Meistertrunk of Rothenburg (1631), Bavaria, Germany, chromolithograph, published in 1891 - stock illustration

The Meistertrunk (Master Drink) - legendary event in Rothenburg ob der Tauber (Franconia, Bavaria, Germany) during the Thirty Years' War. It states that when General Tilly condemned the councilmen to death and was set to burn the city down, the councilmen tried to sway him with a large drink of 3 1/4 liters wine. Tilly proclaimed that if anyone could drink it all in one drink, he would spare the city. The mayor at the time, Georg Nusch, succeeded, and General Tilly kept his word. However, the story is almost certainly apocryphal. For this (alleged) occasion, the festival play Der Meistertrunk has been held annually since 1881, although it probably never existed in this form. After these difficult times, Rothenburg stopped growing, thus preserving its 17th-century state. Despite some destruction during the Second World War, the city is known for its well-preserved medieval old town and a destination for tourists from all over the world. Chromolithograph, published in 1891.