Calw, Hermann Hesse's Half-timbered Heimat

Well, I think the next best posting that I could make should be about the other town I talked about in the last post, which is about Hirsau. So let me introduce you to Calw (pronounced: /Kahlv/), the larger of those two towns and only a few kilometers further south along the Nagold River in the Black Forest region of Baden-Württemberg. It was the Count of Calw – Adelbert, I think his name was – who, more than 1,000 years ago, supported the founding of Hirsau Monastery.  And, it was in Calw only about 135 years ago, that Hermann Hesse, their most famous son, was born.

I had been here before, but I was so enthralled by the ruins of Hirsau, which I saw from the windows of the train as I travelled from Pforzheim to Calw, that I spent my time in Calw thinking more about how to return to Hirsau than actually enjoying this lovely, historical city. Hence, the return last Saturday.

The author of "Steppenwolf" and "Siddhartha" standing on the
Nikolausbrücke over the Nagold River in Calw.

I had coffee with Eva in Durlach around 10:00 at our favorite little café on the Altstadtring just across from my home. It was only the night before that I had decided at the last minute that I needed to resume my photo-taking day trips which had seemed to have fallen off my things-to-do list for some months at that point. I have so many photos in my external drive, and I had planned to do something with them all, such as make more blog posts. But, I realized that despite all the pictures I have – and we're talking several thousand now – I just didn't have enough to be able to give a decent show on Calw! I had just completed the Hirsau page last week and written about Calw several times in that post, but of the three or four measly pics I had decided to keep, they just weren't enough to make a story out of it, so back I went following coffee with Eva.

The other side of the River Nagold from the main part of Calw. These houses abut a rock-face that can only be seen when walking along the street directly in front.

After Eva and I said good-bye, I went directly to the Durlach train station and caught the 11:23 to Pforzheim, where I changed to the 12:something-or-other to Calw. It was basically a modern little single-car/wagon train and it was quite full, as there were many people with their hiking poles and backpacks looking for a nice outing. The last time I took the train some four years or so ago, I had failed to notice along the way, or at least remember, the sight from the train window of Bad Liebenzell, a spa-resort town also along the Nagold River there in the Black Forest. (Note to self: Bad Liebenzell is next - visit in autumn when forest leaves are in full color.)

Anyway, I arrived in Calw at their pathetic excuse for a train station (more like the top deck of the city parking garage, actually!) about 55 minutes after leaving Durlach. The weather was perfect and the Marketplace was just beginning to be taken down after what was no doubt a bustling Saturday morning of trade, as people were walking away with full baskets and armloads of freshly cut flowers, sacks of vegetables and other foodstuffs. It was very similar to what I see out of my windows in Durlach every morning. 

Market stalls coming down after a full morning of business.

It was on this very square (well, more like a rectangle in the case of Calw's Marktplatz) that Hermann Hesse was born in 1877. His family lived in the house for seven years. Where they went after that I have no idea, but today the ground floor of the building is a shop, though upstairs there are still apartments, I think. Based on the looks of the open windows, I think people still live there. 

Birthplace of Hermann Hesse in 1877.

When I went to Calw the first time, I had yet to read any of Hermann Hesse's works. And yes, I am duly ashamed. I am pretty sure that Steppenwolf was on the summer required-reading list for high school. We had to choose three out of the ten, but I only ever read one anyway, so Lord knows I chose one that I already knew. Steppenwolf, which sounded more like a like a Poe-ish werewolf in a horror story, was definitely not my taste, so I never bothered to pick it up.  But, dear reader, rest assured that I have mended my ways and read not only Steppenwolf, but Siddhartha as well to make up for my sins, and I can tell you that if you haven't read them, you should! I wish I had read them long ago. I am about to begin The Glass Bead Game, but don't expect a book review from me! I don't do that kind of thing. Requires more brains, writing talent, and re-writing than I am ever willing to do. I'll just stick to photography and these meagre stories that I add to my pictures.

Nikolauskapelle (St. Nikolaus Chapel) on the Nikolausbrücke (Nickolaus Bridge)
in Calw. It is this bridge that statue to Hermann Hesse stands (see photo at top).
The bridge was built across the Nagold around 1400.

By the way, Hesse didn't stick around in Calw. He moved to Switzerland some years before the First World War and stayed there until he died. Fascinating man, Hermann Hesse. 

Evidently, Hesse liked to look at the Nagold River from the Nikolaus Bridge in Calw – the bridge photographed above – on which the St. Nikolaus Chapel stands in the middle. It is on that bridge the bronze statue of him can be found.

