Großer Waldstein
Encyclopedia
The Großer Waldstein is part of the Waldstein range
Waldstein (mountain range)
The Waldstein is a mountain range in the northern part of the Fichtelgebirge Mountains in Upper Franconia, Bavaria, in southern Germany.Its highest elevation is the Großer Waldstein which is high. In addition, the Epprechtstein, the Kleiner Waldstein and the ridge of the Hallerstein Forest, south...
in the Fichtelgebirge Mountains of Germany. It is known primarily for its rock formations caused by so-called 'woolsack' weathering
Weathering
Weathering is the breaking down of rocks, soils and minerals as well as artificial materials through contact with the Earth's atmosphere, biota and waters...
(Wollsackverwitterung), its ruined castles and the only remaining bear trap (Bärenfang) in the region.
The River Saale rises at the foot of the Großer Waldstein at Zell im Fichtelgebirge
Zell im Fichtelgebirge
Zell im Fichtelgebirge, formerly Zell is a market town in the district of Hof in Bavaria in Germany.- Geography :...
.
The Großer Waldstein is a mountain in the northern part of the Fichtelgebirge 'horseshoe'. Its summit area is covered by mixed forest with old stands of beech and huge rock piles, and the whole area is a designated nature reserve (20.2 hectares (49.9 acre)). Marked hiking trails lead from all points of the compass to the mountain, and public roads run from Weißenstadt
Weißenstadt
Weißenstadt is a town in the district of Wunsiedel, in Upper Franconia, Bavaria, Germany. It is situated in the Fichtelgebirge Mountains, on the river Eger, 11 km northwest of Wunsiedel.- Geography :...
or Sparneck
Sparneck
Sparneck is a municipality in Upper Franconia in the district of Hof in Bavaria in Germany.- Location :The market town of Sparneck lies at an average height of in the Pfarrbach valley, which forms the larger part of the area. The Saxon Saale river flows through this valley in a northerly direction...
to the area of the summit. At the top is a lodging house owned by the Fichtelgebirge Club
Fichtelgebirge Club
The Fichtelgebirge Club is a large walking club and local heritage society in Bavaria and recognised conservation group with 20,000 members in 55 local groups. As the name says, its main sphere of activity is in the Fichtelgebirge mountains in north Bavaria...
, the Waldsteinhaus, from which there is an interesting walk around the summit area.
Ruins of the Red Castle
→ Main article: WaldsteinburgWaldsteinburg
The Waldsteinburg, also called the Red Castle is a ruined castle on the summit of the Großer Waldstein in the Fichtelgebirge Mountains of Germany...
To the east, opposite the Waldsteinhaus, rises a massive rock face, on which the remains of the once mighty fortress of Waldstein is perched. The castle is now often referred to as the Red Castle (Rotes Schloss) and for a long time it was assumed that this was because the palace had been covered with red tiles when it was built in the 14th century. This assumption is wrong, however. The name 'Red Castle' came from the fact that parts of the castle ruins were re-roofed during the Spanish War of Succession (1701–1714) in order to build a camp there. It was this new roof that was covered with red tiles, which can still be found around the castle. The term 'Red Castle' was coined by the headmaster of Hof Grammar School (Hofer Gymnasium), Helfrecht, who referred to it as such in his first work published in 1795, because he believed that the castle has always been covered with red tiles. Since almost all later researchers followed suit, the idea became accepted. Only Karl Dietel refuted this incorrect assumption in his work Der Große Waldstein im Fichtelgebirge.
Stone steps lead through the castle gate into the courtyard, where there were, at one time, several buildings (the gatehouse, tower and cistern). The castle was built in the 14th century by the lords of Sparneck
House of Sparneck
The House of Sparneck was a local noble family in Franconia.The family is known to exist from 1223 to 1744 and was named after the market village of Sparneck. One of their first castles was the Waldsteinburg; further castles were located in Sparneck, Weißdorf, Stockenroth, Uprode near Weißdorf,...
. In the midsummer of 1523 it was destroyed by the Swabian League
Swabian League
The Swabian League was an association of Imperial States - cities, prelates, principalities and knights - principally in the territory of the Early medieval stem duchy of Swabia, established in 1488 at the behest of Emperor Frederick III of Habsburg and supported as well by Bertold von...
. For some time the interior of the Red Castle was placed out of bounds due to massive cracks in the structure, but following renovations in 2008 the ruins are open to the public again.
