Hamneda galgbacke

Until the end of the 17th century, the Sunnerbo district court and execution site were located in Hamneda. At Galgbacken, not far from the old inn in Hamneda, you can still see the holes where the gallows stood. From the top of Galgbacken, there is a breathtaking view of the surroundings.

Traditionally, the executed were not allowed to be buried in consecrated ground in a cemetery; instead, they were buried in mass graves right next to the execution site. In Hamneda, a discovery was made in 2011 that suggests the first execution site was originally inside Hamneda but was later moved outside the community. Hamneda Galgbacke fell out of use in 1698 when the court was relocated to Ljungby. The execution site was subsequently moved to Ljungby.

An old legend tells of a young man who was beheaded on the gallows hill in Ljungby.

On a lovely summer day, a young boy from the Ljungby area promised eternal fidelity to a girl. Summer turned to autumn, and the year drew to a close. On Christmas night, the young man decided to keep vigil, hoping to see the two of them together. Christmas night was believed to be a time when glimpses of the future were possible.

Following an old tradition, he sat silently at a table with three cups: one containing brandy, another beer, and the third water. The future bride was supposed to appear in a vision and invite him to drink. If she chose brandy, he would become a drinker. Water meant poverty, while beer promised a prosperous life together.

That night, the girl appeared, but she didn’t lift any cup. She looked at him with a sorrowful expression, her clothes stained with blood. The apparition vanished as suddenly and silently as it had come.

What did this mean? The young man soon forgot the vision and even the girl he had promised fidelity to. He fell in love with someone else. But what could he do? He was bound by his promise. One late evening, he hid in the forest, and when the girl passed by, he rushed out and stabbed her, hiding her body. It was this event that the Christmas night vision had foretold.

However, the murder was discovered, and the boy was sentenced to death. He was beheaded on the gallows hill in Ljungby.

This was the meaning behind the Christmas night experience.

Source: Sagobygdens blogg, PER GUSTAVSSON | June 7, 2022

This text is AI-generated.