War of 1870/71.
Conservatory
Magic lantern
The magic lantern is considered the forerunner of the slide projector and film, in which images are illuminated on glass plates and projected onto the wall through a lens. Initially only used for scientific purposes, it later found its way into middle-class children's rooms. With the advent of film and cinema, the magic lantern was increasingly pushed out of use and today only a few people are familiar with it.
The 20th Century
The first half of the 20th century was marked by many political changes and two world wars. After the defeat in the First World War, in which 303 Hall residents died and 13 others went missing, the first German Republic was founded after the abdication of Kaiser Wilhelm II. However, the Weimar Republic was overshadowed by many crises, such as the global economic crisis, hyperinflation and high unemployment, which ultimately encouraged the rise of the NSDAP. In Schwäbisch Hall, too, Jews and other minorities were discriminated against, persecuted and ultimately deported and murdered. In 1944, the Hessental concentration camp was built. The Second World War also left its mark on Schwäbisch Hall. Due to the Hessental air base, the town was repeatedly the target of Allied air raids towards the end of the war. Schwäbisch Hall was liberated by the Americans on April 17, 1945. A total of 552 Hall residents are believed to have been killed in action. 298 soldiers are missing.
Cooking box
A cooking box is a container with a heat-insulating lining into which you can place a heated pot. This allows the food to cook without the need for additional energy. Cooking boxes were often used in the First World War because fuel was scarce.
Hitler painting
During the Nazi era, a cult of leader Adolf Hitler dominated Germany. After the Second World War, many Germans tried to keep quiet about National Socialism and their role in it. For example, this portrait of Hitler from a private household was covered with a Picasso art print after the war.
Jewish deportees
From 1933 to 1945, Jewish citizens in Germany and its occupied territories fell victim to the anti-Semitic ideology of the National Socialists. This was also the case in Schwäbisch Hall. After Jews had already been discriminated against and partially expropriated, a mob devastated Jewish shops and homes as well as the prayer room in Obere Herrengasse on Kristallnacht on November 9, 1938. The synagogue in Steinbach was burned. The following day, the first Jews from Hall were arrested. In total, the National Socialists murdered 38 Jews from Hall and millions of other people in their concentration camps. Let us never forget their names and their fate.
Jewish life
The first documented mention of Jews in Schwäbisch Hall can be found in the Imperial Tax Register of 1241. In 1349, members of the Jewish community fell victim to a pogrom. In the 15th century, increasingly restrictive laws gradually drove the Jewish population out of the city. In Steinbach, Jewish residents were first recorded in 1619. A synagogue was built there in 1808/09, and a Jewish cemetery in 1811. After centuries of unequal treatment, the law on the public relations of Israelite believers made Jews largely equal citizens in 1828. In the same year, the communities of Steinbach and Schwäbisch Hall merged. After the period of emancipation in the Empire, anti-Semitism increased again after the First World War. It reached its peak during the Nazi era. During the Kristallnacht on November 9, 1938, the Steinbach synagogue, the Hall prayer room in Obere Herrengasse, and numerous Jewish shops and apartments were destroyed. From this point on, 38 Hall Jews were deported and murdered. 91 Jewish citizens emigrated. From 1944, the Hessental concentration camp existed, in which over 182 prisoners died. Jews now live in Schwäbisch Hall again, although they do not have an official Jewish community.
Synagogue paneling Unterlimpurg
This synagogue paneling was painted in 1738/39 by the Polish painter Elieser Sussmann for the Jewish prayer room at Unterlimpurger Strasse 65. The animal depictions are Jewish symbols, but the overall context is unknown. In 1907, the Historical Association for Württemberg-Franconia bought the paneling. It survived the Nazi era by being stored in the museum depot. For an exhibition in 1956, the synagogue paneling was unfortunately adapted to fit into a space that was far too small. Since it was housed in the city mill, the original arrangement has been reconstructed as best as possible. There are only a few comparable synagogue panelings left in the world.
Synagogue paneling Steinbach
This paneling of a Steinbach room synagogue was also painted by Elieser Sussmann in 1738. After the room synagogue was closed down, the panels were used elsewhere and were only rediscovered during renovations. The existing remains were purchased by the Historical Association for Württembergisch Franconia and the original arrangement was reconstructed.
