Oldest half-timbered house in Upper Hesse

The "Koallese House" (at the river Ohm) is located in the district of Ober-Ohmen in the municipality of Muecke. It was built in 1545 and is one of the oldest dated half-timbered houses in Upper Hesse.

Community Portrait Muecke

Sources:

  • Municipality of Muecke
  • Photo (1): Klappenbach, Anneliese (1965). Die Baudenkmäler. In Rausch, K. & Jäkel, H., Landkreis Alsfeld. Monographie einer Landschaft. Mushakesche Verlagsgesellschaft, Franzmathes Verlag. S. 149–160. Trautheim über Darmstadt und Mainz am Rhein.
  • Photo (2): Hartmut Greb (2016).

One of Germany's last wooden ski jumps in Bermuthshain

Above Bermuthshain (Grebenhain) on the Hoellerich is one of the last wooden ski jumps in Germany.

It was inaugurated in 1970 as Hesse's second ski jump. It allowed jumps up to 38 meters and was named after the first Vogelsberg skier Wilhelm Dillemuth (Wilhelm-Dillemuth-Mattenschanze).

The Olympic champion and world champion in the Nordic combination - Georg Thoma (Hinterzarten) - was one of the most famous jumpers of the hill.

The TSV Grebenhain and the Hessian Ski Association supported the construction of the hill. It is one of the last wooden ski jumps built in Germany and was used for about 10 years.

Source:

Nies, V. (2013). Per Skischanze ganz hoch hinaus. 1970. Bermuthshainer Hoffnung währte nicht lange. In Lauterbacher Anzeiger (21.August 2013). Zeitungsgruppe Zentralhessen. Lauterbach.


Straw bears - an exhausting tradition

In different villages in the Vogelsberg lives a strenuous tradition to drive the winter out of the villages. Already towards the end of December - in some places only in February - these "terrible" figures drive away all evil and winter.

The main creature is the so called "pea bear", hereditary bear or straw bear. A person is completely wrapped in straw and guided through the village by the bear leader on a chain or rope. These two figures are joined by other sometimes fearsome people who are supposed to drive away the evil spirits together - a tradition that is particularly popular with the village youth and probably has its roots in the Swabian and Franconian area.

The villagers thank them with food and drinks and sometimes with money. The composition of the group and the costumes vary slightly from village to village. However, there is great agreement in the person who wears the "costume" of the straw bear and takes on exhausting hours: limited freedom of movement, heat and the additional weight make it difficult to walk through the village.

Source:

  • Photo: W. Ritz, 2015

Rare burial place for the Sippen clan, on the Totenköppel in Meiches (Lautertal)

In Meiches, a district of the municipality Lautertal, there is the 559 m (NHN) high "Totenkoeppel" on which there is an old clan cemetery. A basalt wall surrounds the area. High trees tower above the almost circular cemetery and the listed Church of the Dead from 1729. The interior of the church is simple and plain - and yet there is a special feature: a wall painting depicting "Christ as Man of Sorrows".

 

The Special

The special feature of this old cemetery is that each Meicheser house has a certain burial place, which only refers to the family of the house. Some of the tombs date to the 17th century, are artfully carved and well preserved. "Non-residents" such as "craftsmen, school teachers, priests and gypsies" were buried in a corner of the cemetery.

A wonderful view into the distance

From this old complex there is a peace and quiet that fascinates many visitors. From the mountain there is a wonderful view of the Upper Hessian and Fulda countryside, the Knuell and the Rhoen. Visitors can use the newly designed viewing platform. A compass rose on the ground with named hills and mountains of the region and the large telescope in the middle of the semicircular area open new perspectives.

Learn more about the Totenkirche on the Totenkoeppel here.
(Forwarding to pages of the community Lautertal)

How did the elevation of the Totenkoeppel happen?

Sources:

  • Eurich, G. (2015). Besuch auf dem Totenköppel bei Meiches im Vogelsberg. Buchenblätter 2015 (22). Beilage der Fuldaer Zeitung für Heimatfreunde. S. 85.
  • Municipality of Lautertal

Teufelsmuehle in Ilbeshausen – Hessian Heritage Prize 2014

The Teufelsmuehle in Ilbeshausen (Grebenhain municipality) is a gem of half-timbered art. In 2014 it was awarded the Hessian Monument Protection Prize.

The mill, built in 1691, received this award "for the exemplary restoration of the historic building using historical materials and traditional craft techniques".

In the Teufelsmuehle the Culture Week takes place annually in September (for the first time in 2015). In this context, the works of various artists are presented in order to show an alternative cultural offer. In addition to the visual arts, the Culture Week will also feature musical and culinary events from the region.

Community portrait of Grebenhain

Source:

  • Lenz, Bertram (2015). Frischer Wind in der Teufelsmühle. Denkmal. Alexander Belz und Anja Zechmeister laden ab dem morgigen Sonntag zur ersten Kulturwoche ein. Oberhessische Zeitung (5.September 2015). Eichenzell. S. 22. 

