The "Rose of Dilsberg" deals with the tragic story of Rosamunde, called Rose, the daughter of the Count of Lauffen. Rose's undoing was the fact that two men, Ulrich of Steinach from Neckarsteinach and Wolf of Hirschhorn, asked for her hand in marriage. The noble lady fell in love with the knight Wolf, after which the rejected Ulrich swore revenge. He struck Wolf, who was on the way to Dilsberg to his wedding with Rose, from behind and killed him. When the bride learned of the deed, she threw herself from the castle wall. Since then a rosebush with white roses has grown at the place where her body was found.
|
|
|
This saga was used by the poet and actor Bruno Hermann Hottenroth (1874-1933) as the basis for a play with music and dance for Dilsberg Castle. The premiere of "Rose of Dilsberg“ in 1910 was a complete success, and the play was even to be performed in the US. However, "Rose" was forced to close again in 1911, as Hottenroth encountered financial difficulties. But "Rose" was never completely forgotten. In 1939 the play was revived by the producer Hermann Roth. It proved to be a problem that no musical score could be found. However, older residents of Dilsberg remembered the songs well. And as a result citizens of Dilsberger then appeared on the stage as actors for the first time. When "Rose" was staged again in "1951", it was already considered a Dilsberg tradition and has been part of the local cultural life since that time.