The Tilly house

History of high value

“The Hanged Monk” was popularly named Johann ‘t Serclaes Count of Tilly because of his training as a Jesuit. He was commander-in-chief of the Catholic League and is considered one of the most important military leaders of the 30-year war. On July 30, 1623 he sat at Höxter on the Weser and put a crew in the city. The name of the Tillyhouse is still reminiscent of a time of horror. The events of the war accompanied by plague epidemics caused devastation and a drastic population slump.

Whether Tilly actually stayed in the Westerbachstraße, is not certain beyond doubt. In any case, according to tradition, it was one of the most magnificent buildings in the city that he had chosen to rest after the victorious advance. Tooth cut and decorative staff are motifs of the jewelry on the projecting sleepers and filling woods. The oriel is of a similar design to that of the town hall, which was built at about the same time, and carved with the antique muses Erato and Thalia, as well as angel heads.

Like the entire Adelshof on Westerbachstraße, the still vacant Tillyhaus, which is awaiting renovation, bears witness to the close relationship between Höxter and Corvey. The complex is first written in 1512, when the former townhouse of the Petri-Propstei by the Abbey of Corvey is given as a Leibzucht to the corveyian Chancellor Heinrich Brinkmann with the condition, “court and stone chamber of St. Vitus in honor” to be restored. With the investiture of the corveyian chancellor Georg Kramer called Heisterman in 1556, the Lehnshof then came into family ownership for three centuries. In 1871, the Heisterman family of Ziehlberg, who were knighted in the 17th century, sold the farm to a merchant from Höxterland.

The estate originally consisted of four partially connected houses: the Lehnshof in the back houses (No. 35 and 37), which was acquired by the Corvey Abbey for military and administrative tasks, and the property acquired as a civil property (Nos. 31 and 33) Front to Westerbachstraße. House No. 31 was hived off and sold in the 19th century.

The impressive Tillyhouse Westerbachstraße 33 was built in 1610 as the youngest part of Heisterman von Ziehlbergschen Adelshofes, immediately after the family had acquired the house. Above the high hall floor is an unusually high hall floor with the renaissance bay facing the street. The hall occupied half of the floor and had a large fireplace. The gate bears the year 1578 incorrectly stated in the 20th century.

After the buildings Nos. 35 and 37, which today house the Forum Jacob Pins, were saved from decay by the restoration completed in 2008 and could be turned into a unique cultural monument, the Tilly house is to be brought back to life by the establishment of the Forum Anja Niedringhaus received a new provision. Architect Cornelia Lange is concerned with a respectful, careful restoration and modernization, which takes into account the architectural value of the history certificate. Appropriately restored, the Tillyhaus could soon enrich the cityscape with a representative example of aristocratic home decor and supplement the cultural offerings of the forum in the Adelshofes with further facets.

Christine Longère