Otzberg Fortress (Veste Otzberg)

Most everyone who has driven in the north eastern part of the Odenwald park has seen Veste Otzberg towering high above the surrounding countryside from atop an extinct volcano, just above the small village of Hering. Hering is one of six villages that were joined together in 1972 to form the larger community of Otzberg, and the history of the little town is closely intertwined with that of the fortress.

History

During Carolingian times, Otzberg lay on the southeastern border of the royal kingdom of Dreieich, and it is thought that the region around Veste Otzberg, as well as neighbouring Gross Umstadt, was given to Fulda Abbey in 766 by the Carolingian King Pippin.  Fulda Abbey was a relatively young abbey at the time, having been founded in 744 by St. Sturmius, a pupil of Boniface.  King Pippin, having been raised in a monastery, would have been eager to ensure his entry into heaven, and thus donated property to the young monastery.

The Bergfried, also known as the White Turnip,
was the earliest structure built in the complex

The castle itself was probably built in the late 12th or early 13th century, during the time of Abbot Marquard I of Fulda who sought to secure the abbey estates by building highly-visible castles. With its summit of 367 meters, much higher than the surrounding landscape, the volcano at Hering made a perfect location for this purpose. Though the exact date of the castle’s construction is not known, its first documented mention was in 1231, in which it was called “castrum Othesberg,” and by 1244, the castle had sufficient fortifications to house five castellans and their servants. These castellans (Burgmänner), nobles who were obligated to defend the castle, built houses just below the fortress. This is the origin of the town of Hering, though now only parts of one of the original houses remain.

At some point in the early 13th century, the castle was transferred as a fief (enfeoffed) to the count Palatine of the Rhine.  It was redeemed and enfeoffed several times in the 14th century, as well.  In 1322, Prince-Abbot Henry VI of Hohenberg transferred the castle and the monastery’s portion of Umstadt to Werner of Anevelt and Engelhard of Frankenstein.  In 1374, the estate was redeemed and then again sold as a fief to Ulrich of Hanau, and in 1390, the abbey again transferred the castle at Otzberg, the village of Hering, Umstadt and its Hanau fief to Count Palatine Rupert II.

Otzberg Castle was involved in conflict in both the 16th and 17th century. The first time was in 1504 during the Bavarian Feud.  The feud came about because of a succession dispute, causing the Holy Roman Emperor to impose a ban on Count Palatine Philip.  An imperial ban was effectively a way of making someone an outlaw.  A person under an imperial ban lost all rights and possessions, were considered legally dead and were subsequently excommunicated.  Anyone was allowed to rob, injure or even kill a person under an imperial ban.   Because Otzberg Castle was a possession of the count of Palatine, the imperial ban put the castle in peril, and it was attacked and seized by Landgrave William II of Hesse.  At the Imperial Diet of Constance, Otzberg was returned to the Palatine.

Gate House

In 1621, during the Thirty Years’ War, Otzberg castle was under siege by over 2,000 imperial and Spanish troops under the command of Tilly. The siege lasted three months and resulted in the surrender of the castle, and in 1623 it was awarded to Hesse to compensate for war damages.  In 1647, the French, who had entered the war on the side of the Protestants in order to counter the power of the Hapsburgs, took the castle and used it as their base in the area.  After the Treaty of Westphalia in 1648, Otzberg was again returned to the Palatinate.

In 1711, the castle, still in Palatinate hands, began to lose its military importance and gradually became a facility used to house invalid soldiers and prisoners.  Otzberg remained a Palatinate possession until 1802, when it was transferred to the Landgraviate of Hesse-Darmstadt.  It was shut down as a military facility in 1818, and in 1826 the Finance Ministry decreed that certain buildings in the complex should be preserved.  The rest were torn down.  Since that time, the castle buildings have served as a forestry office, youth hostel and, until today, a restaurant, registry office and museum.

