Memories and hints of a travelling IT professional.
When Germany was divided, a seven-hundred-kilometer-long border from the Baltic Sea to the Czech Republic existed. Without human life, but with a chance for nature to recover undisturbed. After the German reunification nature protection organizations worked on keeping this area as a nature protection zone and as in important migration path for animals. They called it Grünes Band (green stripe).
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If you grow up in nowadays Germany you can’t imagine anymore that this country was once divided. That there was a well-protected and visible border through the country, visible as an illuminated stripe at night. That people were dying between BRD and DDR, along the iron curtain. There are some places throughout Germany where you can learn about this. The best I’ve seen so far is located south of Duderstadt: The Grenzlandmuseum Eichsfeld at Teistungen.
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If someone at Kassel tells you that he wants to meet at the Affenfelsen (ape rock) you should move towards the city quarter Vorderer Westen. The Rudolphsplatz there has been redesigned as an urban living room. People meet outside, sit down in this public area to talk, bring their own drinks and later move on to bars and clubs. And this all with a nice view towards the Herkules monument.
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Ebbelwoi is a big thing at Frankfurt am Main. Wine made from apples is produced in consumed in this area at least since the year 1600. By that time, it was a cheap replacement for wine made from grapes and produced in the cellars of the simple people. Today it is a traditional drink from everyone and in the city, you’ll find numerous Apfelweinlokale, special bars serving this booze.
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Amazing views await those, who are willing to hike a while through the Göttingen forest. The Hünstollen is a 423 meters high mountain in the northeast of the city, officially belonging to Bovenden. Because of high cliffs this place was easily made a fortification in earlier days. Since 1882 there was a protective hut and a restaurant at this place and later a wooden tower was created from which you can see the Harz mountains but also the Gaußturm on the Hoher Hagen mountain.
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In the year 1380 duke Otto the Evil gave the right to create ditches around the city of Göttingen to protect its borders and the people within. In addition to this protective system called Landwehr in German it was allowed to erect free-standing towers (Bergfriede) on mountains and fortifications (Warten) next to roads to control who is entering or leaving the city.
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If you’re living in Göttingen it is impossible to not know what the musa is. The biggest sociocultural center of the region has a history already dating back to the year 1977 and it is located since 1990 in the former military bakery at the Hagenweg, west of river Leine. This part of Göttingen is not the most popular one to live at, but the musa was always a good reason to cross the river and enjoy concerts there.
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Is it possible to see the Harz mountains from Göttingen? Not always, but sometimes. The Brocken is 60 kilometers afar, but from the Harzblick tower you’ve got a fair chance. The 35 meters high tower is located near the Mackenröder Spitze in the forest of the city. It was first built in 1897 and had to be rebuilt more than once. In 2021 it was refurbished again and from its top you can see the Seeburger See and the Gleichen – and on good days also the Harz mountains.
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The most impressive building at Bad Pyrmont is the Baroque-style castle from the 18th century located in a well-protected fortification dating back to the 16th century CE. It was used as a summer residence, but you can also find traces of war as it was besieged and conquered multiple times, even by Swedish troops. Still today the fortification is impressive with a wide moat, high walls, and a long bridge over which you can reach the castle. The tunnel leading you inside has a specialty; it is bended so that nobody can shoot inside. Throughout the castle grounds you can find many chambers and passages to discover.
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What would a health treatment in a German Kurstadt be without a nice spa? At Bad Pyrmont you can relax at the Hufeland-Therme which partially receives its waters from a natural spring. You can relax in the salty waters in an indoor and an outdoor pool or sweat a bit at the sauna. A modern spa that is worth its price!
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