150 years of the Pied Piper: Celebrating Julius Wolff's legacy in Hamelin!

150 years of the Pied Piper: Celebrating Julius Wolff's legacy in Hamelin!

On June 14, 2025, we look back on a special date: 150 years ago the famous poem “The Pied Piper of Hamelin” by the poet Julius Wolff was published. This occasion is a cause for celebration and shares with us the fascinating history of the work and its creator. Julius Wolff, who was born in Quedlinburg in 1834, actually had a career in cloth manufacturing ahead of him, but ultimately turned to journalism and writing. A circumstance that would shape his later career.

After the Franco-German War of 1870/71, Wolff settled in Berlin as a freelance writer and dedicated a patriotic collection of poems to the war. His fascination with folk, historical materials, which were very popular at the time of the founding of the empire, led to the creation of the “Pied Piper Adventures”. Inspired by Victor von Scheffel, Wolff uses 18 chapters with narrative stanzas and melodic verses in his epic.

A classic of German literature

Julius Wolff's story shows the Pied Piper as a seducer who not only frees the city from a terrible rat plague, but also conquers people's hearts. The story tells of the Pied Piper's relationship with the fisherman's daughter Gertrud, which ends tragically: Gertrud takes her own life after she believes she has cheated on Hunold, while Hunold is sentenced to death but is saved by Gertrud at the last minute. These dramatic turns reflect the themes of betrayal and moral integrity that are also central to Wolff's work.

The legend written by Wolff is not only a poetic work, but also a cultural phenomenon that has been translated into over 30 languages ​​and is estimated to have reached more than a billion people. The story is particularly common in school lessons in countries such as Japan and the USA. Legend tells of a mysterious man who appeared in Hamelin in 1284 to rid the town of its rat plague, but the story's scheming progression leaves the townspeople with a grim consequence after their failure to pay him: the loss of 130 children, never to be seen again. Only two return, one blind and the other mute.

A cultural heritage

Wolff's story has not only enriched the literary landscape, but has also inspired numerous cultural reflections in music and media. An opera by Viktor Nessler based on Wolff's work was premiered in 1879, which further increased interest in the legend. On the occasion of the 600th anniversary of the Pied Piper legend, Wolff was made an honorary citizen of Hamelin in 1884. A fountain with figures of Gertrud and Hunold was built, but over the years interest and figures waned, eventually disappearing in the 1950s.

The first printed mentions of the legend date from 1556, with the Jesuit Father Athanasius Kircher making a significant contribution to the story's popularity in the 17th century. However, the origin itself remains controversial and is seen as a combination of different legends. Supporting historical evidence, including the payment of a rat catcher in Hamelin, is lacking, while some theories suggest that the missing children may have emigrated as part of eastern colonization.

At a time when the stories of the past are more important than ever, the legend of the Pied Piper of Hamelin remains not only a nostalgic look, but also a living part of German heritage that is also well received in modern pop culture. Whether in films, series or even through Deutsche Post, which issued a stamp with the Pied Piper motif in 2020, the Pied Piper remains an unforgettable part of the collective memory.

Further information and background information about this fascinating story can be found here: Dewezet, Wikipedia, and Storytel.