Layout

The oldest building in the complex is the Bergfried, known as the White Turnip due to the use of white plaster on its exterior.  The Romanesque, 17 meter tall tower dates from the 13th century and, from its height, allows visitors to see as far as Frankfurt and the Taunus Mountains.  

The Commandant's House

In addition to the Bergfried, four other buildings remain. This includes another early construction (cir. 1320),  the castle well, which at about 80 meters, is one of the deepest in Hessen. Across from the well house, directly next to the double entry gate, stands the commandant’s house, which houses a restaurant.  The commandant’s house was built in 1574 and was later restored with half-timbered construction.

Palas and Corporal's House

On the south side of the complex, you can find the Palas, which now houses a museum and the corporal’s house, which was rebuilt in 1996 and used as a registry office for the municipality.   On the west side, between the commandant’s house and the palace, are the foundations of the old barracks house, though this structure was torn down in the 19th century.

Surrounding the complex, the castle is well defended, not only by its natural elevation but also by two defensive ring walls separated by a 10 meter wide defensive courtyard.  The natural slope of the volcano protected the castle from artillery and would have made it difficult to use a battering ram against the gate.  

Today, the castle makes for fun family outing. Take some time to tour the castle complex, climb the white turnip and explore the interesting little museum.  Don't forget to stop by Veste Otzberg restaurant for either a meal or light refreshments in a charming atmosphere of times gone by.

Site Plan of Castle -
By dennis140 - Own work, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1738623

Address:	Burgweg 28, 64853, Otzberg, +49 (0) 6162 71114, Castle Website
Getting There:	The "Veste Otzberg" is located near the village of Otzberg-Hering and is signposted. Take the A5 exit "Pfungstadt" and take the B426 direction Mühltal, Reinheim to Otzberg.
Opening Times:	The castle complex is open year round during daylight hours. The museum is open Saturday, Sunday and Monday from 11:00 - 18:00. The restaurant, Veste Otzberg Bergschänke, is open everyday except Monday.  See the website above for more information.
Entrance Fees:	Entrance to the castle complex is free. Entrance to the museum is 2.50 euros for adults Children under 13 are free.

Lichtenberg Palace

Lichtenberg Palace Viewed From the Bastion

Rising high above the charming landscape of Fischbachtal (Fish Creek Valley) on the northern edge of the Odenwald, stands Lichtenberg Palace.  Built in the 1500s, the current renaissance palace is the successor to an earlier Medieval castle built in the 13th century.   The palace and the surrounding grounds are a very popular with visitors, especially in the summer and during the advent season when the community hosts various events and festivals.

History

There is little known about the original castle from the middle ages that existed where the current Renaissance palace now lies.  Of the previous structure from the 1200s, only a few parts o

The Bastion Built in 1503

f the walls and the foundations remains. The fact that Count Diether III von Katzenelnbogen married a woman named Bertha von Lichtenberg  sometime between 1190 and 1214 tells us that an even earlier castle existed on the site prior to their marriage. The first documented evidence of the castle’s existence, however, comes from a court document in 1288 from the regional court in Heppenheim in which Count Diether IV von Katzenelnbogen called himself “comes (count) de Lichtenberg.”   

In 1312, the Holy Roman Emperor, Henry II, in gratitude for services rendered by Count Diether VI to the empire in Italy, granted the castle and the village of Gross Bieberau rights equal to those of the town Oppenheim.  This meant that Lichtenberg and Gross Bieberau were “free” and answered only to imperial authority.  Gross Bieberau was also granted the right to hold a weekly market on Tuesdays, and the emperor also granted permission that twelve Jews could reside in the Lichtenberg-Bieberau area.

A View of the Stables, Smithy and Barn

After Count Diether VI was killed in a tournament, his wife, Katharina von Kleve, lived in the castle under a right of widow's easement until her death.  At that time, the castle was inherited by her daughter Elisabeth, who had married Count Philip von Sponheim.  The couple’s marriage in 1320 put the castle in the hands of the von Sponheim’s, and it wasn’t until the death of Heinrich von Sponheim in 1393 that it was returned to the Katzenelnbogen family.

