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Return Shingle maker It takes forever for a whole farm. The roofs of the Black Forest farms had to endure a lot, in the truest sense of the word. Not infrequently, winters were extremely snowy, which is why a solid covering was indispensable. Since there were no tiles in past times, the roofs were mostly covered with wooden shingles. These had to be sturdy enough to survive the extremes of weather. Since the hipped roofs of the Black Forest farms are pulled down low, their surface area is large, which is why a considerable number of wooden shingles were required. There are said to have been up to 35,000 per farm. Their production was taken care of by the shingle maker, who made each shingle by hand during the long winter evenings. Such shingles are stable and last for several decades. Their basic material is spruce wood. Since wood stretches when it comes into contact with water, the shingle maker must take care to use only material from trees that are left-turning, that is, whose trunk twists in on itself to the left. This ensures that when the shingles dry, they all twist again in the same way. Due to the effect of stretching, the roof was tight when it rained because the shingles lay flat on top of each other, while when drying, small gaps were created between the shingles that helped the moisture to evaporate. Thus, the roof thinks with you and adapts to the weather. Wood shingles are obtained from the tree trunks after they are debarked and sawed into small round pieces. These round pieces are then split into the raw shingles. They are then still rough and must be smoothed with a special knife called a "drawing knife". This tool is quite wide and has two handles, so it can be used with both hands. Consequently, the raw shingle must be firmly clamped so that it does not slip away. The shingle bench, a narrow wooden trestle that the shingle maker places in front of him, serves this purpose. Shingle makers rely on an ancient knowledge of the quality and properties of wood. Thus, they primarily use wood felled in winter and pay attention to the days when the trees are felled. Here the phase of the moon plays an important role. Wooden shingles were cheap and easy to obtain in the Black Forest, because wood was always available here. However, this building material has the disadvantage of being easily combustible. This is actually also the reason why, after the eighteenth century, wooden shingles lost importance in roofing. The numerous city fires of that time led to a rethinking towards other materials such as slate or clay. Shingle maker was an early profession in the Black Forest, different from clock-maker, because the latter were farmers' people who assembled clocks on the side.

Return Beer brewery Beer and monks simply belong together – also in the Black Forest. From the eighth century onward, the Black Forest was settled primarily by farmers who opened up new areas for agriculture. Monasteries were also founded, such as in St. Blasien (858), St. Peter (1093), St. Georgen (1084), Alpirsbach (1095) and St. Märgen (ca 1100). The monastery of Hirsau in Calmbach near Bad Wildbad is already mentioned in the ninth century and was of immense importance at times, several other monasteries were founded from here. The monasteries not only administered the territories assigned to them, but also ensured the dissemination of written records by having the monks make copies of existing books. But that was not all. It was not uncommon for monasteries to have breweries that produced beer. But why? The reason was the fasting period. During fasting, monks were not allowed to eat solid food. Since the beer of the time was still quite thin, the monks tried to make it more nutritious. Hence, the art of brewing in the monasteries was refined more and more. Monastery beer thus became more superior than others, which is why the monks eventually began to sell it. Brewing is anything but a simple process, but requires several steps and, accordingly, a lot of time. First, you need grain, usually barley, from which brewing malt is made. This is ground, mixed with water and then heated. Part of it is then separated, namely the spent malt, which is not fermentable. What remains is the fermentable so-called "wort". This is heated in pans with the addition of hops and then filtered to remove suspended solids. Now the so-called "pitching wort" has been obtained. Yeast is added to this and allowed to cool down to a temperature at which it can ferment. During fermentation, which usually lasts about a week, the sugar contained in the wort is converted into ethanol. The resulting beer is usually stored for several weeks before bottling. Over time, other breweries have developed outside the monasteries. By far the oldest is the Fürstenberg Brewery in Donaueschingen. Much younger, but still venerable, are the Löwenbrauerei Bräunlingen (from 1783), the Privatbrauerei Waldhaus in Weilheim im Hotzenwald (1833), the Privatbrauerei Rogg in Lenzkirch (1846), the Löwenbrauerei O. Dold in Elzach (1856), the Brauerei Ganter in Freiburg (1865) and the Familienbrauerei M. Ketterer in Hornberg (1877). It is worth mentioning here that the Waldhaus brewery uses natural hops, a circumstance that is quite rare in breweries in Germany.

