Rammelsberg 1376 und andere

The mining disaster at Rammelsberg in Goslar, Germany, in 1376, long dismissed as improbable, is reinterpreted as a 'super catastrophe'—a symbolic condensation of historical events and societal experiences. This study deciphers the disaster not merely as a historical incident but as a cultural narrative device that reflects collective trauma and processes of impoverishment. Unlike traditional legends, which anchor catastrophes in temporal indices, this work identifies a distinct form of storytelling—'punctualisation'—where disasters are processed through discrete, symbolic events. The analysis challenges conventional historical interpretations by framing the disaster as a cipher for broader societal resilience mechanisms.

Penke, N. (2025). Rammelsberg 1376 und andere. Daphnis, 53(4), 546–565. https://doi.org/10.1163/18796583-05203036