Public night watchman tour in Mannheim: 'Hark, ye folks, and let me tell you…': This is how the night watchman used to patrol the city centuries ago. By the light of her lantern, Marie, the female night watchwoman, has many curious and spooky tales to share from times long gone by. Her stories are peppered with anecdotes about the “dishonest professions,” Elector Carl Theodor's Musenhof, the lightning rod, the horseless carriage (automobile), “stinking air,” and, of course, the hardships of life as a night watchman. Armed with her halberd, Marie maintains peace and order and protects her companions from thieves and drunken rabble. This tour through the backstreets of the former Old Town is a mix of humorous anecdotes, the life of a night watchman, and events from our city's history.