The Gnadensee is part of
Lower Lake Constance (), the western part of the lake.
Description
The Gnadensee lies between
Allensbach in the north and the
island of Reichenau in the south. In the west it extends to the
Mettnau peninsula (
Radolfzell) and its eastern end borders on the
Wollmatinger Ried Nature Reserve and the Reichenaudamm with its prominent avenue of poplars. The extremely small part in the northwest is called the
Markelfinger Winkel. Together with the latter it has an area of 13 square kilometres. It reaches a maximum depth of 19 metres.
Name
The name of the Gnadensee probably dates to the period when the local
judiciary
The judiciary (also known as the judicial system, judicature, judicial branch, judiciative branch, and court or judiciary system) is the system of courts that adjudicates legal disputes/disagreements and interprets, defends, and applies the law ...
was based on the island of Reichenau. If an accused person was found guilty and sentenced to death, the execution could not take place on the island. It had to be carried out on the mainland as the whole island was holy ground. As a result, the convict was taken by boat to the mainland in the direction of present-day Allensbach, in order that the sentence could be carried out. If the local ruler, the abbot, wanted to reprieve the criminal, he had a bell rung before the boat reached the far shore. This was a signal to the executioner on the mainland that the convict had received a pardon or ''Gnade'' ("mercy" or "grace" in German).
[Helmut Fidler: ''Kleine Kulturgeschichte des Ruderns am Untersee'', in: ''Hegau. Zeitschrift für Geschichte, Volkskunde und Naturgeschichte des Gebietes zwischen Rhein, Donau und Bodensee'', Jahresband 68 (2011), pp. 5–26, here p. 12.]
Another explanation is that the name Gnadensee is derived from
Mary, Mother of God, the "Lady of our Grace", and is an
ellipsis
The ellipsis (, plural ellipses; from , , ), rendered , alternatively described as suspension points/dots, points/periods of ellipsis, or ellipsis points, or colloquially, dot-dot-dot,. According to Toner it is difficult to establish when t ...
of the word ''Gnaden
rauee'' ("Lady of Grace Lake"), as the
monastery in Mittelzell was dedicated to Saint Mary.
References
External links
{{Authority control
Geography of Lake Constance