Ostfriesisches Landesmuseum Emden

The Ostfriesisches Landesmuseum Emden, nestled in the heart of Emden, Niedersachsen, Germany, is a treasure trove of art, culture, and history. This museum, dedicated to the region of East Frisia, offers a fascinating journey through time, showcasing the rich heritage of the area and its connections to European cultural history. With over 50,000 objects in its collection, the museum offers an immersive experience that captivates visitors of all ages.

The History of Ostfriesisches Landesmuseum Emden

The origins of the Ostfriesisches Landesmuseum Emden date back to March 26, 1820, when six citizens of Emden founded the Society for Fine Arts and Patriotic Antiquities in Emden. Their mission was to preserve and exhibit art treasures from private households for the city, in response to the ongoing sale of East Frisian cultural goods to other regions. The society acquired a building in Kirchstraße in 1832/1833, establishing a public library dedicated to art and regional history.

In 1869, the society purchased a townhouse on Große Straße, where the exhibits were displayed permanently for the first time, laying the foundation for what would become the oldest museum institution in East Frisia. The museum underwent significant changes over the years, including a name change in 1934 and the merger of the society's collections with those of the city of Emden in 1962. The museum was relocated to the newly rebuilt town hall at Delft, which was repurposed as a cultural venue rather than a government building.

Between 2003 and 2005, the museum underwent a comprehensive renovation, costing over eight million euros. The grand reopening on September 6, 2005, marked the debut of the newly designed permanent exhibition under the current name, Ostfriesisches Landesmuseum Emden.

Exploring the Collections

The Ostfriesisches Landesmuseum Emden boasts an impressive array of collections, focusing on the art and cultural history of Emden and East Frisia, as well as their international, particularly European, connections. With more than 50,000 objects, the museum offers a diverse and extensive range of exhibits.

The collection includes paintings by Dutch artists from the 16th to the 18th centuries, as well as works by East Frisian and North German artists from the 19th and 20th centuries. Visitors can also explore prints, graphics, city maps, and nautical charts of Emden, East Frisia, and the neighboring Netherlands. The Foundation for Fine Arts and Culture in the German-Dutch Ems-Dollart Region, established in November 2011, provides a legal and organizational framework for the acquisition of contemporary works by Northwest German artists.

The museum's collection also features sculptures, primarily pre-Reformation church art, a coin and silver collection, and everyday objects from the 19th and 20th centuries, acquired through bequests and donations. The archaeological department houses artifacts and architectural remnants from the early settlement period to the early modern era, including the famous Mann von Bernuthsfeld bog body, which has been displayed in a dedicated exhibition room since 2016.

Additionally, the museum showcases the city's council treasure, objects from the Emden armory, and the stained glass windows of the historic Renaissance town hall.

The Permanent Exhibition

The permanent exhibition at the Ostfriesisches Landesmuseum Emden features approximately 2,800 exhibits, complemented by rotating special exhibitions on various topics. Spanning five floors and covering 2,880 square meters, the exhibition is divided into ten thematic complexes, offering a comprehensive overview of Emden and East Frisia's history from ancient times to the present day.

Coast & Cartography

On the ground floor, the Coast and Cartography exhibition showcases the first usable sea and land maps of the Frisian North Sea coast, created after 1500. By the second half of the 16th century, East Frisia had become one of the most frequently mapped regions in Germany. The political situation in the Netherlands spurred interest in the geography of the area, leading cartographers to gather information about the relatively unknown German northwest. A portion of the museum's map collection has been digitized, allowing visitors to navigate, zoom in and out, and access additional information.

The exhibition also includes a room dedicated to Ubbo Emmius and David Fabricius, two scholars who mapped East Frisia using the triangulation method developed in West Frisia in the late 16th century.

Early Life on the Coast

The first floor features artifacts from the southern North Sea coast's human settlement since the late Stone Age. As the sea receded northward, it left behind fertile land known as the marsh, which became the foundation of the Frisians' pastoral economy. Early human traces reveal the importation of materials such as flint, precious and base metals, tuff, and ceramics.

The exhibition includes a panoramic diorama depicting the region's ongoing struggle with water, from the early days of dike construction through setbacks caused by major storm surges to modern coastal protection and drainage efforts. The diorama is mounted at a height of 8.60 meters above street level, corresponding to the dike height in 2005, to simulate the view from the top of the dike.

Baptism and Death, Law and Freedom

Another section on the first floor explores the Christianization of East Frisia, the Frisian freedom, and the history of the local chieftains and lordships. This part of the exhibition includes medieval ecclesiastical art and symbols of East Frisian sovereignty and autonomy.

The Mann von Bernuthsfeld Bog Body

The approximately 1,200-year-old bog body from Bernuthsfeld (Aurich district) is the most significant artifact in the archaeological collection of the Ostfriesisches Landesmuseum Emden. Originally part of the Early Life on the Coast exhibition, the bog body is now displayed in a dedicated exhibition room on the first floor, along with other finds from the same period.

Discovered accidentally during peat cutting in 1907, the remains include the skeleton, hair, clothing, a leather strap, and a leather knife sheath. The body was carefully buried in a rectangular, moss-lined pit in the middle of the bog. The man was fully clothed, wrapped in a blanket, and laid on a moss cushion with his limbs slightly bent.

The Mann von Bernuthsfeld wore a long-sleeved shirt that reached his knees, made from individual fabric pieces sewn together. His legs were wrapped in long, narrow woolen bands, and he wore a short cloak with a hood over his shoulders. These garments, mostly woven from sheep's wool, are unique examples of early medieval textile art in East Frisia and northern Germany. Current research aims to create a three-dimensional reconstruction of the bog body to provide a lifelike representation of the man.

The History of Emden

The second floor is dedicated to the history of the city of Emden, which emerged as a significant European port city in the 16th century. The city's economic boom began during the Dutch War of Independence when thousands of refugees sought refuge in Emden for religious and economic reasons, many of whom settled there permanently. The city expanded far beyond its original settlement core during this period.

The exhibition highlights the city's development, the Reformation, and the high standard of living enjoyed by its citizens in the 16th century. The rise of strict Calvinism in the city led to conflicts with the Lutheran count's house and eventually to the Emden Revolution.

In conclusion, the Ostfriesisches Landesmuseum Emden is not just a museum but a gateway to the rich and vibrant history of East Frisia. With its extensive collections, engaging exhibitions, and dedication to preserving the region's cultural heritage, the museum offers an unforgettable experience for anyone interested in exploring the past and understanding the present. Whether you're a history enthusiast or a casual visitor, a trip to this museum is a journey through time that you won't want to miss!