With the death of Count Philip I in 1479, the

Door to Palace, Showing Coat of Arms
of Landgrave Georg I and his Wife

Katzenelnbogen line died out, and Lichtenberg Castle became the property of the Landgraves of Hessen. In 1570, Landgrave Georg I von Hessen-Darmstadt began the construction of the renaissance palace you see on the site today, the first of its kind in south Hessen. The new palace became a model for others in the area, including the palace in Darmstadt.  Lichtenberg palace was a favourite of the Hessen-Darmstadt family, and it served as a base for hunting parties and a place of retirement for widows in the family.  In the Thirty Years’ War, the Landgrave family moved their seat of residence to Lichtenberg to avoid invading armies and the plague.  The castle remained largely unscathed during the war despite the fact that the surrounding area suffered a great deal.

The Gate House

Today, the palace is owned by the state of Hessen, though a portion of it has been rented out as a private residence since the 1950s.  There is a small museum located in the east wing, which can be viewed upon advanced request and a permanent exhibition of works by the painter Johannes Lippman is on display in the emperor’s hall (Kaisersaal). The hall is also used as a venue for concerts due its superior acoustics and is also available for rent for private functions.

Address:	Landgraf Georgstraße 64405 Fischbachtal +49 6166 93000 gemeinde@fischbachtal.de https://www.fischbachtal.de/schloss/
Opening Times and Fees:	See the castle website for information about museum opening times, tours, events and associated fees

Sources:

“Schloss Lichtenberg Über Dem Fischbachtal.” Schloss Lichtenberg, 2008, www.burgenwelt.org/deutschland/lichtenberg5/index.htm

webcontact.de. Schloss Lichtenberg, www.fischbachtal.de/schloss/.

Frankenstein’s Castle

Frankenstein Castle, lying just south of Darmstadt - Eberstadt inside the Bergstrasse-Odenwald Nature Park, is arguably one of Germany’s most famous landmarks.  This may seem unusual for what is, essentially, just another ruin in the hills above the Bergstrasse; however, with the publication of Mary Shelley’s famous novel in 1818, the little castle became forever associated with Gothic mystery and monsters.  It is this association that brings hundreds of visitors a year to the northern edge of the Bergstrasse to view the haunting ruins of Frankenstein’s Castle.

Mary Shelley and Her Monster

Most everyone has heard of Mary Shelley’s novel, Frankenstein, and it is widely rumoured that the

Mary Shelley

author received inspiration for the tale while visiting the Rhine gorge and Gernsheim with her sister and future husband, Percy Shelley, in 1814.  Though this assumption about the novel’s origin makes a good story, there is very little evidence to support the theory.  Michael Mueller, in his paper, Frankenstein - the Monster’s Home?, points out that the timeline of Shelley’s movements while she was in the area made it impossible for her to have visited the castle.  Also, he argues that no part of Shelley’s novel is set in a castle, and on a subsequent trip to the area, after the author had written the novel, she failed to visit or mention Frankenstein’s Castle.  Mueller’s arguments are very convincing, and it does seem highly doubtful that there is an historical connection between the novel and the site, and thus, this article will deal only with the verifiable history of the castle and leave Frankenstein’s monster to the realm of fiction.

Location and History

Frankenstein’s Castle sits on a 375 meter-high hilltop on the northern fringes of the Bergstrasse-Odenwald park. The name Frankenstein is Germanic in origin: Franken coming from the name of the tribe, the Franks, and stein, meaning stone.  So the name of the castle is “Stone of the Franks.”

Frankenstein Coat of Arms

The castle was first mentioned in 1252, in documents which referenced the castle’s builder, Konrad II Reiz von Breuberg, who was then calling himself von und zu Frankenstein in honour of his new residence. The von Breubergs were a noble family descended from the lords of Lützelbach. These descendants built a castle near Höchst im Odenwald at Breuberg, from which they took their name. In the mid-13th century, the family wanted to increase their scope of power and shifted their attention to the Wetterau region and the Bergstrasse, where Konrad II built Frankenstein’s Castle and established the free imperial barony of Frankenstein, subject only to the jurisdiction of the Holy Roman Emperor.