Devil's Table
In front of the castle gate is the legendary Devil's Table (Teufelstisch), a massive block of rock shaped like a mushroom that is topped by an oval slab. On the slab of this unique rock deep holes can still be seen, which according to legend, were caused by iron cards, with which the devil played with goblins and ghosts. This assumption is not, of course, based on historical evidence. Instead, the holes were part of a type of pavilion which was demolished in the late 19th century. The only evidence for this is the work of the engraver Gerd Könitzer who, in the middle of the 19th century, made several prints of the Waldstein summit and its various structures.The former Ostburg castle
→ main article: OstburgIn front of the steps up to the Schüssel observation pavilion are the remains of a wall, part of a late Romanesque
Romanesque architecture
Romanesque architecture is an architectural style of Medieval Europe characterised by semi-circular arches. There is no consensus for the beginning date of the Romanesque architecture, with proposals ranging from the 6th to the 10th century. It developed in the 12th century into the Gothic style,...
chapel which belonged to the castle of Ostburg.
At the northeastern foot of the Schüssel rock are the remains of the Ostburg itself, built in 1100, but abandoned in 1300 when the new Westburg castle was constructed. The walls of the former keep are still visible on the Schüssel rocks. During excavations several stone-age micro-blades, scrapers, and pierced pendant fragments made of Jurassic chert, which does not occur in the Fichtelgebirge, were found. It is therefore assumed that the summit of the Waldstein was used as a Stone Age
Stone Age
The Stone Age is a broad prehistoric period, lasting about 2.5 million years , during which humans and their predecessor species in the genus Homo, as well as the earlier partly contemporary genera Australopithecus and Paranthropus, widely used exclusively stone as their hard material in the...
staging post. In addition, fragments of pottery and metal objects came to light suggesting that fortifications must have existed here between the 8th and 10 centuries.
The chapel
The former chapel on the summit of the Waldstein was built at the same time as the Ostburg. It was decorated with small wall paintings and stained glass, and housed an altar as well as a holy chamber (Heiligster-Kammer). It was not abandoned with the Ostburg following the construction of the Westburg, but was still being maintained a good 200 years afterwards by the town of WeißenstadtWeißenstadt
Weißenstadt is a town in the district of Wunsiedel, in Upper Franconia, Bavaria, Germany. It is situated in the Fichtelgebirge Mountains, on the river Eger, 11 km northwest of Wunsiedel.- Geography :...
. A number of church festival
Festival
A festival or gala is an event, usually and ordinarily staged by a local community, which centers on and celebrates some unique aspect of that community and the Festival....
s of some kind were even held there. The chapel was probably not destroyed until 1430 during the Hussite Wars
Hussite Wars
The Hussite Wars, also called the Bohemian Wars involved the military actions against and amongst the followers of Jan Hus in Bohemia in the period 1419 to circa 1434. The Hussite Wars were notable for the extensive use of early hand-held gunpowder weapons such as hand cannons...
. During his excavations in the 1960s Karl Dietel found, among the many stone-age implements, a so-called votive cow (Votivrind). It is now believed that this cow was sacrificed to God to protect cows. This hypothesis is supported by the fact that the Church was dedicated to Saint Wolfgang, the protector of cattle. Also interesting was the discovery of four graves. One of them was empty, but in the other they found the skeletons of a man, a woman and a child. One of them had the marks of a sharp object above the pelvic bone and the legs were missing. Dietel suspected that the skeletons had been discovered during the construction of an extension of the chapel and the bodies were moved and buried nearby.
The Schüssel
A bowl-shaped depression on the highest rocks of the Waldstein, to which there is a flight of steps, gave the rock its name. This name was transferred to the viewing pavilion, built in 1851 by the master forester, as King Maximilian II of Bavaria had announced his intention to pay a visit but, due to a shortage of time, did not come to the Waldstein. The pavilion was originally painted with blue and white diamonds and the holes glazed. The paint scheme and glass fell victim to the weather and are no longer visible today.Bear trap
→ main article: Bear trapSome 200 m west of the Waldsteinhaus stands a small building once used as a bear trap. It was originally mentioned on 3 April 1656 and is today the only one of its kind in Germany.