Return Wedding couple Always a special celebration A traditional wedding in the Black Forest is different from the celebrations that are common nowadays. It contains several program points. The dances of honor shortly after the actual wedding ceremony are followed by the tipple around noon, with only the bride and groom's closest relatives kept free. This is followed by a wedding dinner that can be described as opulent. After more dancing, a supper is served, usually potato salad with sausages. At midnight the celebration is over. It is followed, however, by a post-wedding ceremony, where the bride and groom are treated to a meal, usually the next day or the next Sunday. Also, the newlyweds move in together only after the wedding. The wedding was a turning point in the costume for women. For unmarried women, the "Bollenhut" hat was red, then black after the wedding. Also the "Schäppelekrone" known from St. Georgen was only allowed to be worn until the marriage. Since both the Bollenhut and the Schäppelekrone belonged to a certain traditional costume, this meant that the bride at a Black Forest wedding was not dressed in white, as is widespread today. There is also a special feature on the subject of weddings in Triberg. With an area of 1.5 square meters, Germany's smallest registry office is located here. Only one registrar and the bride and groom fit into it. Would you prefer to get married in the highest wedding room in Baden-Württemberg? Then that is also possible in the Black Forest, namely in the Feldberg Tower. You don't have a fiancé(e) yet? Then you should travel to Freiburg and visit the old town. A legend says that someone who comes from out of town and accidentally steps into one of the Freiburger "Bächle" (the small channels in the city) will marry a Freiburg citizen in the future.

Return Black Forest Railway Across the Black Forest: With the Black Forest Railway from Offenburg to Constance Do you know the Black Forest Railway? It is one of the most famous mountain lines in Germany and was put into operation in 1873, about 150 years ago. It runs from Offenburg via the Black Forest towns of Hornberg, Triberg, St. Georgen and Villingen to Constance on Lake Constance and is a total of 150 kilometers long. When you travel on the Black Forest Railway, it's quite a steep climb at first. Especially from Hornberg, the line winds its way over 447 meters in altitude until it reaches its highest point in the Sommerautunnel at just over 830 meters above sea level. Of course, a train cannot simply climb such a steep incline. Therefore, when the railroad line was built, care was taken to ensure that the gradient did not exceed 1:50 and that there were no curves with a radius tighter than 300 meters. This was planned so that even long and heavy trains could run on the Black Forest Railway without any problems. In addition, one has tried to lay the tracks always on the southern slope of the mountains, so that in winter the load of the snow is not too strong. Because the train line winds around the mountains several times, there is a place a little below Triberg station where you can see the Black Forest Railway three times on top of each other. The towns of Hornberg and St. Georgen are only twelve kilometers apart as the crow flies, but the railroad line between them is 29 kilometers long. This is due to the fact that it contains two large reversing loops. But probably the most famous thing about the Black Forest Railway is its 39 tunnels. The longest of them is the Sommerautunnel with 1,697 meters. It is located near the town of St. Georgen, which is the highest town on the railroad line. If you take all the tunnels together, they make up a length of 9.5 kilometers. St. Georgen is not only the highest place on the Black Forest Railway, but it also has something that is rare elsewhere: a fire engine that can also travel on rails. At first, of course, the good old steam locomotives ran on the Black Forest Railway. Later, they were replaced by diesel locomotives. In the seventies, the entire line was electrified. For this, the tracks in the tunnels had to be lowered so that they were not too high together with the overhead line. Today, steam locomotives can once again be admired on the line. They are harnessed in front of museum trains that can puff through the tunnels mostly on Sundays in summer. The Black Forest Railway is not the only railroad line that runs through the Black Forest. Besides it, the Höllental Railway from Freiburg to Donaueschingen, which was completed in 1901, is particularly worth seeing. Like the Black Forest Railway, it was planned by Robert Gerwig. At least on the edge of the Black Forest runs the very elaborately routed Sauschwänzlebahn ("sow's tail line"), whose trademark is a "Sauschwänzle" in the figurative sense, namely a tunnel that contains a complete switchback loop, so that the railroad line runs under itself. This really doesn't happen very often, only once in Germany. In addition, part of this line is operated as a museum railroad with steam locomotives.

