Maiden Gertrud

On the hill of Schlossberg, overlooking the town of Arnsberg, stood a castle under the authority of the Electorate of Cologne in the late 16th century. Within its walls lived the noble lady Gertrud von Plettenberg, the castle’s steward and guardian of her family’s secrets. Born into the venerable von Plettenberg lineage, Gertrud was renowned for her beauty, intelligence, and dignity, but also for a heart that belonged to one, the Elector Ernst von Bayern.

Ernst often stayed in Arnsberg, drawn not only by political duties but also by the mysterious presence of Gertrud. Their love was concealed, for such a relationship between nobility and high-ranking church officials was perilous and frowned upon. Their meetings were therefore shrouded in secrecy, the safest place for their encounters being a hidden underground passage leading from the town to the castle, a corridor that remains in legend as a place of mysterious meetings and whispered words.

Each night, when the town had fallen silent, Gertrud would quietly descend the stairs and enter the cold, stone tunnel. The corridors echoed with her footsteps, each step accompanied by the jingle of keys, a sound which, according to tradition, could resonate for hours as she passed between the shadows of candlelight and the steep walls. At the end of the passage, in the shadowy castle, Ernst awaited her. There, they exchanged whispered words, touches, and glances, while the outside world vanished into the night.

Yet, their love was not without danger. Over the years, keeping their secret grew ever more difficult, and fate ultimately tore them apart. Gertrud died on October 26, 1608, in Arnsberg, leaving behind an emptiness and a heart that never forgot their clandestine encounters.

Legend says that the spirit of Jungfer Gertrud never found peace. Her apparition is seen atop the hill and among the ruins of the castle, where, on moonless nights, people claim to hear the jingle of keys and the whisper of footsteps through the underground passage. Those who traverse this path say they feel the presence of the lady, her quiet love for Ernst, and the sorrow of lost meetings.

Thus, Gertrud became more than a historical figure. She is a symbol of secret love, nobility, nocturnal encounters, and enduring presence across space and time. The Schlossruine Arnsberg is no longer merely a ruin, it is a place where the past meets the supernatural, where mysterious whispers echo through the underground corridors, and where the spirit of Jungfer Gertrud still watches over those who walk in her footsteps.