Waldsteinhaus
The Waldsteinhaus is an unmanaged lodge in the immediate vicinity of the summit at a height of . It is owned by the Fichtelgebirge Club and is open all year round.History
The house was built in 1853 as Waldstein Hospice (Hospiz Waldstein) for a royal forest warden. In 1965 it was taken over by Fichtelgebirge Club and substantially upgraded in 1993.During the Romantic period when there was a great interest in German history, castles and castle ruins were popular destinations. This led to an increase in the number of walkers to such places, who were taken in by "wild romance of the summit of the Waldstein with its rocky summit, its views and its ruins." This resulted in the construction of a welcoming little 'hunting lodge' being built in 1850 on top of the Waldstein in front of the ruins of the Red Castle and Devil's Table. As the flow of visitors increased "a permanent house was built" to accommodate guests. A woodcutter supplied the necessary beer. In 1853 the state had the Waldstein hospice or Waldsteinhaus built below the ruins and it was occupied by a forest warden. The foundation stone for this lodge was laid on 6 May 1853 and by 8 August 1853 the new building was opened. This hospice had a completely different look from that of the present Waldsteinhaus. It was largely made of wood in an "attractive Swiss chalet style
Swiss chalet style
Swiss chalet style is an architectural style inspired by the chalets of Switzerland. The style originated in Germany in the early 19th century and was popular in parts of Europe and North America, notably in the architecture of Norway, the country house architecture of Sweden, Cincinnati, Ohio,...
", and was therefore a one-story wooden house. It served simple food and Weißenstadt
Weißenstadt
Weißenstadt is a town in the district of Wunsiedel, in Upper Franconia, Bavaria, Germany. It is situated in the Fichtelgebirge Mountains, on the river Eger, 11 km northwest of Wunsiedel.- Geography :...
beer and provided modest accommodation as well. On Sundays in the summer, it is recorded that groups of musicians from Münchberg
Münchberg
Münchberg is a small town in Upper Franconia , Germany. It is sometimes referred to as the Textile Town of Bavaria. Its sister city is Jefferson City, Missouri, USA.-The city district's:-History:...
, Schwarzenbach an der Saale
Schwarzenbach an der Saale
Schwarzenbach an der Saale is a town in the district of Hof, in Bavaria, Germany. It is situated on the river Saale, 11 km south of Hof. Within the town is the Gedenkstätte Langer Gang, a memorial to the Nazi victims of the Helmbrechts concentration camp, which was near Schwarzenbach an der...
and Hof gave brass band concerts, which were well attended. Then in 1889 the State Forestry Commission had the wooden building completely converted into a two-story brick building. The lower rooms were managed, the upper floor was living accommodation for the forester.
The opening of the branch line from Münchberg to Zell in 1902 brought even more walkers and visitors to the Waldstein and the Fichtelgebirge Club had the idea of erecting an extension to the existing Forestry Commission lodge. In 1906 negotiations over the property were held with the state, on 2 May 1907 the notary authorised the purchase of land and, on 21 June 1908, was the finished building was opened. Now, two houses stood side by side on the Waldstein. It was described as a 'shotgun marriage' and from the beginning the forester had the right to run both houses.
In 1964 the Forestry Commission lodge housed in the old building was closed and the lodge put up for sale. The Fichtelgebirge Club leased the lodge from the Forestry Commission in Bayreuth and, after protracted negotiations, bought the state-owned part of the house on 27 to December 1965. Now the Club was both owner and occupier of the entire area on the Waldstein summit, its local branch in Münchberg being responsible for upkeep since that time.
The last major investment was made by the Club in 1991. First, the Waldsteinhaus was connected to the public sewage system of the municipality of Zell by a 1.9 km long channel. Extensive construction and renovation took place in 1992/1993. The two originally separate houses were joined by a central section, and the entrance, kitchen, toilets and the guest rooms in the old forestry building were redesigned.
Hydraulic ram
The hydraulic ramHydraulic ram
A hydraulic ram, or hydram, is a cyclic water pump powered by hydropower. It functions as a hydraulic transformer that takes in water at one "hydraulic head" and flow-rate, and outputs water at a higher hydraulic-head and lower flow-rate...
on the Waldstein, invented by the Montgolfier brothers, has been pumping water for over 60 years without any losses. Remarkably, it operates without any motor or pump, but simply uses the power of the flowing water. It is located one kilometer west, and about 300 metres below, the Waldsteinhaus.
Transmission site
In October 1960, the first turf was cut for the transmitter on the Große Waldstein. In May 1961 the site, built by the former Deutsche BundespostDeutsche Bundespost
The Deutsche Bundespost was created in 1947 as a successor to the Reichspost . Between 1947 and 1950 the enterprise was called Deutsche Post...
