Like so many myths of its kind, the founding legend of Ochsenhausen Monastery has to do with an animal. An ox is said to have unearthed the buried monastery treasure of a former convent, whose residents had fled from the Hungarians. Ochsenhausen Monastery was then supposedly founded at the site of this find. The "Öchsle" (little ox) in the monastery's coat of arms still serves as a reminder of this saga today.
"At the same time Bishop Gebhard of Konstanz has also consecrated another monastery not far from Wiblingen in honor of St. George for the Abbot Uto of St. Blasien. The place and that which belonged to it were turned over to St. Blasien by the noble Konrad and his brothers without any condition whatsoever, and said abbot was asked to introduce the service of God at this place. The Abbot did not delay in fulfilling their wishes."
Bernold von St. Blasien, 1093
Among other things, the estimation of taxes from 1784 notes all artisans which existed beside the monastery employees and day laborers in Ochsenhausen and lists: 7 shopkeepers, 6 innkeepers, 5 shoemakers, 4 bakers, 4 joiners, 4 tailors, 3 saddlers, knitters, carpenters, barbers each, 2 glaziers, tanners, smiths, masons, chimneysweeps, millers, nail smiths, cartwrights and weavers each, 1 watchmaker, soap-boiler, butcher, dyer, hammersmith, book binder, tawer, organ builder, locksmith, rake maker, cheesemonger, hatter, sieve maker and coppersmith each.
"In the evening we arrived at the imperial convent Ochsenhausen, after we had driven through a market of the same name. It is a marvelous area where good meadow growth alternates with even prettier fields of grain. The Reverend Imperial Prelate Romuald took us in with extraordinary grace. He even interrupted his evening meal. (...)In the morning we examined the library, which is now still spread over many rooms by classes. The subjects of history, local history and geography, philology and linguistics subjects are particularly well represented. A new hall for books about 130 shoes long is really being built, to which a mathematical Armarium will also be added..."
Johann Nepomuk Hauntinger, St. Gallen: Reise durch Schwaben und Bayern im Jahre 1784
In 1803 the monastery fell to Count Metternich through Secularization, and in 1807 the monastery was closed. The following is chiseled into the gravestone of the last abbot of Ochsenhausen Monastery, Romuald Weltin, "Dem die Kriege die Ruhe, der Friede aber das Land entriß" (From whom the wars snatched peace, but peace the land).
In 1793 the book of accounts of Ochsenhausen Monastery lists:
"This summer R.P.Basilius produced a very large iron quadrant in the Observatorium Mathematicum, whereby the hammersmith Aloysi Weißhaubt earned 154.58 florins, item (in addition) 2 locksmith journeymen 99 florins..."
In 1790 4097 florins were invested for the following purpose: "Bedchambers for the students are too damp, therefore tore down theater and transferred school to location of theater. Before that many rashes and illnesses. Also because much turmoil and unrest is caused by these young fellows in the Monastery."
Mein lieb Ochsenhausen, wie bist du so schön
Mit all deinen Tälern, mit all deinen Höh´n.
Du herrliches Kloster mit all deiner Pracht,
kündest uns täglich von göttlicher Macht.
Stolz schaut dein Kirchturm hinaus überall
Hell klingen die Glocken durchs Rottumtal.
Die Orgel von Gabler mit himmlischem Klang,
Herzen erbauet bei Spiel und Gesang.
Du schattiger Krummbach mit murmelnden Quell´n,
kristallklares Wasser mit flinken Forell´n.
Ihr uralten Bäume, welch liebliches Grün,
zu dir, o Krummbach, da zieht es mich hin. (...)
Franz Klumpp (1891-1973)