Return Feldberg You can't get any higher here: The Feldberg. With an altitude of 1,493 meters, the Feldberg is the highest elevation in the Black Forest. At the same time, it is the highest mountain of all low mountain ranges in Germany and outside the Alps. It is located southeast of Freiburg in an area known as the Upper Black Forest. The Feldberg massif has a total of four peaks. Not far from the main peak, which is also called the "Höchste" ("highest"), is the Mittelbuck, with an altitude of 1,472 meters. To the north of it, 900 meters away from the Höchsten, is the Baldenweger Buck with 1,460 meters. About two kilometers southeast of the main peak rises the Seebuck, which at 1,449 meters forms a kind of foothill. Below it, at 1,109 meters, lies Feldsee, a glacial cirque lake. A total of five valleys are cut into the Feldberg, some of them very deep, especially those to the west. The Zastlertal and the St. Wilhelmer Tal open to the northwest, the Wiesental to the southwest. To the east extends the valley of the Seebach, the later river Wutach, which crosses the Feldsee. The St. Wilhelmer Tal offers a wonderful view of the Feldberg, which can be seen from there above the peaks of the surrounding mountains. Because of its height, the Feldberg is predestined for weather observation. Regular measurements have taken place since 1915, and a station with radar has existed since 1937. Visitors are also amazed by the fantastic and unrestricted distant view of the Vosges, Swabian Alb, Hegau and Alps. In favorable weather, you can even make out the Zugspitze, Germany' highest mountain. Especially in summer, a hike in the surroundings of the Feldberg is worthwhile. Then the diversity becomes clear, which results from the interaction of high forests and moors, the ice-age cirque lakes and the pastures and is unique in this form. It is worth mentioning that the Upper Black Forest is formed and influenced by ice-age glaciers. The Feldsee is thus a cirque lake, the largest of its kind in the Black Forest. It reaches a depth of up to 32 meters and is almost round. The Feldsee forest around it has been declared a ban forest on an area of 102 hectares. The Feldberg is also known for its skiing area. The offer there includes sixteen slopes of various degrees of difficulty as well as five chairlifts and nine lifts. In addition, there are six trails for cross-country skiing. It is amazing that the oldest still existing ski club in Germany was founded here on the Feldberg, the SC Todtnau of 1891. In 1897 the first women's ski race was also held here. The Feldberg can come up with even more special features. Around it lies a nature reserve of the same name, which was even the first in Baden-Württemberg and with 4,227 hectares is also the largest. And in an adjacent valley is Feldberg-Bärental, at 967 meters, Germany's highest standard-gauge railroad station, which is part of the Dreiseenbahn from Titisee to Seebrugg. On the Seebuck there is a tower that can be climbed as a lookout point. It was used as a radio tower, but since 2013 it has contained a museum dedicated to Black Forest ham and a wedding room, the highest in Baden-Württemberg. Not far from the tower is a monument in honor of the Chancellor of the Reich, Bismarck. In the Upper Black Forest there are other prominent mountains, for example the Herzogenhorn with 1,415 meters or the Belchen with 1,414 meters. The highest elevation in the Northern Black Forest is the Hornisgrinde at 1,164 meters. In the entire Black Forest, there are over a hundred mountains that exceed the one-thousand-meter mark. Particularly to the Black Forest Belchen there is a special feature. From its peak you can see in the distance two other mountains with the same name, one is in the Vosges, the other in Switzerland. If you stand on the Belchen in the Black Forest in the evening on March 21 as well as on September 23, i.e. at the equinox, you can see that the sun sets over the Belchen in the Vosges. If you are at the same place in the morning on December 21, at the winter solstice, the sun rises directly over the Belchen in Switzerland.

