Medieval Market

Every year in the town of Siegburg, a medieval Christmas market is set up. As someone who plays dungeons and dragons and is learning to translate middle high German, I was more than a little curious. I made the 90 minute train ride to Siegburg. When I arrived, it struck me that I hadn't the foggiest where the market was. I decided to keep going straight and see what happened.

As luck would have it, I chose correctly, if not wisely. After a minute or so, I came across a sign indicating to keep going straight to reach the market. A few minute more and I could see the entrance before me. A banner exclaiming "Seyd Gegrüßt!" ("be greeted!") welcomed me to the collection of stalls. Although far smaller than any of the markets in Köln or the Christkindlmarkt in Chicago I grew up with, this market had a far friendlier feel. I could see a stage, though empty at the time, where hourly shows were put on. I passed a stall full of gorgeous candles where, for free, children could dip a plain white candle in pots of colored wax to dye it. Further on, a soap maker had set up a tent to display his wares. To my mind, the man in loose wool robes with a bushy grey beard and leaning a knobby wooden staff looked more versed in sorcery than saponification.

While on the topic of garb, I was quite pleased with the clothes I saw worn and sold by vendors. For one thing, I did not see a single corset. I don't claim to be an expert on clothes of any era, even the ones I've lived through. However, I do know that the externally sported, boned corsets so popular at renaissance and medieval fairs did not exist then. I was glad not to come across one. The wares they did have gladdened me even more. Real leather boots, cotton and silk gowns, and fine, thick, full length pure wool cloaks. Had the cloaks been anywhere near my price range, I would have bought one in a heartbeat. Sadly, they had the disturbingly fair price of 130€. I cannot justify blowing 6 months worth of grocery money on a fancy cape.

The people working there seemed to appreciate all their woolen clothing. They had no trouble coping with the winter chill, though some had an advantage in the heating department. A blacksmith's stall had a mini forge where an apprentice tempered the tips of tools before grinding them at a whetstone. Among the items for sale there, I even got to see a pair of medieval style scissors, basically tongs with blades instead of grippers at the end.

At the stall across the way, a man and woman sold lighters from various periods and even allowed visitors to try their hand at fire starting. I was given a chunk of flint, a piece of charcloth, and a fire striker, which reminded me of brass knuckles. By striking the steel iron striker against the flint, sparks fell onto the charcloth to get it sizzling. At least, that's the theory. I made a lot of sparks, but they kept appearing on the bottom side of the flint, not the side with the combustible material. Eventually though, I got it going. I can now cross "Start a fire with flint and steel" off my bucket list. Yes, I have an odd bucket list.

Due to the market's size, I only needed about 2 hours to see everything there and enjoy a basket of falafel for lunch. However, those 2 hours were definitely worth the 3 hours of public transportation. My only regret is that I did not ask more questions of the craftsmen. I'll have to be a little bolder in the future.