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Return deer Can it really jump that far? The stag is the king of the forest. In the Black Forest, as in other parts of Germany, lives the red deer. It can grow up to 1.50 meters tall and up to 2.50 meters long. It can weigh up to 250 kilograms. The typical feature of deer is their antlers, which, however, only the males wear. It is interesting to note that the antlers grow anew every year. It first falls off in spring and develops again until summer, with two more shoots growing each year. Thus, the age of a male deer can be determined by the number of antlers, although it cannot exceed twelve ends. Equally typical for deer are their roaring sounds during the rutting season, which takes place in late summer. Calves are born at the beginning of summer. They grow up in a group with several hinds, one of which leads the herd. The males live mostly solitary. However, the number of red deer in the Black Forest is no longer very high. On the other hand, it plays a not insignificant role in the culture of this region. In the valley Höllental there is the so-called "Hirschsprung" ("stag jump"), a narrow, rocky place where the mountain slopes rise 130 meters above the valley floor. At the base they were only nine meters apart, at the upper rocky edge close to fifty. There is a bronze stag figure with a height of two and a half meters, which reminds of a legend. Right here, a stag is said to have saved itself from a knight who was hunting for it with a mighty leap from one mountainside to the other. I wonder if this is true. In the course of time, however, the place was widened by man. Interesting is also the connection of the deer with the origin of the Danube source river Brigach near St. Georgen. The Brigach rises at the Hirzbauernhof. "Hirz" is the Old High German word for "stag", and indeed, not far from the source of the Brigach, there is a stone with the image of a white stag on it.

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 Tannery Today only street names remind of this craft Tanning is a very old craft that can be traced back to the Stone Age. This is not surprising, because even then there were simple stone tools for scraping and cutting, as well as skins that were pulled from hunted animals. The tannery processes the animal skins and makes leather from them. Especially in the Middle Ages, leather was very important for making clothes, which is why tanning was a common craft. Just as old as tanning is the use of wool from domesticated sheep. Cotton, which is widely used today, is also old, but did not spread globally until the beginning of the nineteenth century. Tanning was a matter of strengthening the animal skin so that it became leather. If it was peeled off, it quickly dried out, and if it came into contact with water, it even threatened to rot. To prevent these processes, tanning agents were used. In the beginning, these were fats or oils, and later on, they were also used in the form of oil of tran or tree bark extracts. However, tanners suffered from a bad reputation, because those who worked with animal hides ran the risk of catching diseases such as anthrax through the decomposition process or via the pathogens contained in the hides. In addition, the hides and the tanning agents sometimes spread very bad odors, which is why the tanners were shunned. In Schiltach, there is the Schüttesäge Museum, which is dedicated not only to rafting but also to the historical development of tanning in the Black Forest. Apart from that, this traditional craft has been preserved in several names. Villingen, for example, is not the only town to have a "Gerberstarße" ("tanner's street").

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.

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 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 Baden-Baden Trinkhalle Princes and crowned heads have already rested here. The city of Baden-Baden is located on the northwestern edge of the Black Forest. Its history dates back to Roman times, which is connected with the hot thermal springs located not far from it. Near the city rises Mercury, not the planet, but a mountain with a height of 668 meters. A little further to the southeast is the highest point of the district, the Badener Höhe, with an altitude of 1,002 meters above sea level. However, the built-up areas of the city lie in the valley of the small river Oos. The Black Forest High Road, a very popular vacation route, starts from Baden-Baden. But why does Baden-Baden have such a double name? To explain it, you first have to know that the Romans called the place "Aquae", which means "spring" or "bath", because of the hot springs. This initially gave rise to the simple name Baden. In the course of history, today's Baden-Baden was the residence city of the Margraviate of Baden until 1689, and its state name "Baden" has its origin in the name of the city. Now, however, there are several towns called "Baden", one is in Switzerland, another near Vienna, and a "Badenweiler" used to be called merely "Baden". So "Baden-Baden" was used as a clarification, meaning "Baden in Baden". A special building of the city is the Trinkhalle, which is located in the Kurgarten. It is ninety meters long and contains sixteen Corinthian columns as supports. It was built according to the plans of the architect Heinrich Hübsch. Inside there are a total of fourteen large pictures painted by Jakob Götzenberger, each depicting a mythical legend from the surroundings of Baden-Baden. The city is best known for its thermal springs, which are up to 68 degrees hot. It is to them that Baden-Baden owes its status of a spa and health resort town, to which it owes many vacationers every year, including celebrities. Nowadays, the Kurhaus hosts a number of concerts and cultural events. In addition, a festival theater has been built in the old city train station, which is the second largest of its kind in Europe. Baden-Baden is an important location for the Südwestrundfunk radio station, which organizes the annual New Pop Festival here in September. Speaking of music, it is a central theme in Baden-Baden. Of international renown is the Baden-Baden Philharmonic Orchestra, whose history can be traced back to the fifteenth century. The orchestra not only performs in the city, but also gives concerts in many other countries. In addition, there is the SWR Sinfonieorchster Baden-Baden and Freiburg. Since 1997, Baden-Baden has also hosted the Herbert von Karajan Whitsun Festival, which since 2003 has included the Herbert von Karajan Music Prize. And Baden-Baden also has something to offer when it comes to forests: Its municipal forest is namely the largest of Germany and covers an area of over 8,500 hectares. In addition, there are several vineyards around Baden-Baden. Last but not least, there is a 73-hectare ban forest, the Battert, in the district.

