The Donor Figures of the Naumburg Cathedral

They are twelve life-size sculptures created by the Naumburg Master up to the year 1249. Despite their individual character, they are not individual statues. Rather, they are an integral part of the architecture and were installed immediately with the construction of the west choir. Since the figures are each part of a larger block of stone that extends behind them, they can be formally addressed as reliefs.

The figures represent important nobles who determined the political fate of Saxony and Thuringia as counts and margraves in the 11th century. Not all of the figures can be identified without doubt with a specific person. The shield inscriptions of the men provide important clues for interpretation.

Thus, on the left side of the polygon appears a Count Dietmar, whose inscription further reveals that he was 'occisus', that is, killed.

To the right of him is Count Syzzo. It is the only bearded man, which could refer to an older age. In addition, he holds up his sword with the scabbard in a conspicuous manner and his open mouth refers to an act of speech. Perhaps these features indicate a judicial function.

As in the case of Syzzo or William of Camburg, standing to his right, the inscriptions only mention that they are donors (donator, fundator).

In the case of Thimo of Kistritz, standing to the right of Count Wilhelm, we learn more about his foundation. On his shield we can read that he donated to the church septem villas, i.e. seven villages with all accessories.

The four women in the cycle are more difficult to interpret. The single female figure on the right side in the quadrum appears in a widow's veil and with an open book in her hands. Her open mouth also indicates that she is reading or even singing. She is identified as either Countess Gerburg or Gepa.

Corresponding with her is the female figure on the other side of the square, generally addressed as Countess Berchta. She presents herself as a high noble lady in courtly attire and crown circlet.

Count Konrad standing next to it, like the figure opposite, is not part of the architecture, but fixed by means of iron hooks. So it happened that the figure fell down at an unspecified time and for a long time was housed in an adjoining room. The current head is an addition from 1941.

On the south side, Margrave Hermann, the elder of the two brothers, stands next to his wife Reglindis. The margrave appears bareheaded with curly hair, clasping his sword and shield tightly with his left hand. His gaze, radiating piety, seems to be directed at the altar below him.

His wife next to him, on the other hand, openly displays her joie de vivre. As the daughter of the first Polish king Bolesław Chobry, Reglindis has the most distinguished role among the female donors. She wears a richly decorated crown ring, under which individual strands of her hair stand out.

Her figure represents the rare case of a sculpture with a powerful laughing human face being created in a prominent place in a high medieval church. Whether her smile is to be understood as an inner certainty about the attainment of eternal life or as a symbol of her presumed youth can no longer be clarified.

On the north side of the choir, opposite Reglindis, stands Margrave Ekkehard II, Hermann's younger brother and successor in the dignity of margrave. With his death in 1046 the family of the Ekkehardins died out in the male line. The importance of the dynasty is revealed by the fact that Emperor Henry III personally attended his funeral ceremonies in Naumburg. In contrast to the devout piety of his brother, the figure of Ekkehard radiates lordly authority and wealth. Like his brother, he too seems to be gazing at what is happening at the altar.

Next to him stands the best-known founder figure, who achieved world fame as "Uta von Naumburg". Yet she is one of those founder personalities about whose biography we know the least. She lived at the turn of the 10th and 11th century, was the daughter of a count from the Harz region and was married to Ekkehard II. The year of her death is unknown, as are other details of her life. Her fame is due solely to her figurative appearance and goes hand in hand with the rediscovery and idealization of medieval architectural and artistic monuments in the 19th century.