Over the next five hundred years, the castle remained in the hands of the Frankenstein family.  In 1662, however, Lord John I sold both his land and title to the Landgrave of Hesse Darmstadt to settle long-running legal disputes between the two noble houses.  After the sale of Frankenstein, the family left the area and acquired the lordship of Ullstadt in Middle Franconia and later, in the 19th century, the lordship of Thalheim bei Wels in Austria. Today, the family consists of two branches found in Germany, Austria, England and the United States.  The castle, after its acquisition by the Landgrave of Hesse, was used as a prison and hospital before being abandoned in the 18th century.  

Castle Site Plan

Johann Conrad Dippel

Johann Conrad Dippel

Perhaps the most famous resident of the castle was the theologian and alchemist, Johann Conrad Dippel. Dippel was born in the castle in 1673 and later studied theology, philosophy and alchemy at the University of Giessen where, at the age of 20,  he obtained a master’s degree in theology.

Though Dippel was a fairly well-known, though controversial, theologian in his day, having once served a seven-year sentence for heresy;  he is best known for his connection with Frankenstein’s castle. Dippel was the inventor of the substance known as Dippel’s Animal Oil, a nitrogen-rich byproduct of the distillation of bone. The tar-like concoction was used as an animal and insect repellent, as well as, an agent of chemical warfare in World War I, when it was used to poison enemy wells during desert campaigns. Dippel offered to purchase Frankenstein’s Castle in exchange for the formula for his oil; however, his offer was refused.

There are many rumours about Dippel and his time at the castle, including the rumour that he blew up a tower with nitroglycerine (nitroglycerine was first produced in 1847, long after the alchemist’s death) and another that said he attempted to transfer souls between cadavers, resulting in his expulsion from the area by angry townspeople.  There is no historical evidence to back up these rumours; however, we do know that Dippel supported the theory of soul transference in his writing and that a minister in Wittgenstein accused him of exhuming and experimenting upon dead bodies.  

Whether Dippel conducted research with human cadavers can’t be verified; however, he did frequently dissect and experiment with dead animals and claimed to have discovered the Elixir of Life and a potion to exorcise demons, making him a rather strange fellow nonetheless.  Dippel died at Wittgenstein Castle in Bad Laasphe at the age of 61, only a year after having proclaimed the discovery of a potion what would allow him to live to the age of 135.

Mysteries and Legends

The story of Dr. Frankenstein and his monster only adds to the mysteries and legends that already surrounded the castle long before Mary Shelley wrote her novel.  

Knight George, buried in 1531
at Nieder-Beerbach,
possibly the basis for the
legend of dragon

One such legend, written down by August Nodnagel in the 1800s, tells about the killing of a mighty dragon that was said to live in the garden of Frankenstein’s Castle. The dragon would make its way over to the neighbouring village of Nieder-Beerbach, terrorise the villagers and eat their children. One day, a brave knight by the name of Lord George rode into the village.  The townsfolk told Lord George of their sorrows, and he immediately rode off to battle the dragon.  He found it sleeping in the castle garden near the well and quickly engaged the creature in battle.  The two fought for hours until, finally, the exhausted beast could fight no longer. As the dragon fell, Lord George plunged his sword into its soft underbelly.  In its death throes, the dragon’s tail swung around and stung Lord George, and he, too, died.  The grateful villagers buried the brave knight in the church at Nieder-Beerbach where you can still see his tombstone today.

Another story about the castle tells of a fountain of youth hidden in the gardens where old women from nearby villages gather on Walpurgis Night to partake in contests of courage.  It is said that the final winner of the contests would then return to the age she was on her wedding night.

