Monastic fishing and fish farming

Agriculture & Fishery

"The former Benedictine Island between Paderborn and Neuhaus" in the early 19th century, drawing by Franz Joseph BRAND (Erzbischöflich Akademische Bibliothek, hereafter EAB PbAV Paderborn, Cod. 178, fol. 46)

As was common in the early and high Middle Ages, the rich monasteries in Paderborn also made progress in the agricultural development of their surrounding countryside. Outside the city’s „Wassertor“ (water gate), a first fish pond (“piscina”) of the Abdinghof monastery is already documented on the Riemeke brook for the early 12th century (1103).[1] By the 1370s, their number had increased to three ponds, which the Benedictines leased for life to the Busdorf canon Cord Lyzen in 1377. In the “Dubelo” (An den Fischteichen) district, a parcel of land in the north-west of the city of Paderborn, the Abdinghof monastery had probably also created “large ponds” by 1523, over which the Benedictine monks disputed with the von Stapel brothers.[2] In the middle of the 16th century, the “Oberlifte” (upper pond) is mentioned by name. In the middle of the 16th century, the “Obere Teich”, the “Untere oder Mühlenteich” and a “Hopfenteich” (1555/56) are mentioned by name.[3] These ponds, which were created for fish farming, were all fed by the Riemeke brook (then known as „Riembeke“), which flowed into the Pader to the west of the „Steinerne Brücke“ („Stone Bridge“).

"Stone Bridge" on Fürstenweg, 1918 (picture postcard "Paderborn - Partie an der Pader", Stadt- und KreisA Pb, S-M1, AK-Nr. 3931)
"Stone Bridge" on Fürstenweg, 1918 (picture postcard "Paderborn - Partie an der Pader", Stadt- und KreisA Pb, S-M1, AK-Nr. 3931)

In the early 18th century, Abdinghof Monastery also acquired the „Benedictine Island“ situated on the tributary of the Rothe river. On these garden and meadow properties, several fish ponds (“Möncheteich[e]” / „monk pond[s]“) were also located. Some of these standing waters were fed from the mineral water springs there, such as the “Roderbrunnen” (Roder well) mentioned in 1581.[4] In the 1840s, in addition to fish, leeches were also bred for medicinal purposes at the Inselbad.[5] With the industrialisation of the areas close to the city, the pollutant load of the Riemeke brook also increased significantly. In 1881, the stock book of the city of Paderborn laconically states:

„The Riembeke‚ is used in the tannery of the widow Sandhagen for soaking the hides and falls into the Pader at the stone bridge – fish do not [any longer] occur in it.‘“[6]

„The former Benedictine Island between Paderborn and Neuhaus" in the early 19th century, drawing by Franz Joseph BRAND (Erzbischöflich Akademische Bibliothek, hereafter EAB PbAV Paderborn, Cod. 178, fol. 46)
„The former Benedictine Island between Paderborn and Neuhaus" in the early 19th century, drawing by Franz Joseph BRAND (Erzbischöflich Akademische Bibliothek, hereafter EAB PbAV Paderborn, Cod. 178, fol. 46)

[1] Cf. Balzer, Untersuchungen, p. 93.

[2] Cf. Detten, Wirtschaftsleben, p. 51. The new „fish ponds“ were created here in 1893..

[3] Cf. Balzer, Untersuchungen, p. 97.

[4] Cf. Völkel/ Fässler, Ottilienquelle, p. 6f. Mention of the „Roderbrunnen“ by Jakobus Theodorus Tabernaemontanus in „New Wasserschatz“, Frankfurt a. M. 1581.

[5] Cf. sales advertisement for the „Benediktiner-Bade-Insel“ in „Gemeinnütziges Wochenblatt für Kreis und Stadt Paderborn“ of 15 December 1847 in Völkel/ Fässler, Ottilienquelle, p. 8.

[6] Lagerbuch 1881, StadtA Pb, A 3306, fol. 218v.

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This is an excerpt from an essay by the historian Prof. Dr. Michael Ströhmer. The original title of the essay is: "Wirtschaftsregion Pader - Eine geschichtswissenschaftliche Skizze (1350-1950)". Should you have further interest in the economic history of the Pader, we recommend downloading the complete essay (PDF file).

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