“Regional” and “National” in German Chronicles of the Thirty Years’ War

The article examines the problem of the relationship between regional and national motifs in German chronicles, which covered the events of the Thirty Years’ War and were published immediately after 1648. How much did military events and regional issues contribute to the growth of national identity? How salient was the regional and religious identity of the chronicles’ authors? The article focuses on: a chronicle of the city of Mügeln in Saxony, published in 1652. Its analysis allows us to speak about the regional-German orientation of the author, about the desire to reflect primarily the interests of the local population. The book is written in a typical Baroque style. The author, Pastor Fiedler, demonstrates his integration into the world of the local elite. His work is a tribute to the patronage of local noble families and members of the city community. At the same time, erudition is shown: Pastor Fiedler freely navigates the mass of historical works. Elements of humanistic culture are combined with the rhetoric of “love for the fatherland”. The author sees the main goal of his work as awakening Germans’ interest in their own local history. The theme of war itself occupies a very significant place in the structure of the narrative. The author expresses his religious affiliation, but maintains a neutral position in relation to the warring parties. This is characterized by a sharp contrast between the military and the civilian population. Among the military, the author does not distinguish between “friends” and “aliens.” He stands entirely on the side of the townspeople. At the same time, the history of Mügeln is closely integrated into the history of Germany and the Germans. As a regional patriot, the author of the book sees the history of the city of Mügeln and the Thirty Years' War itself as part of German history.