Frundsbergfest Mindelheim

Georg von Frundsberg and Mindelheim

Georg von Frundsberg (1473–1528), a military leader and the "Father of the Landsknechts", is the central figure of the festival. In 1467, the lordship of Mindelheim passed to the Frundsberg family, and Georg von Frundsberg made the town his primary residence. The Frundsbergfest recreates this era: the Mindelheim of the Renaissance and the Landsknecht period, with nobility, artisans, burghers, and mercenaries.

A Festival Supported by the Entire City

The Frundsbergfest is not a commercial medieval spectacle, but a community festival: Around 2,500 Mindelheim residents participate in historical groups, wearing custom-made costumes, with 200 horses and over 30 wagons and cannons. For ten days, the entire old town is transformed into an immersive 16th-century backdrop.

Camp Life, City Festival, and Market

On the festival weekends, the historical camp life opens: Landsknecht camps, artisans, sutlers, and field kitchens. The city festival with a historical market winds through the streets, accompanied by a guild parade and a farmers' market. Several stages feature theatre, concerts, dance, and Renaissance music.

Battle Reenactments

Highlights include the grand battle reenactments: the portrayal of the "Battle of Peutelstein" (1511) below Mindelburg Castle, and "More Soldiers Needed" – Landsknechts storming the city walls. Hundreds of actors, cavalry, cannon fire, and pyrotechnics make these reenactments the dramatic centrepiece of the festival.

The Grand Parade

The historical parade is the flagship event of the Frundsbergfest: a parade several kilometres long with around 2,500 participants, 200 horses, carriages, wagons, and cannons, narrating the history of Mindelheim and the Frundsberg era. It takes place on both festival Sundays and attracts tens of thousands of spectators.