In the 18th century, a rumour was started, possibly by a local fortune teller, that there was a treasure of gold hidden at Frankenstein’s Castle.  The local residents seemed to believe the rumour as a frenzy of gold hunting began that reached such a fever pitch the local priest from Nieder-Beerbach intervened to ask for calm.  Despite numerous attempts to find the treasure, one of which resulted in the death of a treasure hunter, no gold was ever discovered.

The Magnetic Stones

Magnetic stones can be found in the forest behind Frankenstein’s Castle on Mount Ilbes, and though their existence is not a legend, the stones are associated with magic and supernatural occurrences. This makes the location popular with those who practise witchcraft, and witches gather at the stones during the summer solstice and Walpurgis Night to connect with one another and perform rituals. It is said that, if you come upon the witches during one of their ceremonies, it is best to leave them well alone.

Frankenstein Castle Today

Today, Frankenstein’s castle is a popular tourist attraction in the region, especially during October

Chapel

and November when a large Halloween festival is held there each year. This tradition was started by the American army, which was stationed in the area after World War II. There is also a restaurant located at the castle, and the chapel has been turned into an official registry office where weddings are performed year around. Like most of the hills and mountains lining the Bergstrasse, the hill atop which Frankenstein's Castle sits, is crossed by numerous footpaths and nature trails, and it is an extremely popular location for hikers and mountain bikers. A nature car park is located just at the foot of the castle.

Address:	Frankensteiner Straße 7 64297 Darmstadt-Eberstadt www.eberstadt-frankenstein.de
Opening Times:	9 am to dusk
Fee:	Self-guided tours are free.  Contract the castle for information about guided tours in English
Getting There:	The castle is accessible by private vehicle.  The Darmstadt tram system, lines 1, 6, 7 and 8, serve tram stop “Frankenstein.” From there it is a steep three kilometre walk to the castle. Additionally, there are walks from Malchen, Seeheim and Eberstadt that will take you to the castle.
Restaurant:	March - December: Tues. - Sun. 11:00 - 22:00 January & February: weekends 11:00 - 18:00 Tel: +49 (0) 6151-501501 email: mail@burg-frankenstein.de

Sources:

Aynsley, E. E., and W. A. Campbell. “JOHANN KONRAD DIPPEL, 1673–1734.” Medical History, U.S. National Library of Medicine, July 1962, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1034731/.

Erich.Kraft.Ewwerscht. “Geschichtsverein Eberstadt - Frankenstein.” Geschichtsverein Eberstadt - Frankenstein, www.eberstadt-frankenstein.de/.

“Frankenstein Castle.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 30 Aug. 2017, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frankenstein_Castle.

Michael Mueller. “Frankenstein – the Monster’s Home? .” 2010.

“New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge, Vol. III: Chamier - Draendorf.”Christian Classics Ethereal Library, www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/encyc03/Page_442.html.

Altedorfmühle

Parents of small children are always on the look out for a location that offers, not only good food and drink, but a place where the little ones can be entertained, as well. The Altedorfmühle Pub and Wine bar easily fits that description. It not only offers an atmospheric beer garden where adults can relax when the weather is nice, but also has a large sandpit for the kids to play in.  If the weather doesn’t allow you sit outside in the garden, find a spot inside to enjoy the pub's cosy, rustic atmosphere where you can while away the time with a card game or perhaps by playing a tune on their old piano.

History

As its name "The Old Village Mill" suggests, the Altedorfmühle pub and wine bar, located at 71 Bachgasse in the heart of Bensheim-Auerbach,  was once a mill, the oldest and largest of its kind in Auerbach.  Though first mentioned in 1475, it is thought that a mill existed here for much longer, perhaps as far back as the 13th century, constructed to serve the needs of the nearby Auerbach Castle. Unfortunately, the building from 1475 was, like all mills in Auerbach, destroyed in the 30 Year’s War, which lasted from 1618 - 1648.

