Grasbrook (Störtebeker Execution Site)

Hamburg · Tyskland · Haunted site

Pirate Klaus Störtebeker was beheaded here in 1401 – and is said to have risen headless and walked past eleven of his men before the executioner tripped him.

On the Grasbrook by Hamburg's harbour, the pirate Klaus Störtebeker and more than 70 of his 'Likedeeler' brotherhood were executed on 20 October 1401. According to the famous legend, Störtebeker asked the mayor to pardon as many of his men as he could walk past – after being beheaded. The headless body is said to have risen and staggered past eleven men before the executioner tripped it. The council then broke its promise and executed them all. The skulls were nailed to stakes along the Elbe as a warning, and a skull believed to be Störtebeker's was unearthed in 1878. In today's HafenCity a monument marks the spot, where the harbour's foggy nights still carry the headless pirate's story.

FAQ

Hvor ligger Grasbrook (Störtebeker Execution Site)?

Grasbrook (Störtebeker Execution Site) ligger i Hamburg, Tyskland.