Return cow A few cows and a lot of effort: agriculture in the Black Forest When the Black Forest was settled from the eighth century onwards, it was mainly for the reason of opening up new areas for agriculture. In addition, various mineral resources were mined. However, agriculture was the element that visibly spread throughout the region. Since the invention of the plow at that time led to the practice of agriculture even on more difficult soils, from then on agriculture was able to expand into areas that had previously been denied to it, especially high altitudes, typical of the Black Forest. The farms in the Black Forest were not built on the mountain tops, but on the slopes, which had several reasons. On the one hand, on slopes the burden of storms and snowdrifts in winter was less, and on the other hand, the farm was thus closer to water, because there are often springs on the slopes. In the valley, on the other hand, it was too wet because a brook flows there, which often swells considerably when the snow melts. However, the stream does have one advantage. It irrigates the meadows in the valley, so that the farmers could obtain suitable hay from the lush grass. Characteristic for the agriculture in the Black Forest is above all the brown-white cattle of the variety "Hinterwälder", which is also called "Hirschvieh" ("stag cattle"). It can be recognized by its white head. This breed is well adapted to the conditions in the low mountain ranges and therefore copes well with the poor soils of the Black Forest. The animals have firm claws, which allows them to graze on steep slopes. Their intestines are relatively long, which enables the Hinterwald cattle to utilize their feed optimally. Their bodies are quite small compared to other breeds, a cow weighing up to 420 kilograms, a bull up to 800 kilograms. Surprisingly, this cattle breed had almost disappeared. It is only since the seventies that farmers in the Black Forest have been trying to increase the population again. Besides cattle, there were many other animals on the farms, namely pigs, chickens, goats and sheep. Horses were also kept, which were needed for the heavy field work. The pastures for the cows were mostly located at the top of the mountain. In fact, halfway up the mountain are the fields for arable farming. In the Black Forest, these were usually used in the so-called "crop rotation", which means that the same crops were not cultivated every year. So sometimes rye and other cereals were sown, sometimes potatoes. In some years the fields were used as pastures to let the cattle fertilize them. Among the cereals, rye dominated, as it was more resistant to cold than wheat or barley. The Black Forest farmers mostly worked for their own needs, so almost everything that was needed was made on one farm. There was a saw for wood processing, which was driven by water power, as was the grain mill. The grain was baked into bread, which was often done outside the main building in a separate baking kitchen. Since here, too, work had to be done sparingly, there was only one day a month when baking took place, and then also several loaves at a time, in order to make the best use of the firewood. Since agriculture did not yield any profit in earlier times, the peasants have always tried other work to earn a little money. Especially clock-making is one of these activities. In modern times, many farms rely on tourism. So you can make wonderful farm vacations in the Black Forest, mostly in outbuildings that have been specially developed for vacation guests.

Return lathe Precision engineering at its best The Black Forest was already known for its clocks in the eighteenth century. At that time, these were made on the farms and sold by the clock carriers at markets in different parts of the world. In the nineteenth century, the production of clocks shifted more and more to factories established for this purpose, such as those in Triberg, St. Georgen or Schramberg. They also changed the method of production. Until then, the farmers had primarily used wood as a material, but industrial production now used metal. In addition, from now on, highly specialized timekeepers such as alarm clocks or control clocks were also developed. However, there were some companies in the Black Forest, especially in St. Georgen, that already in the nineteenth century produced simple lathes and sold them to the clock-makers on the farms. These companies were initially blacksmiths, which subsequently grew steadily. In the beginning, in addition to the lathes, they also manufactured other components for the clocks, so they were a link in the division of labor in clock-making in the Black Forest. Thanks to the lathe, the individual parts of the clocks could be worked on more quickly and easily by the farmers. The principle of this tool is to clamp a component in such a way that it is fixed but can be rotated around its own axis. Thus, it is possible to machine the workpiece from different sides and even rotate it while it is being machined. In addition, clamping leaves both hands free, allowing for more accurate tool guidance. The use of a lathe, provided that the clamped workpiece is one made of metal, is also called "metal cutting". The former blacksmiths mentioned above grew in the course to become specialists in lathes, which they manufactured not only for clock-making, but also for other fields. They built milling machines and industrial tools. Based on this orientation, in the twentieth century other companies in the field of precision engineering were established, specifically dedicated to the field of consumer electronics, especially in St. Georgen and Villingen. Brands such as Dual, PE and SABA are well known, although they no longer exist. These companies manufactured record players, cassette recorders and tape recorders. Today, the German Phonomuseum in St. Georgen is a reminder of that era. There is also the Hotel Federwerk in St. Georgen, which is set up in a former factory building and brings the industrial history of the place to life. Each room is dedicated in its design to a company or a technical innovation. Thus, the house contains a total of 51 different episodes about the inventors of the city.