In 1650, a new mill was built on the site, though this structure was completely demolished in 1788 by

the owner at the time, Christian Männel.  He rebuilt a mill at the same location, and it is this building that you see today.  In 1984, Peter van Deun noticed the charm of the half-timbered edifice and decided to bring the old structure back to life.  At the present time, the building houses apartments, the ceramics workshop of artist Elisabeth Kaufmann, and, since 1987, the pub/wine bar, Altedorfmühle.

Gastronomy

Under the care and guidance of the multi-generational Como family as much attention is given to the food and drink on offer as is to the preservation of the unique location.  Many ingredients are made on site or carefully sourced from local producers.  For example, cakes, bread, ice cream and noodles are made either at the restaurant or at the mill’s very own wood-oven bakery (Holzofen-Bäckerei) located at 11 Gerbergasse in the pedestrian zone in Auerbach.  

The Altedorfmühle’s website lists the origin of many of the products they serve.  Those include juices from Kelterei Krämer, milk products come from the Hüttenthal dairy and meat from small local farmers. The quality of the ingredients is immediately evident when you taste the food on offer. The Odenwald platter sausages from the Mehl butcher shop in Fehlheim are delicious, as is the homemade potato salad.   The cooked cheese (Köchkase mit Musik), made onsite, gets good reviews, as does the schnitzel served with crisp potato hashbrowns.

Of course one of the main reasons for stopping at the Altedorfmühle would be its drinks menu and that also shows the care that the Como family put into supporting quality local businesses.  They have a delicious selection of wines from the Hanno Rothweiler winery of Auerbach and the Simon Bürkel winery located in Zwingenberg.  

On tap, you’ll find Benedictine beer (Helles and Weisbier) from the Ettal Abbey located in Ettal, Bavaria; however, if you prefer something a bit darker, the pub offers a black beer (schwarzbier) from Köstritzer Brewery, one of the oldest (1543) producers of black lager in Germany, and a favourite of both Goethe and Bismark.  Round off your evening with a shot or two of Odenwald fruit brandy, produced by the Gehrig family in Litzelbach or perhaps have a coffee sourced from Haus Wacker’s shop in Frankfurt’s Kornmarkt. No matter what you choose, it's hard to go wrong at the Altedorfmühle, where so much care and attention is put into what they produce and serve.

Address:	Alte Dorfmühle Auerbach Bachgasse 71 64625 Bensheim-Auerbach info@alte-dorfmuehle.info +49 (0)6251 / 7808457 or +49 (0) 6251/788496 http://www.alte-dorfmuehle.info/
Opening Times:	Wednesday to Monday from 12 noon. The kitchen normally closes at 9:30; however, if it’s a slow evening they may close earlier.  It is recommended you call in advance if you plan to arrive later.

Bandits on the Bergstrasse - Tannenberg Castle

Alois Meixlsperger: Zeichnung Burg Tannenberg 1399

Another site on the Bergstrasse that is worthy of a visit is Tannenberg Castle. Once the home of bandits and brigands, its ruins now speak of past days when knights, lords and ladies inhabited the mountains overlooking the Bergstrasse. The castle makes a nice break when hiking from neighbouring Seeheim and walkers both young and old will enjoying exploring its ruins. The SJ1 circular trail, detailed below,  will take you to the castle and back down to Seeheim in about two hours. 

History

The von Münzenberg Coat of Arms

At the turn of the 11th and 12th centuries, the area which is now Seeheim, Bickenbach and Alsbach-Hähnlein belonged to the noble Bickenbach family; however, in about 1150, one of the Bickenbach daughters married a von Münzenberg and thus endowed her husband with the northern part of the von Bickenbach territory, including Seeheim and the Tannenberg. By 1210, Kuno von Münzenberg had begun construction on Tannenberg castle and was already calling himself “von Tannenberg”. His son Ulrich I von Münzenberg continued to fortify and enlarge the castle, due in large part to the subordination of Lorsch Abbey to the Archbishop of Mainz, something that made the nobles in former abbey territory nervous of their own fates.   

