I want to know if anyone can translate what this says. I took this picture at the Sedlec Ossuary in Czech Republic. It looks like German to me. Can anyone help?
What I can make out (italicized letters are guessed at):
Der [Mahne] der gebohrne
Ritter herr Wentzel Mültzer von
Rosenthal [??ilandt] Ihro [kaÿ]: Maÿ
C. VI: gemester [?hrift] Leutenant zu
Pferd[?/t/e]. Verschiden den 28 Aprill
1741 Seines Alters 69 Jahr*.* gott
La[s/ß] ihm Seelig Ruhen.
If I’ve got it right, that’s
“In memory of Wentzel Mültzer von Rosenthal [possible additional name],
born a nobleman[lit. knight].
[middle part I can’t make out]… Lieutenant of Horse (Cavalry?).
Departed the 28 April 1741, his age 69 years.
God let him rest in peace.”
I’ve never seen a ÿ before, so I’m not sure what those words are; possibly it’s a way of writing ü or just y. Also note that the I in Ihro and J in Jahre are actually the same letter (since there wasn’t a strong separation between the two). Reading it as “Ihro”(‘thou’) may be wrong but with Jahr spelled as it is on the same stone I think that must be it somehow.
I suspect that ‘gemester’ may be something like English ‘muster’ (but as far as I know German no longer has any cognates like that), that is to say “he was discharged at that rank”.
Weird, that edit didn’t seem to work, but I think the third word is likely “edel”, making it “noble-born as a knight”. This makes the second word questionable, but my guess is it’s still something in the ‘memorial’ vein.
It starts:
Der wohledel geborene
Ritter Herr Wentzel Mülsser(?) von
Rosenthal etc.
“wohledel” should correspond to the Swedish “välborne” = of noble birth.
Make that “wohledel geborene”!
I believe the middle part is
Weilandt Ihro Kay. May. C VI.,
short for “weilandt Ihro Kayserliche Mayestät Carl VI.”, meaning “at the time of His Imperial Majesty Carl/Karl/Charles VI.” (this guy was Holy Roman Emperor from 1711 to 1740, so that would fit). The next part I read as
gewester Obrist Leutnant zu Pferdt,
meaning “former Lieutenant-Colonel (Oberstleutnant) of the cavalry”.
You guys are pros! Thanks!
Interesting. Was there a seal or insignia at the bottom there?
I know this is an old thread, but while researching this very thing, I came across this board. Thank you for your help! I may have been able to fill in some blanks. Though I’m not entirely sure this is 100% correct.
“Der Wohl Edel Gebohrne
Ritter herr Wentzel Multzer von
Rosenthal, Weilandt Ihro kais. Maj.
C. VI. gewester Obrist Leutenant Zu
Pferdt, Versdjiden den 28 Aprill
1741 Seines Alters 69 Jahr. gott
Lass ihn Seelig Ruhen.”
“The noble-born
knight Wentzel Mültzer of
Rosenthal, at the time of His Imperial Majesty
Charles VI. Former Lieutenant-Colonel
of the cavalry, Dedicated the 28 April
1741, his age 69 years. God
let him rest in peace.”
And yes, there is a coat of arms underneath this inscription. I took this photo on a recent trip there:
https://scontent-lga3-1.cdninstagram.com/vp/95cec0260b9932320ef5160ac777b812/5BF63DD4/t51.2885-15/fr/e15/s1080x1080/38215606_1311603178975531_6588805910276079616_n.jpg
Almost correct: …Verschieden (deceased) den 28. April 1741 …
Thank you! Though, isn’t it odd that it is spelled “Verschiden”? Seems there’s an “e” left out. Or does that spelling imply death?
Does anyone know the origin of the coat of arms. Looks like a double headed eagle and a griffin on top, perhaps?
Slight modifications, spelling, punctuation, nothing important but a slightly more accurate transcription.
The two dots over the y in Maÿ are an old abbreviation sign. The word would be Mayestät (Majestät in modern spelling, = Majesty). Kais. is for Kaiserlichen (or whatever the proper ending is, I get lost :)).
Verschiden (modern spelling Verschieden) doesn’t mean dedicated, it means departed/passed away/nice word for “died”.
“Der Wohl Edel Gebohrne
Ritter herr Wentzel Mültzer von
Rosenthal, weilandt Ihro Kais. Maÿ
C. VI: gewester Obrist Leutenant Zu
Pferdt, Verschiden den 28 Aprill
1741 Seines Alters 69 Jahr. gott
Las ihm Seelig Ruhen.”
Not really. Spelling wasn’t too regularized back then—sometimes not even within the same document. Variation between i, ie, y, and ü was not unusual.
Some of the spelling is definitely old-fashioned. Some may also just be inaccurate.
(It’s difficult to erase on stone, and you can’t crumple it up and start again. Once something is set in stone, it’s… yeah. :))
VERY interesting. Thank you all!!
Hope you’ll hang around. We’re trying to attract new members.
I edited the title to indicate the country (instead of CZ). Please take the time to make your titles clear. My first thought was that you meant the Panama Canal Zone.
I certainly will. This site seems like it’d be great for research!
There are lots of experts on here in all kinds of fields. If I can’t find an answer with Google I post the question here and usually get an answer.