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On the crisp weekday that I strolled
ker—a relaxing place to sit on a bench
around—after drizzly rain--noting the and people-watch.
beautiful fountains and the well-kept
gardens, there were few visitors and it Fugger didn't marry until 1498, nearly
was eerily quiet. An elderly lady, wear- age 40; his wife, Sibylla Arzt, was 18 and
ing a head scarf that framed her heav- the couple, wed 26 years and thought to
ily-lined face—testament to a long, be unhappy (money doesn't give you ev-
weary life--leaned out of a ground floor erything), remained childless. Toward
apartment window, eying me with curi- the end of his life (he died in Decem-
osity. ber 1525 at age 66; his widow quickly
remarried), Fugger contemplated what
On the grounds is also a small shop and would happen upon his death and, fear-
beer garden—and the green-shuttered ing purgatory, was concerned for his
apartments boast unique iron bell pulls soul. Hence he came up with the idea of
in different shapes—a holdover from having the Fuggerei residents pray daily
earlier days when there wasn't good not only for his soul, but for the souls of
lighting and residents had to feel them his family as well, to ensure that they all
to be sure they were at the right flat! would get inside the Pearly Gates.
Fugger's investments dwindled over the So, to this day, besides paying for utili-
next century (although today his de- ties, such as heat—and volunteering in
scendants still own real estate, includ- the gardens, as the night watchman or
ing several castles and businesses)—but gatekeeper--the residents are also re-
the charitable trust that he set up in quired to say three daily prayers for the
1520 still is doing well enough to keep souls of the Fuggers' dynasty and de-
the Fuggerei afloat, helping out low-in- scendants: the Lord's Prayer, Hail Mary,
come renters who became impoverished and the Apostles' Creed.
through no fault of their own.
“Sometimes I forget to pray,” one long-
There are seven gates at the walled Fug- time elderly resident confessed to the
gerei—yet only one has a doorbell and Wall Street Journal. “But some days I
a night watchman. And, as in medieval pray extra if there's nothing good on
times, the gates are locked at night—un- television.”
til 5 a.m.
“At 10 p.m. all the gates are closed, just
like in 1523,” notes guide Gast. “If Fug- WHEN YOU GO
gerei residents need to come in after 10
p.m., they must ring the bell and the The Fuggerei: www.fugger.de/en/
gate is opened by a doorman. It costs home.html
.50 euro cents. Or if they come in after
midnight it costs 1 euro—more than the Augsburg information: www.augs-
yearly rent of .88 euro cents! This regu- burg-tourismus.de/home-english.
lation was probably enforced in order to html
protect the residents' security as well as
preventing carousing.” Germany Tourism information: www.
germany.travel
Jakob Fugger's motto, written on the
church in the Fuggerei, was 'Carpe diem' Historic Highlights of Germany:
or 'use the time.' He wanted to encour- www.historicgermany.com
age discipline. Just as they still enforce
this detail in Jakob Fugger's endow- German Rail Pass: www.raileurope.
ment letter, all of his other conditions com
and wishes are followed as well. For me,
the Fuggerei is Jakob Fugger the Rich's Photos and images Licensed under Public Domain via
greatest legacy.” Wikimedia Commons.
A bronze bust of Fugger, cast in 2007, is
in the small Fuggerei park near the bun-
Wine Dine & Travel Winter 2015 65