The Sin Stone (Sin Marker) of Hagedorn:

Memory of a Dramatic Love Story from the Year 1605

It still exists, the memory of the "sin stone" of Hagedorn. What all is told about that particular stone I heard a few days ago from a retired teacher in a neighboring community; it is a story famous in the local area. The story involves a "stone of memory" (a marker placed so that no one will forget what happened) located on the border between Häver-Hagedorn to the left of the road to Hagedorn next to which a splendid young oak tree stands.

Originally about two meters higher than it now is and located in what was a small pine forest, the "sin stone," as it is known to the locals, is located off the beaten path, away from the noise and traffic of our time in what was once a glacial flood plain during the ice age. It is still not visible to the eyes of those who rush past. In the past, the stone, which has the year 1605 engraved on it, was a traditional part of the evenings on which young people got together to tell scary horror stories.

The story begins in 1605. At that time two young farm boys by the name of Kellermeier and Meier lived in Hagedorn. The two, who were always at odds because of a shapely young woman, came home one spring night, arguing as usual. Each of the two was jealous of the other and neither was willing to let go of his claim to the young woman. So one night, after the two had been arguing heatedly, the two went home to the farms of their parents, each full of hate for the other. It was in this night that their fates were determined.

Hardly a minute had passed when a shrill whistle split the night. Each of the two farm boys thought the other was trying to make a fool of him. As something dark became visible in the night (the young woman), the two warring boys charged each other angrily. Kellermeier, in his hate and anger, picked up part of an iron plow that was lying on the path and hit his fellow suitor, who collapsed, blood streaming over him. Everything had happened as quick as lightning, so quick that the shocked girl could barely understand what had happened before her eyes.

Then, however, the girl, wanting to save her friend, threw herself between the two, but it was too late. He was dead on the spot. When Kellermeier looked soberly at what he had done, it became apparent to him how crazy his actions had been. He fled head over heels until he fell, unconscious, at the foot of a pine tree.

But it gets even worse. Kellermeier, who came to in the gray haze of the next morning and saw again in his mind what he had done, wanted to keep running away, but the pine tree had entangled him so firmly in its roots—so the old legend goes—that he did not dare to move. He was forced to wait at that spot, called the "Honigbeutel" or "honey pouch," for three days until the funeral caravan with its victim (the dead suitor) passed by. It was headed to the cemetery in Kirchlengern; everyone from the surrounding area was there. Not until the group had passed did the pine tree let the murderer go.

Kellermeier fled and was never heard of again. On the spot where the murder had occurred, friends of the murdered young man erected the "sin stone" as a reminder and admonition of the death blow. -by Erich Scheiding         Sin Stone picture link