The beginnings of many monasteries are veiled in darkness, and there are no uniform research results on monastery foundings. As is so often the case, a legend casts its light on the place and the situation. "Just as the founder and the three monks from Maulbronn were discussing the new building at the places designated for the monastery, an unknown old man stood before them and asked what they were talking about with such enthusiasm, and when he heard their intent he said, "Leave this place, and look down the mountain, down there is a beautiful valley – whereupon he left them suddenly."
Three animals look down from the frieze of the North Tower of the former Monastery Church in Schöntal - a dog, a stag and a hind. The legend says that the three followed Abbot Benedict Knittel, who was watching the progress of the construction work, onto a scaffolding of boards. Brother Benedictus Schontalensis bears witness to this:
„Ein gros paar Hirsch sambt einem Hundt
The knight Götz of Berlichingen is buried at Schöntal Monastery. The monastery served as his family's tomb. Johann Wolfgang Goethe established a literary monument to the famous warrior, which is also known due to its famous Götz quote. This has not been printed since the second edition of the play, however it is probably familiar to the readers (and not only to them):
In the middle of the play Götz, who is surrounded in his castle with a small band of his last followers, stands at the window and calls to the leader of the far superior imperial troops, "His Imperial Majesty I do bear, as always, due respect. He however, tell him, can [lick (!) my ass]" (Vor Ihro Kaiserliche Majestät hab ich, wie immer, schuldigen Respekt. Er aber, sag's ihm, er kann mich [im (!) Arsch lecken]).
For over 165 years, from 1810 to 1975, Schöntal housed a Protestant theological seminary. The (exclusively male) seminary students later became pastors of the Protestant state church or government officials of Württemberg.
If seminary students became ill, they were brought to the sick room. There they had to enter the reason and duration of their stay in a journal. Some of the entries are illustrated. Below the signature of a sports accident the following can be read. "31 January – 24 February 1898. I incurred a minor break of the calfbone due to a clumsy fall from a horse and was forced to remain in bed by it for 3 weeks until the King's birthday rescued me. Theodor Hermann."
The doctorate graduates of Schöntal Seminary in 1950 vividly describe a walk through the rooms of the seminary in a hand-written booklet, including the kitchen:
"At the head of the kitchen regiment consisting of 3 to 4 girls are the two Miss Lindners. But because two commanders at once seldom benefits the whole, the two sisters switched off the direction with each other week for week. (...) By continually making small improvements to the menu, they contributed during our stay at Schöntal to the fact that we did not wish were elsewhere the entire time....“