Between Germany and France: A story about the fortress of Philippsburg

On June 20, 2011, Künker’s will auction a thaler of Christoph of Soetern of utmost rarity struck in honor of Udenheim. The coin was issued just after the fortress had been completed, only some weeks before it was renamed in Philippsburg. Here’s the story about the man, the coin and the fortress…

What is left of the man who invented the taler

The city of Hall is always worth a visit, not only because of its interesting museum on minting technology in the mint tower. Near the parish church, too, a numismatic treasure can be found…

The minters’ pilgrimage

How the mint workers in Vienna were saved from the plague epidemic of 1679…

The House of Hohenems and its bishops

2. Wolf Dietrich of Raitenau
In 1558, Helena, the sister of Cardinal and Bishop of Constance Marcus Sitticus of Hohenems, married Hans Werner III of Raitenau. On March 26th, 1559, at the Hofen Castle near Bregenz, she presented …

The house of Hohenems and his bishops

The masters of Hohenems owed their rise to become the most important noble family in Vorarlberg to their loyalty to the House of Habsburg. Two family members …

The Year of the Freigeld in Wörgl

Who knows Wörgl nowadays? Yet for a short period of time the entire world looked at this small town. In 1932/3, one of the most successful …