Hospice of the Holy Spirit

inventory number: 10024
1960
Drawings coloured
077 x 027 cm

The so-called “Schuldturm” (debtor´s prison-_tower) functioned in the middle ages as a prison for debtors. The debtors were detained until their relatives paid their debts. During that time the families had to provide all necessities for the prisoners like food, clothes and heating in winter, until the debts were paid for and the creditor was satisfied. Incidentally, there was not far from the debtor´s prison for men the one for women which does no longer exist. Both tower-prisons were part of the fortification of an ancient city-wall, which is nowadays visible merely south and north of the Hospice of the Holy Spirit. After the completion of the fortification which has been preserved to this day the penultimate defensive wall was knocked down. Just the route of some streets today indicates that there once was a city-wall.