Return Glassblowing The Black Forest was once almost gone. The glassblowing craft in the Black Forest is very old. Its beginnings probably date back to the twelfth century. Glass was produced along several river courses such as the Kinzig and the Murg. The first glassworks were established on the Feldberg around 1579, mainly due to the nature of the soil with its high content of quartz, a raw material indispensable for glass production. Originally, glassworks were not tied to a fixed location. They were usually leased by a landowner to the master glassblowers. Since a lot of wood was needed for their work, the forest around a glassworks was quickly cleared and the workshop had to be moved to another location. The exact knowledge for the production of the glass was kept secret by the master glassblowers. Moreover, it is rumored that the master glassblowers all came from a single widespread family that was only intermarried. Since the glassworks of the Black Forest were very far from the actual place of use of the glass produced, it had to be transported there. This was done by glass carriers who brought the material on their backs with a large stretcher, the so-called "Krätze", to the towns where it was sold at markets. Glassblowing then changed significantly in the eighteenth century. As the demand for glass increased enormously, especially for windows, larger factories sprang up in various places, around which entire villages were settled to accommodate and supply the needed labor. Together with rafting and charcoal burning, glassblowing also led to the almost complete deforestation of the Black Forest. Incidentally, this was originally a mixed forest and not a coniferous one as it is today. The fact that there are many spruce trees today is primarily due to their rapid growth, which predestined them for reforestation. Nevertheless, the industry of glass production has survived to the present day. Traditionally working glassblowing factories still exist today. You can watch the glassblowers at work in various places, such as Alpirsbach, Altglashütten near the Feldberg, Buhlbach near Baiersbronn or Herrischried. This is also possible in the Dorotheenhütte in Wolfach, where there is even a glass museum. In addition, many place names with the component "glass" remind of the long tradition in the Black Forest. There is often a "Glashalde" ("glass dump") or a "Glasbach" ("glass brook") and the Black Forest Railway even has three "Glasträgertunnel", which means "glass carrier tunnels". Click here to go to the Dorotheenhütte in Wolfach.

Lies in unserem großen Schwarzwaldlexikon viel Wissenswertes, Spannendes und manch Amüsantes über Deutschlands größtes Mittelgebirge, seine Menschen, Sehenswürdigkeiten und Spezialitäten sowie seine Tierwelt und einmalige Natur. Deine DEINDESIGNWERK GmbH In our large Black Forest lexicon, read a lot of interesting, interesting and sometimes amusing information about Germany's largest low mountain range, its people, sights and specialties as well as its animal world and unique nature. Find out more about the Black Forest by simply clicking on the individual motifs. MOTIVES Auerhahn Bär Bannwald Barockkirche St. Peter (Schwarzwälder-) Bauernstube Baumwipfelpfad Besucherzentrum Bierbrauerei (Gutacher-) Bollenhut Der Hof von innen Dom St. Blasien Donauquelle (Uhrmacher-) Drehbank Feldberg Flößerei (Gebackene Schwarzwald-) Forelle Freiburger Münster Gerberei Glasbläserei Hirsch Hochzeitspaar Kartoffeln und Bibeleskäs (Schwarzwälder-) Kirschtorte (Schwarzwälder-) Kirschwasser Köhlerei

