Deo Gracias Fresco

The Deo Gracias Fresco[1] in the Heiligen Geist Kirche[2] (1326) in Wismar is a fresco on lime plaster that depicts a combinatorial puzzle made up of 99 letters. The Latin phrase Deo Gracias (in the Medieval Latin spelling gracias instead of gratias; means "thanks be to God") can be read in 504 ways. In a hospital church, the riddle can be understood both as a praise to God and as a remedy. The representation of praise as a puzzle and a learning aid for abstract thinking is unusual and therefore valuable.

No other frescoes of this kind have been found in Germany.

References

  1. ↑ "Baustellenbesichtigung in der Heiligen-Geist-Kirche Wismar". Deutsche Stiftung Denkmalschutz (in German). 2026-07-14. Retrieved 2026-07-14.
  2. ↑ KG, CityHunters GmbH & Co. "Heiligen-Geist-Kirche (Wismar)". myCityHunt.co.uk. Retrieved 2026-07-14.
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