St. Mary Magdalene's flood
Encyclopedia
St. Mary Magdalene's flood (German: Magdalenenhochwasser) was the largest recorded flood in central Europe with water levels exceeding those of the 2002 European floods
. It occurred in July 1342 on and around the feast day of St. Mary Magdalene
which corresponds to 22 July in
today's calendar.
The rivers Rhine, Moselle, Main, Danube
, Weser, Werra
, Unstrut
, Elbe, Vltava
and their tributaries inundated large areas. Even the river Eider north of Hamburg
flooded the surrounding land. Many towns such as Cologne
, Mainz
, Frankfurt am Main, Würzburg
, Regensburg
, Passau
and Vienna
were seriously damaged. The affected area extended to Carinthia
and northern Italy
.
It appears that after a prolonged hot and dry period continuous rainfalls occurred which lasted several consecutive days and amounted to more than half of the mean yearly precipitation. Since the dry soil was unable to absorb such amounts of water, the surface runoff
washed away large areas of fertile soil and caused huge inundations destroying houses, mills and bridges. In Würzburg, the then famous Steinerne Brücke (Stone Bridge) was taken away and in Cologne it is said that a rowing boat could pass over the city's fortifications. The overall number of casualties is not known, but it is believed that alone in the Danube area 6000 people were killed.
It is assumed that the loss of fertile soil led to a serious drop in agricultural production. In addition, the following summers were wet and cold, so that the population suffered from widespread famine. Whether the spreading of the Black Death
between 1348 and 1350 killing at least a third of the population in central Europe was facilitated by the weakened condition of the population is a matter of discussion.
2002 European floods
In August 2002 a 100-year flood caused by over a week of continuous heavy rains ravaged Europe, killing dozens, dispossessing thousands, and causing damage of billions of euros in the Czech Republic, Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Poland, Hungary, Romania and Croatia....
. It occurred in July 1342 on and around the feast day of St. Mary Magdalene
Mary Magdalene
Mary Magdalene was one of Jesus' most celebrated disciples, and the most important woman disciple in the movement of Jesus. Jesus cleansed her of "seven demons", conventionally interpreted as referring to complex illnesses...
which corresponds to 22 July in
today's calendar.
The rivers Rhine, Moselle, Main, Danube
Danube
The Danube is a river in the Central Europe and the Europe's second longest river after the Volga. It is classified as an international waterway....
, Weser, Werra
Werra
The Werra is a river in central Germany, the right-source river of the Weser. The Werra has its source near Eisfeld in southern Thuringia. After 293 km the Werra joins the river Fulda in the town of Hann. Münden, forming the Weser....
, Unstrut
Unstrut
The Unstrut is a river in Germany and a left tributary of the Saale. It originates in northern Thuringia near Dingelstädt and its catchment area is the whole of the Thuringian Basin...
, Elbe, Vltava
Vltava
The Vltava is the longest river in the Czech Republic, running north from its source in Šumava through Český Krumlov, České Budějovice, and Prague, merging with the Elbe at Mělník...
and their tributaries inundated large areas. Even the river Eider north of Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
flooded the surrounding land. Many towns such as Cologne
Cologne
Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
, Mainz
Mainz
Mainz under the Holy Roman Empire, and previously was a Roman fort city which commanded the west bank of the Rhine and formed part of the northernmost frontier of the Roman Empire...
, Frankfurt am Main, Würzburg
Würzburg
Würzburg is a city in the region of Franconia which lies in the northern tip of Bavaria, Germany. Located at the Main River, it is the capital of the Regierungsbezirk Lower Franconia. The regional dialect is Franconian....
, Regensburg
Regensburg
Regensburg is a city in Bavaria, Germany, located at the confluence of the Danube and Regen rivers, at the northernmost bend in the Danube. To the east lies the Bavarian Forest. Regensburg is the capital of the Bavarian administrative region Upper Palatinate...
, Passau
Passau
Passau is a town in Lower Bavaria, Germany. It is also known as the Dreiflüssestadt or "City of Three Rivers," because the Danube is joined at Passau by the Inn from the south and the Ilz from the north....
and Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
were seriously damaged. The affected area extended to Carinthia
Carinthia (state)
Carinthia is the southernmost Austrian state or Land. Situated within the Eastern Alps it is chiefly noted for its mountains and lakes.The main language is German. Its regional dialects belong to the Southern Austro-Bavarian group...
and northern Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
.
It appears that after a prolonged hot and dry period continuous rainfalls occurred which lasted several consecutive days and amounted to more than half of the mean yearly precipitation. Since the dry soil was unable to absorb such amounts of water, the surface runoff
Surface runoff
Surface runoff is the water flow that occurs when soil is infiltrated to full capacity and excess water from rain, meltwater, or other sources flows over the land. This is a major component of the water cycle. Runoff that occurs on surfaces before reaching a channel is also called a nonpoint source...
washed away large areas of fertile soil and caused huge inundations destroying houses, mills and bridges. In Würzburg, the then famous Steinerne Brücke (Stone Bridge) was taken away and in Cologne it is said that a rowing boat could pass over the city's fortifications. The overall number of casualties is not known, but it is believed that alone in the Danube area 6000 people were killed.
It is assumed that the loss of fertile soil led to a serious drop in agricultural production. In addition, the following summers were wet and cold, so that the population suffered from widespread famine. Whether the spreading of the Black Death
Black Death
The Black Death was one of the most devastating pandemics in human history, peaking in Europe between 1348 and 1350. Of several competing theories, the dominant explanation for the Black Death is the plague theory, which attributes the outbreak to the bacterium Yersinia pestis. Thought to have...
between 1348 and 1350 killing at least a third of the population in central Europe was facilitated by the weakened condition of the population is a matter of discussion.
External links
- Jürg Luterbacher, Flutkatastrophen in Zentraleuropa, 2003
- Das Hochwasser von 1342 Umweltamt Würzburg
- Das Magdalenenhochwasser im Sommer 1342 Website Undine