The Kartoffelstein near Herberhausen is a commemorative stone that was erected in 1852 by the Herberhausen parish. The occasion was the end of a severe famine caused by several successive potato crop failures, especially in 1846. After a finally successful potato harvest, the community set up this stone as a sign of gratitude. The original stone, an old gravestone from the Roringen cemetery, was damaged several times by lightning and was reworked in 1937 and replaced in 1966 by a weatherproof version made of shell limestone.
The Kartoffelstein stands on the summit of the Hasenknüll, a small hill east of Göttingen, right next to Herberhausen. The surrounding area is designated as a natural monument because it is home to a rare dry grassland and steppe flora. From here, there is a wide view over the Leine valley and the surrounding villages. The site is a popular destination for walkers and hikers who enjoy the view and the peaceful landscape.
‘Wir wollen einen Altar bauen der Ebenezer heißen soll / Daran kann man die Worte schauen: Gott führt seine Kinder wohl / So findet hier die Losung statt: wohl dem der Gott zum Führer hat’.
– Inscription on the commemorative stone
At the base of the Kartoffelstein, inscriptions are engraved on three sides. They refer to biblical texts, especially the motif of the ‘Eben-Ezer‘ (Stone of Help from God) from the First Book of Samuel. The inscription, inspired by Deuteronomy 8:7–18, expresses gratitude and trust in God’s guidance: ‘We want to build an altar / which shall be called Ebenezer / There one can read the words / God leads his children well / So here the motto applies: / Blessed is he who has God as his guide‘.
‘Als 1852 nach mehrjähriger Missernte die Kartoffeln eine wunderbar reiche Ernte brachten, errichtete die dankbare Kirchengemeinde Herberhausen diesen Kartoffelstein. Durch Blitz beschädigt, wurde er 1937 ausgebessert und 1966 voll erneuert. Eben-Ezer bis hierher hat der Herr geholfen (1. Samuel 7,12)’.
– Inscription on the plate next to the stone
If you want to reach the Kartoffelstein, you can simply take bus 91 from Göttingen to Roringen and exit at the stop Göttingen-Herberhausen. The street called Zum Kartoffelstein will then take you up the hill. If you want a longer and more scenic hike consider starting at the Kehr and taking the way via the Kerstlingeröder Feld. The busses 71 and 73 take you to Grete-Henry-Straße and from spring to autumn a shuttle service takes you up the rest of the hill to the beer garden, ice cream parlor and to the wild boars. It is a great starting point for hikes through the Göttingen forest.
Kartoffelstein
Herberhausen
Göttingen
Germany
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