Friedensroute

Audio

Text

Rider: Ah, that looks like Ostbevern already. I rarely venture here to deliver mail, even though the surrounding monasteries were supposed to be additional venues for negotiations once.

That’s the intricacy of having two congress venues: the lords have to communicate permanently to make sure that, in both venues, everyone is acting in concert. This is the reason why several meeting venues in between Münster and Osnabrück came into view for the negotiating parties. However, the search for suitable ones proved to be everything but easy: for the allied Swedes and French it was mainly a question of rank. Who should comply with whose proposal? Who should attend to whom first? Which demeanor seems appropriate? The Swedes feel like they are equal in rank to the French. The latter, however, surely do not agree with that. At last, they agreed to “Haus Harkotten” as a meeting point, which is situated a couple of kilometers northwest of here. Accordingly, the imperial forces refrained from arranging meetings with the Spaniards nearby. Just imagine the French encountering the Spaniards by accident along the road! Both of them still want none of the peace-talks with one another. Such an encounter would have ended in tragedy! With severe consequences for the entire peace negotiations!

Previously, the imperial delegation had considered the monastery “Rengering” as a meeting venue. A very old Cistercian monastery with a rather resolute abbess. In the end, though, they decided on Lengerich as the chosen spot, which proved to be more suitable in other regards as well. The sister-monasteries “Rengering” and “Vinnenberg”, which is close to here as well, have been plundered many times during the war and have taken serious damage by fire. The highborn lords, however, value ease and comfort above everything.

Speaking of damage by fire: One might be surprised about the lovely, new community hall in this village. Considering the times we live in, there is an all too typical story behind this: In the winter of 1632, Ostbevern had an unwelcome, but prominent guest. Peter Melander, general of the Hessian troops, had made the community hall his headquarters. When he left, however, he thanked his hosts by setting it on fire. It took Pastor Krechter four years to rebuild the community hall, but without a great hall this time. Like this, he wouldn’t have to worry about being forced to accommodate some lord again. He shouldn’t have to endure another destruction of his home!