Return Black Forest Valley Where there are mountains, there are valleys. In the Black Forest there are many mountains with a height of over 1,000 meters. In total, there are over a hundred. But where such high mountains rise, there are of course also valleys. On the west side of the Black Forest, i.e. from the direction of the Upper Rhine Graben, these are cut deeply into the flanks of the mountains. On the eastern side, on the other hand, they slope down rather flat and hill-like, and the differences in elevation between mountain and valley are smaller. On the slopes especially of the Upper Black Forest as well as the elevations of the Northern Black Forest, there were glaciers during the last ice age, which had formed some cirque lakes due to their gradual runoff and the gravel carried in them. In the depressions, due to the gradual erosion by the watercourses, mostly the gneiss comes to light, which in combination with several granite bodies, such as the one in Triberg, forms the basement of the Black Forest, while the mountains consist of an overburden layer, which is variegated stone. On the western side, i.e. towards the Upper Rhine Graben, the bedrock is much more prominent than on the eastern side. On the western side, the streams and rivers carry more water than towards the east. In general, the red sandstone layer is stronger in the Northern Black Forest than in the Southern Black Forest. The water of the Black Forest valleys flows into the Rhine or the Danube. Thus, the main European watershed is also partly located in the Black Forest, has its westernmost bulge here. Some of the river sources are enclosed like wells, especially the Danube source near Donaueschingen, as well as the Neckar, Enz, Pregnitz and Berkel sources. The longest river within the Black Forest is the Enz, at 105 kilometers. A few rivers have changed their course in the past, for example the Wutach. In times about 70,000 years ago it was still a tributary of the Danube, which can be seen from its eastern course in its upper reaches. Only at Achdorf it bends with the so-called "Wutach knee" by 100 degrees to the south and then approaches the Rhine. The valley of the Elz also makes a tight bend as it winds around the mountain Gschasikopf. Another valley is famous not so much for geological reasons, but for television: The Glottertal provided the backdrop for the soap opera "Die Schwarzwaldklinik", which was very popular in the eighties. Even though the series is no longer running, the Glottertal is worth a visit. The Höllental is worth seeing because of its narrow incisions. In it, the Höllental Railway, named after it, winds its way from Freiburg up to Titisee-Neustadt. At its upper end is the four-kilometer-long Ravenna Gorge, which is very primal with its waterfalls. The 25-kilometer-long Simonswald Valley with its slopes up to 700 meters high is also rather wild. It contains a ban forest area and the forty meter high Zweribacher waterfalls. One of the most striking valleys and at the same time the border between the northern and southern Black Forest is the Kinzig Valley. Near Hausach, it lies 550 meters lower than the surrounding mountains and is relatively wide. Together with its tributaries, the river Kinzig forms the most water-rich and widely branched body of water in the Black Forest. Here, as well as in the side valleys, mining took place early on; cobalt and silver were mined near Schenkenzell. This valley was already developed by the Romans through the Kinzigtal road. There are also several caves that you can visit, such as the Erdmannshöhle in Hasel.

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 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.

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Return Ski jumping "Almost" every place had a ski jump. In the Black Forest, snow is not uncommon in winter, even though it has become less and less in recent years due to climate change. About a hundred years ago, the amount of snow here was still considerable. So it is not surprising that the people of the Black Forest are fond of winter sports. Thus, the local ski resorts have many groomed slopes with a total length of 250 kilometers, as well as about 170 ski lifts. Speaking of ski lifts, they were also invented in the Black Forest, namely in 1908 by Robert Winterhalder from Schollach near Eisenbach. He had a mill and the idea that you could be pulled up the mountain by water power. Thus, his lift overcomes thirty-two meters of altitude over a distance of about 280 meters. What many people don't know is that winter sports in Germany started to a large extent in the Black Forest in the first place. First and foremost, there were many ski jumps in the Black Forest. Almost every town had one, even if they were quite simply built and many of them have disappeared in the meantime. The biggest ones today are in Titisee-Neustadt (Hochfirstschanze, 142 meters), Hinterzarten (Rothausschanze, 108 meters) and Schonach (Langenwaldschanze, 106 meters). Titisee-Neustadt hosts annual ski jumping World Cups, while Schonach hosts Nordic combined events. The Hochfirstschanze is not only the largest ski jump in the Black Forest, but also the largest natural ski jump in Germany. It is located directly on a slope of the mountain Hochfirst, which is 1,197 meters high. Hinterzarten hosts an international summer ski jumping event every year. This takes place on the Rothausschanze there. In general, Hinterzarten is a central place of German ski jumping. The importance of Hinterzarten is also evident from the fact that famous Olympic champions come from here. One of them is Georg Thoma. He won gold in the Nordic combined in 1960. The foundation of the ski museum, which is located in the village, also goes back to him. His nephew Dieter Thoma was even more successful in ski jumping and ski flying. He was not only Olympic champion, but also German champion fourteen times. Furthermore, Olympic champion Martin Schmitt is still to be mentioned.