diff --git a/gawa/gawa/urls.py b/gawa/gawa/urls.py
index 4c4b561..26c88d8 100644
--- a/gawa/gawa/urls.py
+++ b/gawa/gawa/urls.py
@@ -29,11 +29,3 @@ urlpatterns += i18n_patterns(
     path("blog/", include("blog.urls")),
     path('admin/', admin.site.urls, name="admin"),
 )
-
-# use my fancy error pages
-# better yet, don't let it come to that
-# FIXME these break the server. something is wrong with them
-handler400 = 'start.views.Error400'
-handler403 = 'start.views.Error403'
-handler404 = 'start.views.Error404'
-#handler500 = 'start.views.Error500'
diff --git a/gawa/start/templates/400.html b/gawa/start/templates/400.html
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5d98112
--- /dev/null
+++ b/gawa/start/templates/400.html
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+{% extends 'base.html' %}
+{% load i18n %}
+{% get_current_language as LANGUAGE_CODE %}
+{% block languagecode %}{{ LANGUAGE_CODE }}{% endblock languagecode %}
+{% block title %}{% translate "cscherr.de" %} - {% translate "startpage" %}{% endblock title %}
+{% block main %}
+<div class="jumbotron text-center">
+    <h1>400 {% translate "Bad request" %}</h1>
+    <p>{% translate "You sent bad data to the server." %}</p>
+</div>
+<div class="container text-center jumbotron my-5" py-5>
+    <h1 class="my-4">{% translate "Looking for anything specific?" %}</h1>
+    {% include 'main_search_form.html' %}
+</div>
+{% endblock main %}
diff --git a/gawa/start/templates/403.html b/gawa/start/templates/403.html
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7e8e75e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/gawa/start/templates/403.html
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+{% extends 'base.html' %}
+{% load i18n %}
+{% get_current_language as LANGUAGE_CODE %}
+{% block languagecode %}{{ LANGUAGE_CODE }}{% endblock languagecode %}
+{% block title %}{% translate "cscherr.de" %} - {% translate "startpage" %}{% endblock title %}
+{% block main %}
+<div class="jumbotron text-center">
+    <h1>403 {% translate "Permission denied" %}</h1>
+    <p>{% translate "You are not allowed to access this page." %}</p>
+</div>
+<div class="container text-center jumbotron my-5" py-5>
+    <h1 class="my-4">{% translate "Looking for anything specific?" %}</h1>
+    {% include 'main_search_form.html' %}
+</div>
+{% endblock main %}
diff --git a/gawa/start/templates/404.html b/gawa/start/templates/404.html
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3153bef
--- /dev/null
+++ b/gawa/start/templates/404.html
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+{% extends 'base.html' %}
+{% load i18n %}
+{% get_current_language as LANGUAGE_CODE %}
+{% block languagecode %}{{ LANGUAGE_CODE }}{% endblock languagecode %}
+{% block title %}{% translate "cscherr.de" %} - {% translate "startpage" %}{% endblock title %}
+{% block main %}
+<div class="jumbotron text-center">
+    <h1>404 {% translate "Not found" %}</h1>
+    <p>{% translate "The resource you are looking for does not exist." %}</p>
+</div>
+<div class="container text-center jumbotron my-5" py-5>
+    <h1 class="my-4">{% translate "Looking for anything specific?" %}</h1>
+    {% include 'main_search_form.html' %}
+</div>
+{% endblock main %}
diff --git a/gawa/start/templates/500.html b/gawa/start/templates/500.html
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..cfc873d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/gawa/start/templates/500.html
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+{% extends 'base.html' %}
+{% load i18n %}
+{% get_current_language as LANGUAGE_CODE %}
+{% block languagecode %}{{ LANGUAGE_CODE }}{% endblock languagecode %}
+{% block title %}{% translate "cscherr.de" %} - {% translate "startpage" %}{% endblock title %}
+{% block main %}
+<div class="jumbotron text-center">
+    <h1>500 {% translate "Internal Server Error" %}</h1>
+    <p>{% translate "Something went wrong." %}</p>
+</div>
+<div class="container text-center jumbotron my-5" py-5>
+    <h1 class="my-4">{% translate "Looking for anything specific?" %}</h1>
+    {% include 'main_search_form.html' %}
+</div>
+{% endblock main %}
diff --git a/gawa/start/views.py b/gawa/start/views.py
index dc1d222..d0cb392 100644
--- a/gawa/start/views.py
+++ b/gawa/start/views.py
@@ -15,6 +15,9 @@ from .models import Link, Searchable
 
 from abc import ABC
 
+import logging
+logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
 class SearchableView(View, ABC):
     """
     This abstract view implements some traits of views that should show up
@@ -105,48 +108,3 @@ class Links(ListView):
         )
         object_list = object_list.filter(public=True)
         return object_list
-
-def Error400(request, exception):
-    """
-    400 View, the user did some bad request.
-    """
-
-    template_name = "errors/400.html"
-    t = loader.get_template(template_name)
-    data = {'exception': exception}
-    return HttpResponseBadRequest(t.render(data, request), content_type='application/xhtml+xml')
-
-def Error403(request, exception):
-    """
-    403 View, the user has been denied permission
-    """
-
-    template_name = "errors/403.html"
-    t = loader.get_template(template_name)
-    data = {'exception': exception}
-    return HttpResponseForbidden(t.render(data, request), content_type='application/xhtml+xml')
-
-def Error404(request, exception):
-    """
-    404 View, whatever you are looking for does not exist.
-
-    Officially at least, might also mean that it does not exist for you
-    """
-
-    template_name = "errors/404.html"
-    t = loader.get_template(template_name)
-    data = {'exception': exception}
-    return HttpResponseNotFound(t.render(data, request), content_type='application/xhtml+xml')
-
-def Error500(request):
-    """
-    500 View, internal server error
-
-    That probably means I programmed something badly
-    """
-
-    template_name = "errors/500.html"
-    t = loader.get_template(template_name)
-    data = {}
-    return HttpResponseServerError(t.render(data, request), content_type='application/xhtml+xml')
-