The Monk's Favorite Food
As Emperor Maximilian (1459-1519) once visited Alpirsbach Monastery, he had every monk asked what his favorite food was and then also had it prepared for him. One of the monks asked for an "Ochsenkres", today also known as "Kutteln" (= tripe). The Emperor found this request amusing, as "the monk must be a hungry fellow" who would not have become full from the intestines of a calf usually used and much smaller.
Fire and Smoke
The "Zimmerische Chronik" reports the story of the impaired burial of a monk in the Alpirsbach Chapter Hall (Kapitalsaal) next to the Cloister (Kreuzgang). When the grave had been dug, "such heat and smoke flowed from the grave", that the hole was filled in again immediately by the abbot and the monks and the departed monk was buried in a different place.
Mouse Pranks
In 1540 several citizen from the area surrounding Alpirsbach brought a convicted criminal to the Alpirsbach regional prison to be put under arrest. For a mean prank the "Zimmerhansli" from Römlinsdorf was to spend 3 days and 3 nights in the tower. He had cooked a mouse in goulash and given it to his guests to eat. For the monastery administrator Wendel Zipper, who was responsible for officially monitoring the jurisdiction, the sentence did not go far enough. He turned to the ducal authorities in Stuttgart, however these found the punishment suitable...
Melancholy of a Monastery Pupil
Many Alpirsbach monastery pupils in the period from 1556 to 1595 immortalized themselves on the walls of their cells in the dormitory. The following poem can be found in Cell No. 107:
Quid v(alet) hic Mundus Qvid Gloria q(ui)dve
Triumphus
Post mis(er)um funus pulvis et Vmbra sum(us)
Omnibus rebus iam peractis
Mel in ore: verba lactis
Fel in corde: f(ra)us in fa(ct)is
What is this world worth, what the fame and what the triumph? After a wretched death we are merely dust and shadow.- as all things have existed before: No loyalty in contracts, honey in ones mouth, words like milk, (but) bile in ones heart, deceitfulness in ones actions.
Food and Drink
A report of the monastery administrator from 10 November 1576 informs us on the meals received by the Alpirsbach monastery students. For example, on Sunday morning they were served, "...1. Beef appetizers, 2. Soups, 3. Meat on the upper table four, and on the lower table three pieces, ... each meal of meat 6 pounds, 4. turnips or cabbage". During the week the food was simpler, for example of Friday there was stockfish, while the menu seldom included fruit and vegetables. With their meals each monastery student was also given a quarter liter of wine (called "Breyßgeuwer"), and on the major holidays there was an extra quarter liter...