Frankenstein’s Castle

Frankenstein Castle, lying just south of Darmstadt - Eberstadt inside the Bergstrasse-Odenwald Nature Park, is arguably one of Germany’s most famous landmarks.  This may seem unusual for what is, essentially, just another ruin in the hills above the Bergstrasse; however, with the publication of Mary Shelley’s famous novel in 1818, the little castle became forever associated with Gothic mystery and monsters.  It is this association that brings hundreds of visitors a year to the northern edge of the Bergstrasse to view the haunting ruins of Frankenstein’s Castle.

Mary Shelley and Her Monster

Most everyone has heard of Mary Shelley’s novel, Frankenstein, and it is widely rumoured that the

Mary Shelley

author received inspiration for the tale while visiting the Rhine gorge and Gernsheim with her sister and future husband, Percy Shelley, in 1814.  Though this assumption about the novel’s origin makes a good story, there is very little evidence to support the theory.  Michael Mueller, in his paper, Frankenstein - the Monster’s Home?, points out that the timeline of Shelley’s movements while she was in the area made it impossible for her to have visited the castle.  Also, he argues that no part of Shelley’s novel is set in a castle, and on a subsequent trip to the area, after the author had written the novel, she failed to visit or mention Frankenstein’s Castle.  Mueller’s arguments are very convincing, and it does seem highly doubtful that there is an historical connection between the novel and the site, and thus, this article will deal only with the verifiable history of the castle and leave Frankenstein’s monster to the realm of fiction.

Location and History

Frankenstein’s Castle sits on a 375 meter-high hilltop on the northern fringes of the Bergstrasse-Odenwald park. The name Frankenstein is Germanic in origin: Franken coming from the name of the tribe, the Franks, and stein, meaning stone.  So the name of the castle is “Stone of the Franks.”

Frankenstein Coat of Arms

The castle was first mentioned in 1252, in documents which referenced the castle’s builder, Konrad II Reiz von Breuberg, who was then calling himself von und zu Frankenstein in honour of his new residence. The von Breubergs were a noble family descended from the lords of Lützelbach. These descendants built a castle near Höchst im Odenwald at Breuberg, from which they took their name. In the mid-13th century, the family wanted to increase their scope of power and shifted their attention to the Wetterau region and the Bergstrasse, where Konrad II built Frankenstein’s Castle and established the free imperial barony of Frankenstein, subject only to the jurisdiction of the Holy Roman Emperor.

Over the next five hundred years, the castle remained in the hands of the Frankenstein family.  In 1662, however, Lord John I sold both his land and title to the Landgrave of Hesse Darmstadt to settle long-running legal disputes between the two noble houses.  After the sale of Frankenstein, the family left the area and acquired the lordship of Ullstadt in Middle Franconia and later, in the 19th century, the lordship of Thalheim bei Wels in Austria. Today, the family consists of two branches found in Germany, Austria, England and the United States.  The castle, after its acquisition by the Landgrave of Hesse, was used as a prison and hospital before being abandoned in the 18th century.  

Castle Site Plan

Johann Conrad Dippel

Johann Conrad Dippel

Perhaps the most famous resident of the castle was the theologian and alchemist, Johann Conrad Dippel. Dippel was born in the castle in 1673 and later studied theology, philosophy and alchemy at the University of Giessen where, at the age of 20,  he obtained a master’s degree in theology.

Though Dippel was a fairly well-known, though controversial, theologian in his day, having once served a seven-year sentence for heresy;  he is best known for his connection with Frankenstein’s castle. Dippel was the inventor of the substance known as Dippel’s Animal Oil, a nitrogen-rich byproduct of the distillation of bone. The tar-like concoction was used as an animal and insect repellent, as well as, an agent of chemical warfare in World War I, when it was used to poison enemy wells during desert campaigns. Dippel offered to purchase Frankenstein’s Castle in exchange for the formula for his oil; however, his offer was refused.

There are many rumours about Dippel and his time at the castle, including the rumour that he blew up a tower with nitroglycerine (nitroglycerine was first produced in 1847, long after the alchemist’s death) and another that said he attempted to transfer souls between cadavers, resulting in his expulsion from the area by angry townspeople.  There is no historical evidence to back up these rumours; however, we do know that Dippel supported the theory of soul transference in his writing and that a minister in Wittgenstein accused him of exhuming and experimenting upon dead bodies.  

