Nationwide Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage
Dealing with the Pied Piper of Hameln
The story of the Pied Piper of Hameln is one of the most well-known German folk tales. The form of the story that is known today, with the linking of the departure of the children from Hameln with the motif of the Pied Piper originated in the 16th Century.
The story is told by people all over the world and is considered to be a source of inspiration for many artists. But nowhere is the dealing with this story carried on in such density and diversity as in Hameln and the Weserbergland Region (Lower Saxony). The Pied Piper is omnipresent in the city and helps create a sense of identity. Every year in summer the citizens of Hameln perform the Pied Piper Open Air Festival and a musical. Every 25 years the Pied Piper Anniversary is celebrated with a great street procession. Everywhere in Hameln one finds ornaments that relate to the Pied Piper. A continuous creative confrontation with the diversely interpreted history of the saga is being carried on. It is reflected inter alia in the name of the “Pied Piper prize for Literature”, the logos of the city and numerous local associations. Its anchoring in the consciousness of the population is also revealed in a number of private initiatives.
