Category: The Black Star Collection
Photographer: CHRISTOPH, Henning
Event Date: 1977-06
Medium: gelatin silver print
Dimensions: approximately: 11 x 14 inches; 27.94 x 35.56 cm
Accession Number: BS.2005.003027

Inscriptions:
Captions: Verso: Hallstatt, Austria. June 1977. Henning Christoph discovered this `mystery of Hallstatt,? a half moon and six-pointed star atop one of the side chapels of the Mount Calvary Chapel (Kalvarienbergkirche), built in 1711. A variety of explanations have been offered, none of them entirely satisfactory, for this symbol which apparently no one noticed before: 1. All churches built during this period have this symbol over that part of the church representing the tomb of Christ. (Catholic pastor of Hallstatt). 2. The symbol was brought back from Jerusalem by the wife of the founder, who made a pilgrimage there. (Rudolf Egger, head of the local Chamber of Commerce (Obam des Fremdenverkehrverbandes)). 3. The symbol ? which is the Turkish symbol laid on its back ? represents the defeat of Islam by Christianity, and was used to symbolize the repulsion of the Turkish invasion (Turkenbelagerung) of Austria. It first appears in the Baroque period, and is unknown in the Gothic. (Professor Georg Zauner, artist in Hallstatt). 4. The symbol was brought back to Hallstatt from the Middle East in the days when the salt trade spanned the Continents. (Henning Christoph). 5. The fact that Christians have dared to put the Turkish symbol on a Catholic church is an outrage which should be brought to the attention of the Turkish press. (Seyfi Sakin, worker, Essen). 6. It has nothing to do with Turks at all, but is connected to the Marian mysteries. Mary is often portrayed with a moon and stars. (Dr. Otto Wenniger, journalist, Essen).Markings:Verso: Hallstatt, Austria. June 1977. Henning Christoph discovered this `mystery of Hallstatt,? a half moon and six-pointed star atop one of the side chapels of the Mount Calvary Chapel (Kalvarienbergkirche), built in 1711. A variety of explanations have been offered, none of them entirely satisfactory, for this symbol which apparently no one noticed before: 1. All churches built during this period have this symbol over that part of the church representing the tomb of Christ. (Catholic pastor of Hallstatt). 2. The symbol was brought back from Jerusalem by the wife of the founder, who made a pilgrimage there. (Rudolf Egger, head of the local Chamber of Commerce (Obam des Fremdenverkehrverbandes)). 3. The symbol ? which is the Turkish symbol laid on its back ? represents the defeat of Islam by Christianity, and was used to symbolize the repulsion of the Turkish invasion (Turkenbelagerung) of Austria. It first appears in the Baroque period, and is unknown in the Gothic. (Professor Georg Zauner, artist in Hallstatt). 4. The symbol was brought back to Hallstatt from the Middle East in the days when the salt trade spanned the Continents. (Henning Christoph). 5. The fact that Christians have dared to put the Turkish symbol on a Catholic church is an outrage which should be brought to the attention of the Turkish press. (Seyfi Sakin, worker, Essen). 6. It has nothing to do with Turks at all, but is connected to the Marian mysteries. Mary is often portrayed with a moon and stars. (Dr. Otto Wenniger, journalist, Essen).

Tagasauris Keywords: Architecture; Austria; Austria; Catholic Church; Chapel; Day; Low angle View; No Photostyle; Nobody; Nobody; Outdoors; Religion and belief; Roof; Still Life; Tree
Credit Line: The Image Centre, Black Star Collection.
Black Star Subject: AUSTRIA / MINING PEOPLE
Retouching: N