Pöhlde
Title
Pöhlde
Also Known As
Palide, Palidum, Palithi, Pholede, Poeldia, Polede, Polethe, Polide, Polidhe
Dates
Founded by 983; Premonstratensian from 1129/30; dissolved 1533
Dedication
John the Baptist, Servatius, Severinus
Affiliation
Medieval Diocese
Circary
History
Pöhlde was founded in the 10th century as an imperial abbey. In ca. 1131, it joined the Premonstratensian Order as a priory. Pöhlde was initially a double house, until ca. 1263. Its first church burned down ca. 1200, and a new church was consecrated in 1240.
Pöhlde was badly damaged during the Peasants' War in 1525, and the brothers moved away. In 1533, the community was formally dissolved and Philip I, Duke of Brunswick-Grubenhagen, seized the property. There was an attempt to revive the monastic community in the 1620s that failed.
In the later 17th century, the present parish church was built on the foundations of the destroyed abbey church. The site was excavated in the 1970s.
Pöhlde was badly damaged during the Peasants' War in 1525, and the brothers moved away. In 1533, the community was formally dissolved and Philip I, Duke of Brunswick-Grubenhagen, seized the property. There was an attempt to revive the monastic community in the 1620s that failed.
In the later 17th century, the present parish church was built on the foundations of the destroyed abbey church. The site was excavated in the 1970s.
Heads of Community
Provosts
Konrad, bef. 1147
Rokerus, 1156-1163
Olricus, 1186-1190
Johannes, 1212-1226
Herwicus, 1228-1242
Johannes, 1258-?
Bertram, 1260-1288
Otto, fl. 1291
Johannes, 1295
Otto II, fl. 1298
Bruno, fl. 1301
Gerhardus, fl. 1320
Luprandus, fl. 1325
Gerbertus, fl. 1338
Heinrich von Northeim, fl. 1352
Hartmann, 1386-1391
Hermann von Seulingen, fl. 1391
Johann Bommel, 1400-1408
Ernst von Hagen, fl. 1425
Johannes, fl. 1440
Heinrich Barcken, fl. 1453
Henning Hartmann, bef. 1493
Johannes Bommel, 1493-1498
Johann von Sessen, fl. 1505
Henning Wulff, 1505-1512
Goswin, 1512-1515
Hermann Volbrecht, 1515-1522
Werner Schmedichen, 1522-1530
Simon Geilharden, 1530-1534
Konrad, bef. 1147
Rokerus, 1156-1163
Olricus, 1186-1190
Johannes, 1212-1226
Herwicus, 1228-1242
Johannes, 1258-?
Bertram, 1260-1288
Otto, fl. 1291
Johannes, 1295
Otto II, fl. 1298
Bruno, fl. 1301
Gerhardus, fl. 1320
Luprandus, fl. 1325
Gerbertus, fl. 1338
Heinrich von Northeim, fl. 1352
Hartmann, 1386-1391
Hermann von Seulingen, fl. 1391
Johann Bommel, 1400-1408
Ernst von Hagen, fl. 1425
Johannes, fl. 1440
Heinrich Barcken, fl. 1453
Henning Hartmann, bef. 1493
Johannes Bommel, 1493-1498
Johann von Sessen, fl. 1505
Henning Wulff, 1505-1512
Goswin, 1512-1515
Hermann Volbrecht, 1515-1522
Werner Schmedichen, 1522-1530
Simon Geilharden, 1530-1534
Status
Priory
Archival Sources
Hannover, Niedersächsisches Landesarchiv
Cal. Br. 3 Nr. 615 (1321)
Cal. Br. 7 Nr. 1502 (1536-1545)
Cal. Br. 7 Nr. 1651 (1527)
Cal. Br. 7 Nr. 1652 (1515)
Cal. Br. 7 Nr. 1672 (1488)
Cal. Or. 19 Nr. 36 (1520)
Cal. Or. 19 Nr. 37 (1533)
Cal. Or. 31 Nr. 403 (1523)
Cal. Or. 100 Osterode St. Jacobi Nr. 14 (ca. 1250)
Cal. Or. 100 Weende Nr. 100 (1340)
Cal. Or. 100 Weende Nr. 262 (1486)
Oxford, Bodleian Library
Laud Misc. 633 (12th c.)
Wolfenbüttel, Herzog August Bibliothek
Cod. Guelf. 308 Helmst. (12th c.)
