The Siege of Crailsheim

Some of you readers might know I was born in Stuttgart and raised on a US Army installation in Crailsheim, Germany  - McKee Barracks to be exact.  If you didn't already know that - you do now.   The town of Crailsheim has been around a long time and noteworthy of old, walled, German towns it also has a colorful history.     

During the internecine warfare of the years 1379 - 1380 Crailsheim was under siege at the hands of more powerful neighbors from the cities of Schwäbisch Hall, Rothenberg and Dinkelsbühl.       

The armies that had laid siege to Crailsheim were attempting to cause the surrounded town to submit by means of starving the citizenry.  After some time had passed they figured they were close to forcing the townsfolk to capitulate when the encircled residents of Crailsheim resorted to an ingenious plan.       

The women collected all the remaining flour to bake rounded buttocks-shaped pastries.  These were hurled from the town walls in the direction of siege forces.  At the same time, the mayor’s wife courageously mounted the town’s ramparts and revealed and displayed her magnificent buttocks to the attackers. 

She mooned the invading forces!  

Faced with this brazen display of abundance the besiegers realized the hopelessness of their cause and disconsolately departed.   

As the story goes, the mayor's wife's buttocks resembled a hairy ape - Haariger Affe - or ‘Horaff’ in the vernacular of the locals.  As a consequence (and in recognition of the heroine's bottom) yummy Horaff pastry buns in the form of a lady's buttocks are baked on the anniversary of Crailsheim’s victory.  Everyone - including the children - delight in them.  

It is a legendary symbol of the resistance.      

It's a fun story.

And quite true…