Hartwig's cup

The municipal court, also known as the city bench, was the judicial organ of the local government in Szczecin from the time of the city's foundation in 1243. The jurors, who were duty-bound to pass judgement in criminal and civil cases involving the residents of Szczecin and its suburbs, were elected by the city council in agreement with the ruling princes of the Griffin dynasty at the time. Separate jurisdiction was exercised by the ecclesiastical institution and the ducal court. The municipal court was located in the Old Town Hall, situated on the Sienny (Hay) Market Square. At the beginning of the 16th century, through the reforms of Duke Bogislaw X, it was forbidden to combine the function of town councillor with that of juror. A further significant change to the city's judiciary was the introduction of the so-called Prussian Town Hall Regulations in 1723, which reduced the number of jurors from eight to four, with the third mayor becoming the court head. In the early 19th century, alongside the municipal bench, Szczecin was also home to the St. Mary's Foundation Court, the St. John's Foundation Court and the French Colony Court. In order to remedy this atomisation of judicial institutions, which hindered the efficient functioning of justice in the city, by 1811 it was merged with the city bench court, which was subordinate to the Higher Land Court in Szczecin. One of the members of the Szczecin city court was a certain Hartwig, who left his post on 31 March 1840. We learn of this event from an inscription engraved on a silver goblet with a lid, decorated with a bas-relief of Themis surrounded by a wreath of oak leaves, in the collection of the National Museum in Szczecin. The ornamental vessel was presented to the retiring official by his colleagues. Małgorzata Peszko