Return Wildsee What is a cirque lake and where does it come from? At 910 meters above sea level, lake Wildsee is located in the southern part of the Black Forest National Park, not far from the Seekopf mountain, which rises 1,055 meters. The Wildsee is about eleven meters deep. It is surrounded by a forest area that was already declared a ban forest in 1911, which means that it has not been cultivated since then and is completely left to itself. The cirque wall behind the Wildsee is 125 meters high. Its water drains off via the Schönmünz stream, which in turn flows into the Murg. The Wildsee is a glacial cirque lake, as they are often found in the highlands of the Black Forest. Cirque lakes were formed by glaciers that created depressions on mountain slopes. The ice of the glaciers slowly sinks downhill. Underneath, debris and rock is detached from the ground and carried along. This permanent pushing causes the underlying soil to deepen into a depression. This is the basin of the later cirque lake, which fills as the glacier gradually melts. It is interesting to note that cirques in the Black Forest formed mainly on northern to eastern slopes. This is due to the fact that more snow had accumulated there and thus the amount of ice carried downhill by the glacier was greater. The cirque lakes formed during the last ice age, when the Black Forest was glaciated. Other well-known bodies of water of this type are Feldsee (near Feldberg), Mummelsee (near Seebach in the Ortenau district) or Nonnenmattweiher (Kleines Wiesental). Typical for all of them is their shape with a relatively flat, deepened bottom and a mostly steep back wall. Cirque lakes do not only occur in the Black Forest, but in principle everywhere where there were glaciers before.

Return Clock carrier On foot all over the world The profession of clock carrier developed in the Black Forest from that of glass carrier. It is documented for the first time around 1740. His trademark is also that of the glass carrier, namely the back carrier called "Krätze", woven from willow, in which the clocks were transported. The clock carriers were on foot, because means of transport such as railroads or cars did not exist at that time. Since Black Forest clocks were initially made in domestic workshops, the clock-makers themselves had little opportunity to sell their wares. At that time, however, there were the glass carriers who were already on their way to markets. Therefore, the clock-makers simply gave them their works. Thus, then developed its own association of merchants specializing in the sale of clocks, the clock carriers. They not only brought the world-famous cuckoo clocks among the people. In fact, other clocks were made in the Black Forest. The first wooden timepieces are said to have been made as early as the 17th century, the so-called "Waagbalkenuhren" ("balance beam clocks"). Somewhat better known were the lacquer shield clocks. Around 1843, there are said to have been about 750 clock carriers on the road. Some of them went far away, as far as Russia and Turkey. The clock carriers ensured not least that clocks were no longer just a luxury item. Due to the cheap wooden clocks from the Black Forest and the wandering clock carriers, many people could afford a clock. Schild-clock

Return Bollenhut comstume hat The whole world knows this hat, but not everyone knows what it means. It looks like a collection of wool balls, but it is not only part of the Black Forest costume, it is something like a landmark, the costume hat called "Bollenhut". It comes in three colors. Red for unmarried, black for married and purple for widowed women. By the way, it is only genuine if it has fourteen balls. It has been worn since 1750 and was first seen in the villages of Gutach, Kirnbach and Reichenbach (Hornberg). There it was part of the costume of the Protestant population from the time when a girl had her confirmation. However, the Bollenhut did not become really famous until the middle of the twentieth century, and then mainly through Heimatfilme, a particular genre of movies. But also the painter Wilhelm Hasemann and composer Leon Jessel with his operetta "Das Schwarzwaldmädel" ("Black Forest girl") made the Bollenhut popular. Since then it can be found all over the Black Forest. Only eleven of the fourteen balls are visible, the other three are tucked underneath and are usually somewhat smaller. The base of the hat is made of straw. In total, such a hat can weigh up to two kilograms. It usually has a black ribbon, with which it is attached to the head of the wearer. Originally, the hat of the Black Forest women's costume was probably made exclusively of straw. Such headgear still exists in some villages, such as Schonach. There the women wear such a hat with an unusually high top hat. The Bollenhut is said to have been created by a decree of Duke Friedrich Eugen von Württemberg, who ordered the inhabitants to show red or black decoration on their straw hats. It is said that at first the women only painted colorful circles on the straw. The balls made of cloth followed only later. A variation of the Bollenhut is the so-called Rose hat, a straw hat with rose decoration. The colors having the same meaning as with the Bollenhut. In St. Märgen and St. Peter there is a straw hat covered with velvet. There is also a ribbon cap that reaches over the ears. This was very practical in winter. By the way, the eleven visible balls are said to have symbolic value. Through them, the triune God, the four cardinal points and the earthly are pictorially represented.