The only monument of its kind

In Kirtorf, pine oil and tar are extracted again in a historic pain kiln

In Kirtorf there is a unique architectural monument: a historical "Schmerofen". About 110 years ago, those ovens were used to extract wood tar by pyrolysis of resinous pines. The actual fire lasts about a week - during this time the stove must be constantly fired. In addition, there must always be a stoker on site - the "Schmerschorsch".

This stove should be unique at least in the whole of Hesse.

Further information is available from the Heimatverein Stadt Kirtorf e.V. |Museum Kirtorf

Source:

„Auf dem Vulkan”, das Kultur- und Freizeitmagazin für den Vogelsberg. Ausgabe September 2015. Verlagsgesellschaft Vogelsberg GmbH & Co. KG, Alsfeld.


The cold pole of the Vogelsberg

Do you know the coldest place in the Vogelsberg?

The Vogelsberg lies in the border region between subatlantic and subcontinental climate. While the western slopes are more dominated by maritime influences, the eastern areas are characterised by a continental climate. Thus, the precipitation values for the summits of the western Oberwald reach an impressive 1200-1400 mm per square metre of surface.

So, it is not surprising that the cold pole for the Vogelsberg is on the east side - east of Ilbeshausen at the Haselbach. In this area, only the months July and August are frost-free during the year.

Sources:

  • Happel, E. (2015). Anmerkungen zum Naturraum Vogelsberg. Unveröffentlichtes Manuskript.
  • Leßmann, B., Scharpff, H.-J., Wedel, A., Wiegand, K. (2000). Grundwasser im Vogelsberg. Hessisches Ministerium für Umwelt, Landwirtschaft und Forsten; Hessisches Landesamt für Naturschutz, Umwelt und Geologie (Hrsgg.). Wiesbaden.
  • Leßmann, B., Wiegand, K. und Scharpff, H.-J. (2001). Die Hydrogeologie des vulkanischen Vogelsberges. Geologische Abhandlungen Hessen, Bd. 108, Wiesbaden.

Smallest chocolate factory and chocolate casting factory in the world

Discover what is probably the smallest chocolate manufactory and "chocolate kiss" factory in the world in Schotten-Wingershausen. For more than 25 years the family business has been producing "unrivalled good" chocolate kisses, which enjoy great popularity and are available in over 60 different varieties.

The original from the Vogelsberg!

Source:


Wine in the Vogelsberg

In Schotten-Wingershausen the idea of the wine from the Vogelsberg is lived. The association, founded for this purpose, uses a 1.4-hectare vineyard to produce the Vogelsberg curd of the varieties Bolero and Rondo.

The first pressing will take place at the wine-growing university in Geisenheim. Later an own wine press in Wingershausen will follow.

Source:

  • Photo: Geopark

Probably Germany's oldest distillery

The castle town of Schlitz is home to what is probably the oldest German distillery. Its roots go back to the year 1585.

The offer includes noble fruit brandies, fruit and herb liqueurs as well as rarities and whiskeys.

Source:

Schlitzer Korn- und Edelobstbrennerei GmbH
Im Grund 16
36110 Schlitz

www.schlitzer-destillerie.de


Geographical centre of Hesse

The geographical centre of Hesse is located in the district of Flensungen in the municipality of Muecke.

The 50th degree of latitude 36' 33'' and the

9. longitude 1' 45'' mark the centre of Hesse.

Portrait of the municipality Muecke


Koeddinger Moaroalersprooch

In the eldatal - one of the most beautiful valleys of the volcanic landscape - the "Moaroalersprooch" has been preserved to this day in the Koeddingen district.

Unique

This distinctive dialect, which disguises the true meaning of the words, indeed served as some sort of secret language among craftsmen to convey messages that should not be patent to everyone. The language of masonry was most recently lived and spoken by the "Bretterspatzen" and the "Schoarwe" - the shindlers and the carpenters.

Older inhabitants still speak the language and individual words are also used in everyday life.

„Wu mer platt schwatzt, do säisde deheem!”

Here are some common phrases:

  • E is en grande Bannes. – He is a fat (big) farmer.
  • Des Moss hat sepp gefünkelt. – The woman cooked well.
  • Des Moss hat de Dawettsjäger bestunkst met viel Aue un wenig Kräsche. Do muß de Stockmann un de Benneljörg herhalte. – The woman has prepared the potato salad with a lot of water and little oil; bread and sausage must serve.

 

Community portrait of Feldatal


Largest half-timbered hall church in Hesse

The half-timbered church erected in 1696 and consecrated in 1712 in the Stumpertenrod district of the Feldatal municipality is Hesse's largest church of its kind.

 

Read more(Forwarding to municipality of Feldatal)

Municipal portrait of Feldatal