Upon the death of Ulrich I, the castle passed to his son, Ulrich II.  When Ulrich II died without heirs, ⅚ of the castle then passed to the husband of his sister, Isengard, who had married Philipp I von Falkenstein.  The remaining ⅙ of the castle was inherited by the husband of his other sister, Adelheid, who had married Reinhard I von Hanau.  Due to splintering caused by inheritance, the Tannenberg castle soon became what is known as a Ganerbenberg, a communally-owned castle, and by 1382 there were seventeen owners, though most did not live at the complex. They were represented instead by their Burgmann, a position similar to that of a castellan in English castles.

In August 1379, eighteen knights met at Tannenberg castle to work out a peace treaty and protective alliance. Included in the party was Werner Kalb von Reinheim, a notorious brigand who was the administrator of the castle at the time, and Count Wilhelm II von Katzenelnbogen.

In 1397, Harmut von Kronberg was a ⅛ share owner and administrator of the castle; however, he decided to further enrich himself by ambushing and robbing traders who passed by on the Bergstrasse. Von Kronberg went so far as to take hostages, whom he held for ransom in the dungeon at the castle.  He became such a nuisance that the town of Wetterau, Frankfurt, the archbishops of Mainz and Trier and the Elector Palatinate banded together to oust him from the Tannenberg. The group laid siege to the castle for 25 days, and heavy fighting commenced. Von Kronberg, along with approximately 60 followers, were able to hold off the first round of attacks with use of primitive firearms.

Steinbüchse Cannon Ball

The tide turned, however, when Von Kronberg’s opponents brought in a large gun known as the Frankfurter Steinbüchse. The gun weighed 3,500 kilograms and required 20 horses to move it.  The Steinbüchse shot cannon balls with a diameter of 50 centimeters each, weighing 170 kilograms. Though the gun inflicted quite a bit of damage to the castle, it was actually a powder explosion that brought down the Bergfried, resulting in Von Kronberg’s capitulation.  This incident was one of the first in which a German castle was damaged to any large extent by artillery. After the siege, the castle was never rebuilt and was then used as a source of stone by the nearby residents.

Castle Layout

The castle’s inner bailey was built on the highest point of Tannenberg mountain and was surrounded by a defensive courtyard, which was strengthened by two bulwarks on the western and southwestern sides. The inner bailey was protected by a ring wall, and, on its northeastern side, by an outer bailey and dry moat.  The entrance to the castle complex was in the south through an outer castle gate, which led into the forecourt.  Access to the inner bailey was from the north by way of  a gate tower in the ringwall.  To the right of this entrance lay a chapel, and to the left were two residential buildings and a freestanding, round Bergfried.

The oldest building in the complex was the so-called “Münzenbergbau”, which at one time was the only building inside the ringwall. There was also a cistern, which was replenished by rainwater. Renovations to many of the structures within the castle complex were carried out by volunteer workers after the Second World War.

Circular Trail to Tannenberg

From the Seeheim town hall, follow the SJ1 sign into the Schlosspark. From there a trail leads into the forest to the Elsbach valley. Turn right, walk down the street a little bit and then turn left to Goldschmidts Park.  The trail will then lead you through the park to the Lufthansa conference hotel. From there, the path leads steeply uphill to the castle ruin of Tannenberg.  In the valley, keep to the right and then change shortly before the Brandhof to the other side of the valley and go up to Heiligenberg Palace. Follow the trail through the park, and then go down to Jugenheim and from there back to Seeheim. The total hike lasts about two hours.

Sources:

“Bibliothek.” Geschütze, www.regionalgeschichte.net/bibliothek/glossar/alphabet/g/geschuetze.html.

“Raubritterburg Auf Dem Tannenberg Zerstört!” Ravanas Plejadium, 10 June 2017, www.plejadium.de/raubritterburg-auf-dem-tannenberg-zerstort/.

Tuerk, Rainer. “Auf Dem Alemannenweg Ein Odenwaelder Wandererlebnis.” Auf Dem Alemannenweg Ein Odenwaelder Wandererlebnis, Brunnengraeber, 2009, pp. 67–69.