Treasure from the Thirty Years' War: Silver coins discovered in Brandenburg!

Treasure from the Thirty Years' War: Silver coins discovered in Brandenburg!

The Gotthardtkirchplatz in Brandenburg an der Havel is not only visited by children and young people, but also by history lovers. An exciting find gave the archaeologists led by city archaeologist Janina Ludwig a particular joy at this location: during excavations as part of the planned expansion of the children's and youth art gallery “Sonnensegel e.V.” Impressive remnants of the past appeared.

In addition to a copper kettle, the researchers found three silver coins from the Thirty Years' War. This discovery was a real stroke of luck, as excavations in this area are comparatively rare. Ludwig describes the moment when an excavator brought to light a piece of copper that was hidden in the cauldron, revealing the imprints of the coins. This story, which goes deep into the turbulent times of the 17th century, coincided with a press conference at the Paulik Monastery where the finds were presented in detail.

The find in detail

The copper kettle has an exciting history: the last family to live in a half-timbered house on Gotthardtkirchplatz apparently decided to hide their valuable coins there around 1634. Among the three silver coins was a “Dicker” from Zug, Switzerland, dated 1610, as well as a Dutch Reichsthaler from 1618 and a city coin from Hamburg from 1634 bearing the name of Emperor Ferdinand II. The coins are between 3 and 4 cm tall and 1.5 mm thick - perfect evidence of an eventful time.

An interesting aspect of the excavation was the speculation about the previous owner of the copper cauldron. Based on the non-ferrous metal remains found and indications of a possible belt maker or non-ferrous metal blacksmith nearby, a deeper context could emerge about the living conditions at that time. The coins and the cauldron are now in a condition that requires special conservation measures before they will be presented to a wider public in 2028 in a special exhibition to mark the 75th anniversary of the Archaeological State Museum.

A window to the past

But the silver coins are by no means the only discoveries that archaeologists have made. The excavations also uncovered traces of Bronze Age settlement and even the oldest grave found is a late Slavic burial in a tree coffin. The research work also finds prehistoric traces that go back to after the Ice Age.

The discoveries at Gotthardtkirchplatz are a living example of how local cultural history still has stories to tell. It also provides important information about the living conditions and social circumstances at the time. The last residents of the half-timbered house - who hid their silver coins - live on only in the pages of history, but their actions and the context of the time are powerfully highlighted by such finds.

At a time when historical science is experiencing new dimensions through diverse archaeological findings, Gotthardtkirchplatz remains a place where the past is kept alive. A general curiosity about our roots and an understanding of what came before prove to be fundamental ingredients in the coalescence of our culture.