Petersborn at the Zweikirche
Rutsweiler an der Lauter, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany
The "Little Peters Well" rises about 100 meters southwest of the Zweikirche in a shallow dip in a sloping meadow. It does not appear to be enclosed, but its earlier use is shown by ceramics finds . The names "St. Peter's Well" (1432) and the shorter "Petersborn" (1767) indicate the veneration of the well before the church was established. Christmann (a local historian of the early 20th century) thought the early Frankish settlers worshipped the god Donar at this site. With the advent of Christianity, this well, like many others, was dedicated to St. Peter.
A church dedicated to St. Peter was indirectly named in a written source of 1432. A field is mentioned as between St. Peter and Fulnkesen; this field near Selberg was considered by Christmann to be glebe land belonging to the chapel. This small church by the Christianized holy well may have been built soon after the local Frankish settlers were converted. It certainly was a heathen sacred cult site. It was not a predecessor of the present Zweikirche, but a separate church established about the same time. The present church a short distance from the well (Zweikirche) was never dedicated to St. Peter.
Christmann theorized that this chapel standing before the present church was built gave rise to the name "Two Churches" (Zweikirche). The old name form, of which the oldest is ca. 1250, uses the plural form indicating two churches here.
To find the Petersborn, go through the cemetary gate on the west side of the church (by the tower) and follow the lane about 100 meters. The brooklet fed by Petersborn runs along the lane, but is choked with brambles and junk. The spring is now a muddy seep, also clogged with brambles and bush as well as chunks of stone and refuse. There is no temptation here to taste the waters!
A second now enclosed well is found 100 meters northwest of the Zweikirche and feeds a small pond.
"Die Zweikirche von Rutsweiler a.d. Lauter, Isolde Schmidt, 1993
The Zweikirche at Rutsweiler on the Lauter is now separated from the village of Rutsweiler and apparently was built to serve a now vanished village in the rather boggy meadows around the lovely church. The middle section of the church is the oldest and stones from nearby Roman buildings were reused in the Church.
The church is now popular for weddings.
This picture is taken from very near the site
of the Petersborn.
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