Tradition: Swiss Mythology
Alternative Names: The Ramswag, The Golden Skittles of Ramswag
Category: Ghost
The Myth
Knight Heinrich Walther von Ramswag distinguished himself in 1278 when he marched with King Rudolf of Habsburg against King Ottokar of Bohemia and saved his sovereign’s life at the Battle of Marchfeld. As a reward for his service, he received 500 marks of silver, the estate of Kriessern with Blatten Castle, the estates of Bernhardzell and Sitterdorf, and the imperial bailiwick in Thurgau. The family’s sudden prosperity, however, made the Ramswags arrogant. During the period of celebration that followed, a magnificent feast was reportedly held at Ramswag Castle, attended by the king himself. In the castle courtyard, guests amused themselves by playing skittles with golden balls and pins.
During the Appenzell Wars, Knight Rudolf met a tragic death at Ramswag Castle, and the family’s estate eventually passed into other hands. Yet the castle’s past revelry is said to endure beyond the destruction of its walls. On nights of heavy, eerie weather, Rudolf’s ghost wanders through the deep cellars of the castle ruins, accompanied by other spectral figures. During these mysterious gatherings, the golden skittles are brought out once more, as though the ghosts are recreating the festivities of their former lives.
Those who pass near the ruins on such nights may hear the unmistakable sounds of the phantom game: balls rolling across the ground and pins tumbling down. These noises are interrupted by the groans and moans of the castle’s ghostly inhabitants. The spectral game continues in the darkness, preserving the memory of Ramswag’s former wealth and splendor long after the family and its castle have fallen into decline.
Sources
“Ramswag.” SAGEN.at – Traditionelle Sagen aus der Schweiz (St. Gallen). Reproduced by SAGEN.at. https://www.sagen.at/texte/sagen/schweiz/st_gallen/ramswaghtm.html