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Michel-Türmer of St. Michael’s Church in Hamburg

Wednesday, 12 February 2025 - 11:00 am (CET/MEZ) Berlin | Author/Destination: European Union / Europäische Union
Category/Kategorie: General, Hamburg Reading Time:  2 minutes

🔊 Listen to this Post The Michel-Türmer, also Turmtüter, is a trumpeter who, in the tradition of the office of the tower blowers, plays chorales in all four directions every morning and evening from the tower of Hamburg‘s main church, St. Michaelis. The custom was introduced in Hamburg during the Reformation and has been practiced in the Michel, as the Michaelis Church in Hamburg is called, for more than 300 years. Until the gate closure was lifted on January 1, 1861, the trumpet chorale was the signal for the opening and closing of the city gates.

Today, the Michel-Türmer goes to the 7th floor of the tower, the so-called tower keeper’s floor, which is 279 steps high, every weekday at 10 a.m. and 9 p.m., and only on Sundays at 12 p.m. He plays a verse from an open window, starting at the east window and then continuing clockwise: “To the praise of God, to the joy of mankind!” – says a sign on the tower steps. A different chorale is played every day, mainly Protestant hymns from the 16th and 17th centuries, in keeping with the church year.

The position, which is intended as a part-time job, is shared by two freelance musicians. Horst Huhn has been the tower keeper at St. Michael’s since 1992 and also leads the St. Michael’s brass ensemble. Josef Thöne has also been playing from the tower since 1992 and has led the church’s trombone choir since 1995.

Read more on Wikipedia Michel-Türmer (Smart Traveler App by U.S. Department of State - Weather report by weather.com - Global Passport Power Rank - Travel Risk Map - Democracy Index - GDP according to IMF, UN, and World Bank - Global Competitiveness Report - Corruption Perceptions Index - Press Freedom Index - World Justice Project - Rule of Law Index - UN Human Development Index - Global Peace Index - Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Index). Photos by Wikimedia Commons. If you have a suggestion, critique, review or comment to this blog entry, we are looking forward to receive your e-mail at comment@wingsch.net. Please name the headline of the blog post to which your e-mail refers to in the subject line.