The beautiful Lau at the Blautopf
...tells her story
There are many legends and stories surrounding the Blautopf, but the best known is the story of the Beautiful Lau by Eduard Mörike (1804–1875), which tells the story of a water woman from the Black Sea who was banished to the Blautopf. “ At the bottom of the blue pot there used to be a water woman with long, flowing hair. Her body was everywhere like that of a beautiful, natural woman, except for the fact that she had webbed skin between her fingers and toes, blooming white and tenderer than a poppy leaf...". Lau had been married to old Donaunix back home at a young age. However, he had a grudge against her because due to her sadness she was unable to give birth to a healthy child. Her mother-in-law prophesied that she would only be able to do this once she had laughed heartily five times. Her husband then banished her to the distant Blautopf. Equipped with an entire court of chambermaids and maids, she lived in seclusion in her underground kingdom. But although her maids tried everything to make their sad mistress laugh, they never succeeded. Only with the help of the righteous nun's farm landlady Betha, a chamber pot, a stolen kiss and a tongue twister... a Klötzle Blei is released at Blaubeura, a Klötzle Blei is released at Blaubeura. .came the cathartic laugh. Who can recite the tongue twister? It's best to move forward and backwards straight away and as quickly as possible...
Stone sculpture Beautiful Lau
A stone sculpture by the Stuttgart sculptor Fritz von Grävenitz (1892-1959) on the banks of the Blautopf is reminiscent of Mörike's water woman. It is believed that the artist's sister, Marianne (1889-1983), was the model for the figure. She was the mother of the former Federal President Richard von Weizäcker. Von Grävenitz later sold this figure to Blaubeuren as “Schöne Lau”. Another version of the figure, but this one with feet and made of bronze, stands at the entrance to the Blaubeuren outdoor swimming pool. Fritz von Grävenitz made a career under the National Socialists and was director of the Stuttgart Art Academy from 1938 to 1946.