Cal. Br. 3 Nr. 615 (1321)
Cal. Br. 7 Nr. 1502 (1536-1545)
Cal. Br. 7 Nr. 1651 (1527)
Cal. Br. 7 Nr. 1652 (1515)
Cal. Br. 7 Nr. 1672 (1488)
Cal. Or. 19 Nr. 36 (1520)
Cal. Or. 19 Nr. 37 (1533)
Cal. Or. 31 Nr. 403 (1523)
Cal. Or. 100 Osterode St. Jacobi Nr. 14 (ca. 1250)
Cal. Or. 100 Weende Nr. 100 (1340)
Cal. Or. 100 Weende Nr. 262 (1486)
Oxford, Bodleian Library
Laud Misc. 633 (12th c.)
Wolfenbüttel, Herzog August Bibliothek
Cod. Guelf. 308 Helmst. (12th c.)
Reference
Bibliography
Backmund, Norbert. “Pöhlde.” In Lexikon für Theologie und Kirche, 8:578. Freiburg, 1963.
Barke, Heinrich. “Ein Streit im Kloster Pöhlde.” Heimatblätter für den südwestlichen Harzrand 46 (1990): 39–46.
Bunte, Bernhard. “Über den ehemaligen Güterbesitz der Klöster Pöhlde und Elten in friesischen Gebieten.” Jahrbuch der Gesellschaft für bildende Kunst und vaterländische Altertümer zu Emden 12 (1897): 145–50. https://books.google.com/books?id=vgwsAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA145.
Fischer, H. “Heinrich der Löwe im Kloster Pöhlde.” In Heimatkalender des Kreises Osterode und des Südwestrandes des Harzes, edited by Hans Erich Giebel, 50. Osterode am Harz: Giebel & Oehlschlägel, 1955.
Grape, Wolfgang. “Das Rätsel der Chorgestühle von Pöhlde, Einbeck und Ilfeld.” Niederdeutsche Beiträge zur Kunstgeschichte 42 (2003): 35–174.
———. “Das Rätsel der Chorgestühle von Pöhlde, Einbeck und Ilfeld.” Niederdeutsche Beiträge zur Kunstgeschichte 43/44 (2005 2004): 93–135.
Könighaus, Waldemar. “Drei Ablaßurkunden für das Prämonstratenserstift Pöhlde aus dem 13. Jahrhundert.” Archiv für Diplomatik 58 (2012): 239–50.
———. “Drei Ablaßurkunden für das Prämonstratenserstift Pöhlde aus dem 13. Jahrhundert.” Archiv für Diplomatik 59 (2013): 239–50.
Lampe, Jörg H. “The Choir Stalls of the Monasteries of Pöhlde and St Alexander’s in Einbeck: Observations on Their Time of Origin from an Epigraphical and Historical Point of View.” In Choir Stalls and Their Workshops: Proceedings of the Misericordia International Colloquium 2016, edited by Anja Seliger and Willy Piron, 226–42. Newcastle upon Tyne: Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2017.
Leuckfeld, Johann Georg. Antiquitates Poeldenses oder Historische Beschreibung des vormahligen Stiffts Poelde Praemonstratenser Ordens ... Wolfenbüttel, 1707. https://www.digitale-sammlungen.de/en/view/bsb10005024.
Nolte, Hermann. “Über das ehemalige Kloster Pöhlde.” Hannoverisches Magazin 34 (1843): 265–71, 273–80, 281–85.
Zander, Otto. “Das Kloster Pöhlde.” Allgemeiner Harz-Berg-Kalender, 1966, 116–20.
———. “Der Mordstein von Pöhlde.” Allgemeiner Harz-Berg-Kalender, 1951, 122–24.
———. “Die Klosterkirche in Pöhlde.” Allgemeiner Harz-Berg-Kalender, 1963, 105–9.
———. “Vom früheren Reichtum und einigen Kirchen des Klosters Pöhlde.” Allgemeiner Harz-Berg-Kalender, 1954, 75–77.
———. “Vom früheren Reichtum und einigen Kirchen des Klosters Pöhlde.” Allgemeiner Harz-Berg-Kalender, 1971, 115–18.
Image Credit
View of the former abbey church of Pöhlde, 2012. Wikimedia.
Files
Collection
Citation
“Pöhlde,” A Premonstratensian Atlas, accessed October 16, 2026, https://yvonneseale.org/atlas/items/show/249.