Lautenbach - Collégiale Saint Gangolph

Manegold of Lautenbach, a celebrity of his time, lived here in the 11th. century. During the Investiture Controversy, Manegold sided strongly with Pope Gregory VII. Emperor Henry IV was so annoyed about this, that he sent an army to Lautenbach, to destroy the monastery and churches. About 50 years later Augustinian Canons settled here - and rebuilt the church, reusing a lot of old material. Many changes took place in and around the building (now the parish church) over the time, but the ground floor of the westwork seen here, seems still unchanged.

Having seen the delicate structure of the narthex with slim pillars -and fine capitals, both friezes are kind of shocking. The naiv style of these carvings differs totally from the others. These friezes may have been part of the church destroyed 1086 - and be reused here.

The third "frame" of the right frieze is larger than the other two (nearly) identical ones. Here Robert Will does mention this carving in "Alsace romane", Éditions Zodiaque.

There is a smiling (well combed) devil in the middle, a kind of "jack in the box", holding two (babylike) bodies (souls) and feeding them to two creatures of the underground (hell). I agree with Robert Will in this interpretation.

So far, the interpretation is clear and easy. But is there a connection between the four wrestlers - and this smirking devil? Is there eventually even a connection between the devil and the frieze on the other side, where the contemplator was introduced into adultery?

In case, the naked men do not wrestle, but kiss and hug, they are behaving like (heterosexual) couple on the left side. If there is a time bar in the friezes, then the smiling devil, marks the end of the kissing and hugging of both friezes.

We will have a closer look on the sides of the devil.