Normative Ordnung und symbolische Präsenz der Antoniter. Edition ihrer Statuten und Analyse ihrer Zeichen [Normative Order and Symbolic Presence of the Antonites. Edition of their Statutes and Analysis of their Signs]

Project lead: Prof. Dr. Mirko Breitenstein
Employees: Nathalie Schmidt (Research Associate) und Rebecca Hoppe (Student assistant)

The Antonites are one of today's little-known spiritual communities, despite their formerly wide expansion and exceptionally high cultural presence. During their work between the 11th and 18th centuries, they had more than 350 branches throughout Europe as well as in the Holy Land and, with their hospitals, were among the most important providers of charitable care. They formed as a brotherhood at a pilgrimage site in southern France with relics of the monk father Anthony, which initially included both men and women. Under the patronage of this saint, they dedicated themselves above all to the care of those who were ill with the so-called Holy Fire (ignis sacer). This was in many cases a disease phenomenon caused by the consumption of cereals contaminated with ergot fungi (ergotism), but also other symptomatically comparable ailments. The first hospital looked after by the Antonites proved to be so successful that others were soon transferred to them. The decisive factor here was not least the fact that the Antonites were never only active in the field of nursing, but always also in curative therapy. This unique feature distinguished them from all other hospital orders. Despite this outstanding importance not only for the history of religious communities, but also for that of institutionalised care, central basic texts of the order have never been edited.

The project aims to address this serious desideratum in two complementary areas of work. Moreover, these are the only two that concern the Order as a whole and in its essence: its primary goal is the first edition, which will then be openly accessible, of the entire body of medieval statutes of the Order, namely those from the years 1367, 1420 and 1478. As self-imposed proper law, these texts can provide information in a special way about the hitherto almost unknown constitutional structure of the Antonites and thus shed light on the normative foundations of a community that was networked throughout Europe and, despite its local location, always acted supraregionally.

This project will be accompanied by a systematic recording and analysis of the Order's forms of media expression. The focus here will be on pictorial media (broadsides, panel paintings, wall and book painting) and sculptures, but also sermons and liturgical texts. They will be examined as symbolising performances with which the Antonites sought to express, convey and also legitimise their guiding ideas. The complementary treatment of both parts of the project will make it possible to grasp those factors that made the extraordinary success of the order possible and guaranteed it over a long period of time.

Cooperation partners:

Prof. Dr. Carmen Cardelle de Hartmann (Universität Zürich)

Prof. Dr. Bruno Klein (Technische Universität Dresden)

Prof. Dr. med. C. Albrecht May (Technische Universität Dresden)

The Bibliography on Antonites will be created as part of this project.

From 24 to 26 March 2025, a workshop on "Statuten von Hospitalorden und Hospitälern im europäischen Vergleich (12. bis 18. Jh.)" will take place in Dresden as part of the project.