Altes und Neues über Karl Stülpner mit Benutzung der Schönberg'schen Aufzeichnungen

A vivid portrait emerges of a boy born on a chilly September morning in 1762 at the foot of the steep Schlossberg near Scharfenstein. His father, a modest miller and former cavalryman, struggled to provide, while his mother tended the household amid the turmoil of the Seven‑Year War. Early danger already brushed his life when Prussian hussars broke into their home, forcing his mother into a night‑long trek that nearly cost the infant his life. These harsh beginnings shape a resilient youth growing up in the shadow of the dense Ore Mountains.

As the child matures, he attends a distant school, quickly gaining a reputation for bold pranks and daring feats. A keen hunter, he acquires an old rifle that becomes his treasured companion, and his uncle, a forester, entrusts him with delivering game to the manor. This blend of rustic skill, restless energy, and a willingness to defy authority hints at the making of the infamous “Raubschütze” who would later haunt the region’s folklore.