In the Diebold Schilling chronicle on folio 174v he depicts an event that took place on April 29, 1495, at the Sentimatt execution site.
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| Diebold Schilling, Luzerner Chronik, 1513, Folio 174 |
The Scene
At the center of the image, dressed in red, stands the judge, holding the executioner’s sword. He is the most important figure in the scene, symbolizing the authority of the judiciary. With a commanding hand gesture, he orders the executioner to stop.
The executioner, visibly confused, obediently sets down the iron-bound breaking wheel. He had just been about to begin the brutal process of "breaking on the wheel", starting with the convicted man’s right lower leg.
What Happened?
At that moment, Diebold Schilling arrives, pointing at the condemned man and declaring his innocence. Dressed in priestly robes, Schilling appears as a subordinate figure in the painting, humbly pleading for the life of the wrongly convicted man. This is fitting, as he was not only a chronicler but also a priest at St. Peter’s Chapel.
The convicted man, Jakob Kessler, was a vagrant from Breisgau, accused of committing murder in Lenzkirch, near the Titisee in the Black Forest. Under severe torture, he had confessed to the crime. However, he later gave his confessor a more credible account, insisting that he was innocent. Two city guards overheard this and informed Diebold Schilling, who courageously intervened.
Messengers were immediately dispatched to Lenzkirch to verify the accusation. But upon arrival, they discovered that no such murder had ever taken place. As a result, Jakob Kessler was freed. He later set out on a pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela—perhaps out of gratitude for his rescue or possibly as a penance pilgrimage, which was a common practice for released prisoners.
Other Executions
On the far right of the image, another man is being burned at the stake—also an outsider. His name was Martin Senn, a man from Savoy, accused of murdering a virgin and committing sodomy with a cow.
In the upper left corner, a triangular gallows structure is visible, with two hanged corpses—likely left there for weeks as a warning to others. It was common practice to let the bodies rot until they fell apart naturally.
In the background, we can see the Reuss River and, beyond the smoke, part of the Musegg Wall.
A Risky Act of Defiance
Though Diebold Schilling depicts himself in the image as humble and subordinate, he is, without question, the true hero of the story.
How daring must it have been to challenge a court ruling during a public execution, in front of a large crowd of spectators? The ruling elite considered themselves divinely appointed and infallible—to question their verdict was unthinkable.
What risk did Schilling take?
It is difficult to say, but his courage is undeniable. He must have enjoyed considerable respect and influence to get away with such defiance. Others who spoke against authority could face brutal punishments—having their right hand cut off and being strangled at a stake.
A Lesson in Justice
Through his chronicle, Diebold Schilling exposed the injustices of his time. Today, we know that justice was far from impartial:
40% of those executed were from the Lucerne countryside (the subject territories).
46.5% were other foreigners. (From the area outside of today's Canton of Lucerne).
Only 2% were citizens of Lucerne.