, whose primary aim was to broadcast ZDF in northeastern Bavaria, went into operation. The antennas were supported on a 47-metre-high steel tube. However, this mast could only cover the area around Hof, so in June 1963 work started on a 133-metre-high, guyed, steel lattice mast (50°7′36"N 11°50′42"E) (25 km south of Hof). This mast, which has platforms for directional antennas at heights of 30, 35 and 60 metres, took over the broadcast of ZDF television programmes in December 1963. Just two months earlier, on 22 October 1963, the former RIAS launched the transmission of its second programme from the Große Waldstein.
- From 1980 to 1994 RIAS 1's FM programme was broadcast on 89.3 MHz (20 kW ERPEffective radiated powerIn radio telecommunications, effective radiated power or equivalent radiated power is a standardized theoretical measurement of radio frequency energy using the SI unit watts, and is determined by subtracting system losses and adding system gains...
). It was then taken over by Deutschlandradio KulturDeutschlandradio KulturDeutschlandradio Kultur is the culture-oriented radio station of the German national Deutschlandradio service...
. - From 1964 to 1992 RIAS 2 was broadcast on 91.2 MHz (20 kW ERPEffective radiated powerIn radio telecommunications, effective radiated power or equivalent radiated power is a standardized theoretical measurement of radio frequency energy using the SI unit watts, and is determined by subtracting system losses and adding system gains...
), DeutschlandfunkDeutschlandfunkDeutschlandfunk is a German public broadcasting radio station, broadcasting national news and current affairs.-History:Broadcasting in the Federal Republic of Germany is reserved under the Basic Law to the states. This means that all public broadcasting is regionalised...
. Since 1995, Bayerischer RundfunkBayerischer RundfunkBayerischer Rundfunk [Bavarian Broadcasting] is the public broadcasting authority for the German Freistaat of Bavaria, with its main offices located in Munich. BR is a member of ARD.- Legal foundation :...
has used the frequency from the transmitter on the OchsenkopfOchsenkopf (Fichtelgebirge)The Ochsenkopf is the second-highest mountain in the Fichtelgebirge with a height of . On its summit is an observation tower and a transmission tower for VHF and TV programmes by Bayerischer Rundfunk....
for broadcasting Bayern 1 to the Upper PalatinateUpper PalatinateThe Upper Palatinate is one of the seven administrative regions of Bavaria, Germany, located in the east of Bavaria.- History :The region took its name first in the early 16th century, because it was by the Treaty of Pavia one of the main portions of the territory of the Wittelsbach Elector...
.
Currently, the following VHF frequencies are used:
| Programme | Frequency | Power (ERP Effective radiated power In radio telecommunications, effective radiated power or equivalent radiated power is a standardized theoretical measurement of radio frequency energy using the SI unit watts, and is determined by subtracting system losses and adding system gains... ) |
|---|---|---|
| Radio Euroherz and extra-radio | 88.0 MHz | 5 kW |
| Deutschlandradio Kultur Deutschlandradio Kultur Deutschlandradio Kultur is the culture-oriented radio station of the German national Deutschlandradio service... |
89.3 MHz | 20 kW |
Radio Euroherz and extra-radio share the frequency 88.0 MHz between them, broadcasting at different times.
As DVB-T
DVB-T
DVB-T is an abbreviation for Digital Video Broadcasting — Terrestrial; it is the DVB European-based consortium standard for the broadcast transmission of digital terrestrial television that was first published in 1997 and first broadcast in the UK in 1998...
began broadcasting from the transmission site at Ochsenkopf im November 2008, analogue TV broadcasts by ZDF
ZDF
Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen , ZDF, is a public-service German television broadcaster based in Mainz . It is run as an independent non-profit institution, which was founded by the German federal states . The ZDF is financed by television licence fees called GEZ and advertising revenues...
and Bayerisches Fernsehen from the Großer Waldstein were ended.
Sources
- Karl Dietel: Der Große Waldstein im Fichtelgebirge. Natur, Gegenwart, Geschichte, Fichtelgebirgsverein Hof 1987, (Das Fichtelgebirge; Band 1)
- Karl Dietel: Der Große Waldstein im Fichtelgebirge, Saalfrank, Helmbrechts, 1968, (Zwischen Waldstein und Döbraberg; Band 7)
- Karl Dietel: [several articles] in: Der Siebenstern, Vereinszeitschrift des Fichtelgebirgsvereins e. V.
- Ludwig Zapf: Waldsteinbuch, 1886