The Vision After Death in Church of the Forgiving Wife - Royal Highness Maria Brabant of Bavaria

In the walled-up and an-
cient chapel on the Wie-
den, Wieskapelle or Herr-
gottskapelle as it was
often called, behind St.
Peters, there was for-
merly a cross graven in
the pavement.

Old people used to tell me about it when I was
a youngster, but the chapel had long been abandoned
even then, and served as a storage place for old docu-
ments and the like, as it does today. Some time later,
I once had a chance to go in, and I hunted everywhere
but did not find anything. Be it, that the carving,
which they had told me was even then getting blurred,
had now become entirely invisible, or the stone had been
turned over, or removed, I was sorry enough not to
find it. Whether it comes to light again in the future
or not, it was an interesting old relic and the tale
about it was as follows:

1) A tablet on the east wall of St. Peter shows the spot,
where it stood.

Duke Ludwig der Strenge, who, as is well known,
caused his wife, the beautiful Maria von Brabant, of
whom he was jealous, to be killed, Anno Domini 1256,
at Donauworth, was harassed by ever-increasing remorse,
and came often from the royal castle, or when he
was abroad for any other reason, to pray in the Wies-
kapelle for forgiveness of his deed.

Here, one day, he thought he saw a female figure
on the epistle side of the altar, very like Maria von
Brabant, who looked over at him with a glance none
too mild, but still not too stern, and around whose
neck was a red line, as fine as a hair. That last was
the surest sign for him, that it was she. He bowed
his head in great grief, and when he raised it again,
he saw nothing more of the form and concluded, it
had been a picture of his fancy; but still, his spirits
were somewhat raised, for God had sent him a vision,
which had not looked at him in anger.

He gave thanks for that, filled with a still greater
longing for forgiveness, and raising his arms to heaven
he said with all possible fervor, "Oh Domine, absolve
me per innocentiam Mariae". He said that twice, and
when he had ended, music gradually became audible,
and it was as if angels were singing. It could have
been nothing else either, for he knew that beside
himself, no one was in the Wieskapelle. So he
listened right deferently and when the singing ended,
he repeated a third time, what he had said before.

Then he became aware of a sweet voice behind
him which said, "Ludovice, te absolvit Dominus noster!"
At the mention of God's pardon, he turned around
filled with joy, to gaze into the shining countenance

of Maria von Brabant, who said further, "Sicut Deus
et ego." Which means, "like God I forgive thee",
and vanished.

Thereupon Duke Ludwig der Strenge fell upon his
face and wept like a child, bitterly, yet full of gladness
because he knew then, that he was forgiven.

And, they say, as a memorial of what had hap-
pened, he caused a cross to be cut into the stone,
where Maria had stood behind him.

From a website to encourage visitors to Fuerstenfelbruck -

The town has all necessary supply for the citizens and visitors. A main reason for a visit could be a trip to the Former Monastery Church of Fürstenfeld. People who like Italian stucco arts and paints from the Rokoko and Barock, big names like the Brothers Asam leaved pictures there, would be appreciated.

A short view back in history

In the 12th century the town was named "market bruck". The reason why: there was a good place to cross the river Amper and the old salt street from the south, leading over Munich to Augsburg, was a very important road. So the ancient goverment places on this "bruck"= bridge a road toll house.

In 1256 happened a great injustice. The Bavarian Duke Ludwig II (the Severe) was far from home. His young wife, Maria von Brabant, wrote him letters, but one of these was not supposed for him. It was changed by an employe, perhaps a mistake, perhaps a political intrigue. The letter normally would be harmless, the legend says, it was only a nice letter to another aristocrat telling him thanks for his friendship and allow him to use a personally adress in talks.

Her husband in his rashness let her behead because of alleged adultery. Later after coming back he found out that he was a fool and the judgement an injustice.

In 1263 Cistercian monks from Lower Bavaria founded this monastery on the "Prince's field" as a penitence which had been imposed for the Duke's impulsive act by Pope Alexander IV.