Hang ‘Em High

This film title hasn’t got an UP in it but the connection to UP is obvious, isn’t it? It was Clint Eastwood’s first leading role in a US movie, he was an upcoming star.

They strung people UP at the gallows of Beerfelden – the only completely preserved place of execution of this type still left in Germany

In 1597 the original timber gallows was replaced by the triangular construction still there today. More executions for the place of one!

The place itself is beautiful and commands gorgeous views of the surrounding area – apparently designed to show the delinquents what they were leaving behind. However, a grey day like this seems to suit the place better in my opinion.

It is said that the last execution here took place in 1804 – a woman was hanged for stealing a chicken and two loaves of bread. Since jurisdiction was liberal (for the time) in the area not many hangings were recorded – so why they saw the need for the possibility to have multiple executions at the same time remains unclear. Also unclear is why the two executive orders from 1788 and 1814 respectively to destroy the gallows were ignored in Beerfelden. Maybe they knew it was going to be a tourist attraction.