Airfield Museum
Click here to go to the website of the airport museum: [Link](https://www.flugplatzmuseumschwaebischhall.com/) The airfield museum can also be visited virtually: [take the tour](https://www.flugplatzmuseumschwaebischhall.com/de/https/-/my-360-vista-de/us/tour/flugplatzmuseum/) .
Dolan Barracks
The Dolan Barracks were a US Army barracks between 1947 and 1993 on the site of the former Hessental air base of the German Air Force. Initially it was mainly used for tank units and artillery. In 1966, however, the airfield was reactivated, which meant that Hessental became one of the busiest military airfields in Europe in the 1980s. In addition to the base, the Dolan Barracks were home to many Americans, including a cinema, supermarket and sports fields. On the one hand, there was lively contact between the Americans and the people of Hall, but on the other hand there were repeated protests against the military base over the years. After the end of the Cold War, the Dolan Barracks were closed like many other US bases in Germany. Today, the site is home to the Solpark as a residential and commercial area and the Adolf Würth Airport for business aviation.
Club Alpha
The Alpha 60 Club was founded in 1966 based on a Heidelberg student club and is now considered the oldest socio-cultural center in Baden-Württemberg. Since its founding, it has played a major cultural role in Schwäbisch Hall, for example by organizing concerts and running the cinema in the sheep barn. From 1970 to 2010, the club published the monthly newspaper "alpha press." The Alpha 60 Club is politically polarizing. In 1967, it organized a week of democracy at which Rudi Dutschke also spoke. In 1978, the club was classified as left-wing extremist by the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution. The club's premises were initially in the Anlagencafé, but over the years it had to move several times.
Celtic archaeological finds
In 1939, Celtic pottery shards, wooden troughs and ovens were found during the construction of the savings bank. This suggests that the Celts were already mining salt. The salt spring was probably in use from around 500 BC until the turn of the century. Exposed layers of earth suggest that the saltworks was subsequently buried by a landslide.
Haalgeist
According to legend, the Haalgeist, also called “Hoolgaaschd”, is the guardian of the Hall salt spring and is said to have appeared to several salt distillers. Although he warns the people of Hall about fires or floods, he also plays nasty jokes if the salt distillers do not show him the necessary respect.
Inheritance rights of the settlers
In the Middle Ages, the rights to use the salt spring in Schwäbisch Hall were granted to the saltworks by feudal lords. Over time, however, they developed into hereditary rights. In 1827, the saltworks was transferred to the state of Württemberg with the settlement of the saltworks rent. In this unique document, the Kingdom of Württemberg committed itself to paying a saltworks rent for all eternity as compensation. This saltworks rent is still paid out by the state of Baden-Württemberg today, but due to inflation, it has more of a symbolic meaning.
Mälerhölzchen
It was not only the town of Hall that benefited from the salt spring. Since salt production required a lot of wood, many trees were felled upstream in Limpurg, the trunks of which were then floated down the Kocher to Hall and pulled out of the water there. In order to determine who had felled the trees, there were so-called Mäler. Each forest farmer had a mark consisting of several notches that were cut into the wood. These could be viewed in the Mäler booklet and the forest farmer was correctly paid.
Walking chair
Walking chairs allow small children to move around independently thanks to freely moving wheels. They have been around since the 16th century and still exist today in modern variations.
Pedal scooter
With the advent of motorized vehicles on the road, the sale of pedal vehicles for children also began. The Vespa was invented in 1946 as a fuel-efficient vehicle, and the children's format dates back to the 1960s. Children's vehicles such as cars and tractors are still very popular today.
Doll's kitchen
Dollhouses used to be special toys that you could only play with at Christmas time. They sometimes had special functions. This doll's kitchen, for example, has a tank with running water and the stove can be heated with a spirit pan.
Portraits Oberland
Events
Occasionally, events such as lectures or small concerts also take place in the Baroque Hall. You can find an overview in our events calendar. In addition, on selected dates throughout the year, it is possible to get married at the registry office here. You can find more information here:[Link](https://www.haellisch-fraenkisches-museum.de/de/besuch/veranstaltungen/seite-3/suche-none) .
Revolution of 1848/49
As in many other European countries, the year 1848 was marked by revolution and uprising in what is now Germany. In the March Demands, the people expressed their desire for freedom of the press and freedom of opinion, jury trials and the election of an all-German parliament. The uprisings were initially successful, so that the first all-German parliament discussed the founding of a nation state and its constitution in the Paulskirche in Frankfurt. Eventually, however, the princes regained control of political events and the revolution failed.
