Schäfers Grab

Shepherd's Grave

Whoever hikes from Esthal following the red-and-white markings to the ruins of Erfenstein passes a small clearing between the Vorderer and Mittlerer Gleisberg, which bears the name "Am Gericht". Right next to it, a forest plot is called "Shepherd's Grave". In the semi-mature pine stand, the forester has planted a ring of spruces around a small pile of stones – hardly 10 steps from the edge of the forest. When the children of Esthal go to fetch wood or pick blueberries at the Mittlerer Gleisberg, they already look for thick stones beforehand, which they throw onto the stone pyramid in the spruce circle as they pass by. Thus, the little ones today witness their disdain for the murderer who found his dishonorable grave here almost 200 years ago.

His name was Lorenz Berenhauser, and as a foreign wandering shepherd, he grazed his large herd in the Dalberg forests. For 10 years, he had not entered a church. Even on the Lord's day, he denied his soul the grace of the Mass sacrifice and his conscience the wake-up call of the sermon. Who is surprised that the last remnants of childhood faith slowly withered in the dark man and he became a beast among beasts? If the shepherd came near a village, he lured older schoolboys to him to lead them astray as he himself was. On the afternoon of February 24, 1739, the rogue tried to seduce the Esthal boy Johannes Statler. But he came upon the wrong boy. As soon as the boy realized what the shepherd intended, he tore himself away with force and hurled a coarse Palatinate insult at him. Suddenly, shame flushed the shepherd's face. Yet, his stunted conscience presented itself in vain. In a wild fit of anger, he rushed after the brave boy and struck him in the head with the angular shepherd's spade. Quickly, he then dug a shallow grave in the dense underbrush, placed the dead boy inside, and covered him with leaves and earth. Before the early winter night cast its dark shadows over the Dalberg forest, the murderer had crossed over with his herd.

When the bell tolls at dusk, the children of all respectable families in Esthal hurry home. Because their Hans had strangely not returned that gloomy February evening, his mother searched for him throughout the village. She did not find her dear boy, but she heard that he had been seen outside with the foreign shepherd. The father unleashed the farm dog, muttering something to himself that sounded like "rascal" and "beating him up," and strode out of the village. He had not followed the faithful dog for a quarter of an hour, who immediately picked up Hansel's trail with his sniffing nose, when he suddenly stopped in surprise. The dog veered off the path and let out pitiful cries from the underbrush nearby. Had he gotten caught in a fox trap? Annoyed, father Stalter made his way through the dense thicket. In the flickering light of his stable lantern, he saw his dog digging furiously at the ground. Just as he was about to call the excited animal back sharply, his eyes widened in sudden horror. The dog had unearthed a solid boy's hand from the leaves and moss, and already a piece of the coat sleeve appeared, which every Esthaler would have recognized as belonging to the outfit of Stalter Hans. An hour later, the unfortunate father laid his boy's dead body at home on the bed. The mother’s horrific screams echoed sharply into the quiet village street. In the consecrated earth of the old cemetery, the little hero Johannes Statler found his final resting place. Today, a large new parish church rises over his grave. Mildly ruled at that time, Franz Eckenberts' hand governed the small Dalberg area, always open to assist the poor, sick, and the church. But the avenging fist of the knight captain struck hard at any miscreant who dared to desecrate Dalberg soil through any wrongdoing. Hunted through the woods by infuriated farmers and noble hunters, and finally captured, Lorenz Berenhauser stood in heavy shackles before the strict court of Dalberg. Innocently shed blood can only be atoned for by the blood of the murderer. Therefore, the white judge's staff was broken and cast down before the feet of the criminal.

In Esthal, the Katharinen bell chimed - the executioner exercised his gruesome duty. He buried the decapitated body of the sinful shepherd right next to the blood gallows. The date was April 10, 1739. Since that day, the place has been called "Shepherd's Grave".

(After the records of Pastor Matthias Mertens in the Esthal parish archive)

This text comes from the book "History of the Woodland Village of Esthal", published by the Municipality of Esthal.

Opening times

The shepherd's grave is accessible year-round.