Liubusua und Löbsal. Zur Aufklärung eines alten Forschungsproblems

Abstract

This article deals with the castle of Liubusua described in the chronicle of bishop Thietmar of Merseburg (975-1018). The castle was in this period a construction of eminent importance in the area around the central Elbe river. The German philosopher and historian Gottfried W. Leibniz (1646- 1716) as well as after him scholars from various other scientific disciplines tried to locate the place of Liubusua. Based on references to Liubusua in relevant primary resources since the 19th century, the locational alternatives for Liubusua from a linguistic perspective are summarized. The main part of the article comprises an evaluation of an approach by the author and colleagues to localize Liubusua in the village of Löbsal at the “Rauhe Furt' (a former crossing point of the river Elbe) near the city of Meißen. In this approach, for the first time historical and archaeological as well as linguistic findings are being taken into consideration.