Whether Dippel conducted research with human cadavers can’t be verified; however, he did frequently dissect and experiment with dead animals and claimed to have discovered the Elixir of Life and a potion to exorcise demons, making him a rather strange fellow nonetheless.  Dippel died at Wittgenstein Castle in Bad Laasphe at the age of 61, only a year after having proclaimed the discovery of a potion what would allow him to live to the age of 135.

Mysteries and Legends

The story of Dr. Frankenstein and his monster only adds to the mysteries and legends that already surrounded the castle long before Mary Shelley wrote her novel.  

Knight George, buried in 1531
at Nieder-Beerbach,
possibly the basis for the
legend of dragon

One such legend, written down by August Nodnagel in the 1800s, tells about the killing of a mighty dragon that was said to live in the garden of Frankenstein’s Castle. The dragon would make its way over to the neighbouring village of Nieder-Beerbach, terrorise the villagers and eat their children. One day, a brave knight by the name of Lord George rode into the village.  The townsfolk told Lord George of their sorrows, and he immediately rode off to battle the dragon.  He found it sleeping in the castle garden near the well and quickly engaged the creature in battle.  The two fought for hours until, finally, the exhausted beast could fight no longer. As the dragon fell, Lord George plunged his sword into its soft underbelly.  In its death throes, the dragon’s tail swung around and stung Lord George, and he, too, died.  The grateful villagers buried the brave knight in the church at Nieder-Beerbach where you can still see his tombstone today.

Another story about the castle tells of a fountain of youth hidden in the gardens where old women from nearby villages gather on Walpurgis Night to partake in contests of courage.  It is said that the final winner of the contests would then return to the age she was on her wedding night.

In the 18th century, a rumour was started, possibly by a local fortune teller, that there was a treasure of gold hidden at Frankenstein’s Castle.  The local residents seemed to believe the rumour as a frenzy of gold hunting began that reached such a fever pitch the local priest from Nieder-Beerbach intervened to ask for calm.  Despite numerous attempts to find the treasure, one of which resulted in the death of a treasure hunter, no gold was ever discovered.

The Magnetic Stones

Magnetic stones can be found in the forest behind Frankenstein’s Castle on Mount Ilbes, and though their existence is not a legend, the stones are associated with magic and supernatural occurrences. This makes the location popular with those who practise witchcraft, and witches gather at the stones during the summer solstice and Walpurgis Night to connect with one another and perform rituals. It is said that, if you come upon the witches during one of their ceremonies, it is best to leave them well alone.

Frankenstein Castle Today

Today, Frankenstein’s castle is a popular tourist attraction in the region, especially during October

Chapel

and November when a large Halloween festival is held there each year. This tradition was started by the American army, which was stationed in the area after World War II. There is also a restaurant located at the castle, and the chapel has been turned into an official registry office where weddings are performed year around. Like most of the hills and mountains lining the Bergstrasse, the hill atop which Frankenstein's Castle sits, is crossed by numerous footpaths and nature trails, and it is an extremely popular location for hikers and mountain bikers. A nature car park is located just at the foot of the castle.

Address:	Frankensteiner Straße 7 64297 Darmstadt-Eberstadt www.eberstadt-frankenstein.de
Opening Times:	9 am to dusk
Fee:	Self-guided tours are free.  Contract the castle for information about guided tours in English
Getting There:	The castle is accessible by private vehicle.  The Darmstadt tram system, lines 1, 6, 7 and 8, serve tram stop “Frankenstein.” From there it is a steep three kilometre walk to the castle. Additionally, there are walks from Malchen, Seeheim and Eberstadt that will take you to the castle.
Restaurant:	March - December: Tues. - Sun. 11:00 - 22:00 January & February: weekends 11:00 - 18:00 Tel: +49 (0) 6151-501501 email: mail@burg-frankenstein.de

Sources:

Aynsley, E. E., and W. A. Campbell. “JOHANN KONRAD DIPPEL, 1673–1734.” Medical History, U.S. National Library of Medicine, July 1962, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1034731/.

Erich.Kraft.Ewwerscht. “Geschichtsverein Eberstadt - Frankenstein.” Geschichtsverein Eberstadt - Frankenstein, www.eberstadt-frankenstein.de/.

“Frankenstein Castle.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 30 Aug. 2017, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frankenstein_Castle.

Michael Mueller. “Frankenstein – the Monster’s Home? .” 2010.

“New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge, Vol. III: Chamier - Draendorf.”Christian Classics Ethereal Library, www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/encyc03/Page_442.html.