Welcome, friend of the confused and enigmatic!

Unfortunately, the traditional art of riddling is increasingly falling into oblivion. For this reason, the last remaining masters of the riddle guild Zunft zu Kuh erect the guild house from time to place, spin riddles from place to time and raise the forgotten craft of riddling from obscurity.

So that enthusiasm for the craft can be awakened, the guild with all its strangely cozy traditions is always open to any innocent soul. Just as linking is at the heart of riddling, the guild also aims to connect places and people.

The Myserious origins of the guild Zunft zu Kuh

The history of the Zunft zu Kuh springs from the mists of the past, where truth and legend intertwine. In the early 15th century, in the verdant valleys of the Alpine foothills, there were numerous associations of farmers who offered their cattle for the transport of goods on the Silk Road. This route, which connected Europe and Asia, was one of the most important trade routes of its time. Among the many associations, one group stood out, which would later become known as Zunft zu Kuh. Among them was the wise farmer named Alarich (later Alarich Ingeniosus). He was known for his wise decisions and his hardy cows, which mastered the arduous journey along the Silk Road. The farmers’ cows not only hauled goods such as silk, spices and other precious commodities, but also letters and messages exchanged by merchants, diplomats and other travellers.

One evening, in the year of the Lord 1407, as the shadows of dusk settled over the land and the stars began to twinkle, Alarich met a mysterious traveler: Johann Gutenberg, a man of great wisdom and vision. They spent the night by the fire and talked about the changes the world was undergoing. Gutenberg talked about the power of words and the revolutionary invention, the art of printing with movable type, which he had begun to master. On that starlit night, Alarich had a groundbreaking idea. Inspired by Gutenberg’s stories, he recognized the need to protect messages in a way that only the initiated could understand. So he began to develop simple symbols and signs that were hidden in the trade notes of his fellow farmers.

Word of Alaric’s ingenuity spread quickly and soon a network of allies was formed along the Silk Road. It was the year 1421 when Alarich and his closest comrades, including Ingwin the Clever, Father Balthazar and Aminat of Samarkand, decided to found the Guild Zunft zu Kuh. From then on, the guild dedicated itself not only to the transport of goods, but also to the art of encrypting and decrypting secret messages.

Witnesses of that period speak of a book, the ‘Codex Taurinum’ (1423), which contained the first encrypted messages. It not only concealed trade agreements, but also strategic information that the guild members transported safely across the Silk Road.

The legendary correspondence ‘Epistola Mercatorum’ (1437) between two Venetian merchants, Niccolò da Conti and Giovanni da Empoli, attests to the importance of the Zunft zu Kuh. These letters revealed that the guild safely conveyed news of impending attacks and political intrigues, often decisive for the success or failure of entire endeavors.

Another important work, the ‘Liber Arcanorum’ (1445), describes the complex ciphers developed by Alarich and his companions. These manuscripts revealed a variety of techniques for hiding messages inconspicuously in trade goods.

In the shadow of major historical events, such as the Councils of Constance (1414-1418) and Basel (1431-1449), the guild flourished. Its members skillfully moved between the political tensions of the time and secretly offered their services to kings and merchants. The Zunft zu Kuh thus grew into a mystical organization and remains the guardian of secrets to this day, a symbol of the power of the hidden and the knowledge that lies within.

The story of the Zunft zu Kuh is a testament to cunning and wisdom, proof that even the humblest of beginnings can lead to great deeds if the mind is keen and the heart courageous.

The Zunft zu Kuh Today

In the centuries since its foundation and as the importance of the Silk Road faded, the guild gradually fell into oblivion; a fate that was due to its nature as the guardian of secret arts. The deeper the secrets and the more complex the ciphers got, the more exclusive and smaller the circle of initiates grew and their knowledge became more and more hidden. But through the darkness of time, a thin, silvery thread of honorable riddle masters ran, who kept the tradition hidden and passed it on from generation to generation.

Today, the Zunft zu Kuh is looking boldly into the future! We no longer want to hide behind a veil of exclusivity, but instead offer the art of riddles to all inclined souls. For us, riddling means taking on new perspectives and revealing the secrets of the world and of being human through our very own and yet unifying perception. It is a courageous, fearless step into the unknown, an adventure that inspires the spirit and connects minds, places and hearts.

The Zunft zu Kuh opens its doors to new riddlers who want to learn the ancient craft and take part in all the strangely cozy traditions of the guild.
The basic part of the training is, of course, solving one or more riddles. In the process, the riddlers learn how to use riddle tools such as the riddle fork or riddle rod.

Today active at festivals, neighborhood rallies and family funfairs, we create places of encounter and discovery with interactive riddle courses and creative workshops. Our guild houses are places of inspiration and exchange, where old traditions meet new ideas. Come along on the journey!

Acting riddle masters of the guild

Offer

You want to be part of it? Then invite us!

There are countless secrets in every place that our riddle masters’ sensitive senses will be happy to unravel for you.

To create the clues, we draw from all directions of the universe and according to all the rules of the art of riddling. They can be singularities in patterns, or the patterns themselves, come as word puzzles, consist of light signals, or be baked goods, work like a scavenger hunt or like Chinese whispers. Or loud. Or a lute.

Let’s experience the magic of riddles together – there is room in the Zunft zu Kuh for every soul who has the courage to step into the unknown with open eyes!

Disclaimer: The solving of the riddle could be your tomorrow.

Email
rabea.peter@gmx.de