Podcast Summary: Todo Concostrina – La emigración infantil en Hamelin

Host: Nieves Concostrina (with Carla)
Episode Title: Acontece que no es poco | La emigración infantil en Hamelin
Date: June 27, 2022

Overview

In this episode, Nieves Concostrina delves into the true history behind the legendary tale of the Pied Piper of Hamelin. Using her characteristic wit and critical perspective, she unpacks how a tragic historical event—marked by child emigration in medieval Europe—gave birth to one of the world’s most famous stories. The conversation explores the origins of the legend, how facts blended with folklore, and the ongoing fascination with Hamelin’s past.

Main Discussion Points & Insights

The Popular Story vs. Documented History

• (01:05) Nieves recaps the well-known Grimm fairy tale: A piper rids Hamelin of its rats with his music, isn’t paid as agreed, and in revenge leads all the town’s children away, never to be seen again.
• Quote: “Es un hecho real que se dio en Europa en la Edad Media, que luego se convirtió en leyenda, y que luego la leyenda ha pasado a ser un cuento para entretener a los niños.” (Nieves, 01:09)

Hamelin Today: Between Myth and Commerce

• (03:33) The contemporary town capitalizes on the legend for tourism, from plaques to museums to themed eateries.
• Quote: “Solo en ingresos turísticos ya les entra lo suyo. En Hamelín... todo está volcado en el flautista, en los niños, en las ratas, en todo.” (Nieves, 03:43)
• There is a real plaque commemorating the event: “En el año de 1284... fueron seducidos 130 niños que se perdieron para siempre.” (Nieves, 04:22)

The Medieval Context: Rats, Plague, and Poverty

• (05:33) In 1284, Hamelin, like much of Europe, was ravaged by plagues of rats and consequent famine. At the time, people didn’t realize rats carried the plague; instead, they were despised for the destruction they caused.
• Professional rat catchers existed, though they were stigmatized and itinerant.
• The detail of using music to attract rats was likely added later, blurring the lines between history and fantasy.
• Quote: “Antes lo que había eran unos señores que se encargaban de eliminar ratas... trabajadores errantes, porque todo el mundo los despreciaba y no les permitían quedarse en ningún pueblo.” (Nieves, 06:22)

Mass Emigration: The True Lost Children of Hamelin

• (07:48) The actual historical event was a migration. Many young people, including children as young as 10, left Hamelin en masse due to terrible living conditions and famine.
• Recruiters from Hungary (at that time under Ladislao IV) traveled through Germany, recruiting settlers with promises of land, exemption from taxes, and no military obligations. Recruiters wore bright clothes and used whistles or cornets to gather crowds—mirroring the piper’s image.
• Quote: “Iban una especie de pregonero, era un informador, un captador... utilizaba un silbato, una cornetilla, para convocar a los vecinos, y anunciaba que el rey de Hungría ofrecía buenas condiciones de vida...” (Nieves, 09:06)

Historical Traces and Legacy

• (11:16) Contemporary researchers have found multiple references to groups of children leaving Hamelin for the east.
• The Hamelin museum documents both the myth and the migration, blending legend and fact.
• Quote: “La teoría que hemos contado, la de que los jóvenes de la ciudad fueron parte de una migración de alemanes a la Europa del Este debido a las hambrunas y a la miseria, esa es la teoría más aceptada y la que más se sostiene.” (Nieves, 11:56)
• Persistent evidence exists: A record from 1384 states, “han pasado 100 años desde que se fueron nuestros hijos.” (Nieves, 12:16)
• There was even a settlement in Transylvania named “Hamel Springs,” supporting the emigration theory.
• Quote: “Existía un lugar... que se llamaba Hamel Springs... los historiadores, a Hamelín, porque antiguamente las gentes que emigraban... ponían el mismo nombre que su lugar de origen.” (Nieves, 12:55)

Memorable Moments & Notable Quotes

• Humorous speculation:
  “Para algunos padres fue un drama, para otro seguro que no. Hombre, una bendición.” (Nieves, 02:46)
  “Por no pagar. Llévatelo ya.” (Nieves & Carla, 02:53–02:57)

• Tourism and story-telling:
  “La ciudad alemana de Hamelín vive del cuento. Así, directamente, se debe dar una pasta.” (Carla, 03:33)

• The historical blend:
  “Ahora tenemos empresas de ratización, pero antes lo que había eran unos señores que se encargaban de eliminar ratas.” (Nieves, 06:20)

• Origins of migration:
  “Se iban a Hungría... Ladislao se propuso colonizar el país con alemanes. Necesitaba súbditos.” (Nieves, 08:45–09:03)

• Linking the legend to real events:
  “Si ahora juntamos todos estos ingredientes reales, lo mismo entendemos mejor cómo se fabricó la leyenda del flautista de Hamelín...” (Nieves, 10:45)

Key Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:36 – Carla introduces the episode’s subject: the story of the Pied Piper.
• 01:05 – Nieves begins separating legend from historical fact.
• 03:33 – Discussion of Hamelin’s modern commercial relationship to the legend.
• 05:33 – Context of rats, famine, and medieval pest control.
• 07:48 – The emigration of children and teenagers in the 13th century.
• 09:06 – The Hungarian colonization campaign and the role of recruiters.
• 11:16 – Historical documentation of emigration and its traces in Eastern Europe.
• 12:16 – Reference to the century-old city register about “our children.”
• 12:55 – The existence of “Hamel Springs” in Transylvania.
• 13:44 – Poetic close on the legend, linking history and narrative.

Tone & Language

Playful, critical, and informative. Nieves and Carla mix historical rigor with humor and skepticism, constantly demystifying the fairy tale while showing its human and economic roots.

Conclusion

With thorough research and wit, Nieves Costrina exposes the real tragedy beneath Hamelin’s legend: not an act of magical vengeance, but the desperate migration of children toward survival. The episode expertly demonstrates how fact, collective memory, and storytelling blend to create—and sustain—the enduring tales we think we know.

Colorín colorado, el cuento (y la historia) del flautista de Hamelín se ha acabado...