Film footage of the ‘Man of Bernuthsfeld’
When two young peat cutters discovered human remains in the bog near Tannenhausen in 1907, they had no idea that they had found the grave of a man buried in the bog around 700 AD, who has since been the subject of archaeological research as the ‘Man of Bernuthsfeld’. This is primarily because the man’s clothing has been very well preserved as a result of being buried in the bog. This provides textile archaeologists with the opportunity to gain a unique insight into early medieval clothing. Since autumn 2025, these garments have been under detailed examination as part of a research project funded by the State of Lower Saxony. The focus is on the man’s tunic, which was meticulously crafted using the patchwork technique. Given the unique cultural and historical significance of this find, the idea arose to create a film portraying the Man from Bernuthsfeld and his personal story, based on the latest research.
The organisations involved in carrying out this project are the East Frisian State Museum in Emden, where the Bernuthsfeld Man has been laid to rest; the Society for Fine Arts and Patriotic Antiquities since 1820 – 1820dieKUNST –, whose cultural treasures include the bog find; and the NIhK, which is leading the current research.
The project was able to secure the services of filmmaker Bettina Wobst and cameraman Thomas Beckmann, who had previously produced a film about the work of the NIhK. From 28 June to 1 July 2026, the time had finally come to bring to life a script developed by Bettina Wobst in collaboration with textile archaeologist Christina Peek, which includes both documentation of the current investigations and dramatised reconstructions. Filming took place in Emden, Aurich, Ihlow and Wilhelmshaven and was only possible thanks to the active help of numerous amateur actors and actresses, as well as the support of the Ostfriesische Landschaft and other institutions. The extensive footage is currently being analysed and prepared for editing; the film is expected to be screened for the first time in spring 2027 as part of the Redbad exhibition at the Ostfriesisches Landesmuseum in Emden.
