Tränktörle (Mittlere Sackgasse)

The "Tränktörle" was formerly a passage through the city wall down to the Rems, where the cattle were watered. During the town fire in 1634, this small passage became the scene of a disaster for many of the town's inhabitants. When they tried to use this exit as an escape route from the burning town, they were either killed by the already waiting Soldateska (mercenaries) or drowned in the Rems.

In earlier times, a dammed mill canal ran alongside the forewall behind the city wall. The cattle were led here through a narrow passage to the drinking trough. This narrow passage, only „three shoes“ wide (approx. 90 cm) through the city wall was called the „Tränktörle“, The access passage as it appears today dates from only 50 to 60 years ago; During the 'Thirty Years' War in the Battle of Nördlingen in 1634, Catholic troops crushingly defeated the Protestant army. Some of the victorious Waiblingen mercenary army then plundered and set fire to Waiblingen.Since the city gates had been closed for protection, the only possible escape route from the burning city was through the narrow passage at Tränktörle. Everyone tried to save themselves from the marauding Soldateska and the burning town. Those who hid in cellars or pigeon lofts, suffocated or burned to death, Those who tried to escape, drowned or were captured; At the Tränktörle many people were trampled to death among a panic-stricken crowd. Those who had crossed the city wall and the forewall had to cross the dammed up Rems, in which many inhabitants drowned as they could not swim. Others, who had made it to the opposite bank were slain there by enemy soldiers or taken to Holland as spoils of war.