Leaving Herr Hesse on his bridge, I wandered uphill to begin my mini-pilgrimage in search of Hesse's birthplace. I could recall having seen a plaque about his birthplace somewhere in town the last time I was there and I thought it was on a side street somewhere, but after quite a walk about, sometimes going back and forth along the same street, it turned out the house was not far at all from his bridge there. As a matter of fact in is right there in the market square in the middle of town for all to easily find. How kind of his parents to choose that location. Most thoughtful for future tourists. 

But, as I first walked away and upward from the St. Nikolaus' Bridge, the first building I came to at the top of the road, just outside of what had been the city wall, was the Lecture Hall and Reading Room, pictured a. It's a stately building with a fine view of all the town beneath it as it goes down to the Nagold at the bottom. I don't have a shot of that view, for some reason, but trust me, it's there.

  

Since the 15th century, Calw had been one of the cities which had a monopoly on the salt trade. Salt came from Bavaria and Austria in those days, and the revenue from the trade played a major part in the city's financial situation. It was also exchanged for Württemberg wines. The building pictured above, built in 1696 following the burning of the city by the French in 1692, was used for the storing of the salt.

When I look at the market-square buildings here, I am easily reminded of Bretten, here in Baden. Guess I'll have to do a post on that too since they boast their own "favorite son" as well. It's another beautiful town to enjoy for the afternoon. 

You know, once you have seen three or four small German villages that date back a few hundred years–the kinds of villages of half-timbered structures with their central market-place fountains surrounded by cafés and small shops–I guess you've pretty much seen them all. But, I still keep looking for other ones to visit. Part of it is the love of travel and wandering throughout the countryside, and the other part is my eternal search for that place off the beaten track that few people on the outside have seen, a place with fabulous scenery.

Yet another source for community water at the other end of Market Square. What's nice
is that very often the water coming out of these beautiful old water fountains is in fact
drinkable.

Looks like someone decided to buck the trend and do some colorful updates to their home. Works for me!

This is the only tower left from the city wall that once surrounded Calw. Long after the
wall was largely dismantled, this tower was used as a jail right up into the 1900s.

             

The shingle hanging above the door says
it all: "Hermann Hesse Museum
Calw"

Catching up on the news. Reading the latest edition of the local
paper.  Many local newspapers throughout the country are found posted in glass cases like
this for public reading. This may not be a daily paper, so I don't know if they have to
change it every day.

     

I think this is the first time I have seen the timber painted green. I like
it. This house is smack up against the old city wall which still remains
on this side of town. Below is another shot of it further down. The sun
was directly behind it when I took the photo so the sky is completely
washed out.

         

Something  annoying that I've  come across often when travelling throughout Germany, looking for good architectural subjects to photograph, has been the seemingly large amount of new Baustelle, or construction, as well as restoration work going on. At just about every location, I have encountered work sites and cranes and fences. Steeples and towers are found covered in scaffolding, and large containers used for construction offices are stacked one on top the over blocking an otherwise good shot. The photos (left and below) demonstrate what I'm talking about. Several of the posts I have created in this blog over the past several years have been "marred" by this and when you travel so see something and it is completely covered, it can be a disappointment. Well, restorations must take place, though it seems they have been doing the whole country at the same time over the past several years; and, new construction most also go on, so, "What 'cha gonna do?"

The covered steeple in the right of the picture and
the orange crane in the middle are good examples
of what is often found these days.

Across the Nagold River from the center of town is the Palais Vischer (above).
It was built by the Director of Public Works of the ducal court in Stuttgart in 1791.
It was Calw's municipal museum until recently. The original interior has been preserved
until today. Martin Vischer, chief administrator of the timber trade, had the palace built.

Another photo taken from the train "station" on the roof of the parking structure. Clearly, this is a town that does a poor job of enticing passers-by on the train to stop and have a look since the many interesting things wroth seeing are not very obvious in this panorama. 

How to get to Calw: Unless travelling by car, or hiking along the river from Bad Liebenzell or somewhere else, the fastest way to Calw is via train. Actually, it is the same train that stops in Hirsau. The stop is just across the River Nagold from the the center of town itself. Funny thing is the train stop itself. The tracks run high along the side of the river on the hill. A multi-storied parking structure is built against that hill and part of the roof-level parking area constitutes the platform for the trains. Oh, and before I forget, if you do not have a return ticket, the ticket machines are on the ground floor, not the on the platform where they would make more sense. Do go up without your ticket. As this is in the Black Forest, and as the photos show, it is all wooded and very beautiful. It is also possible to walk from Hirsau to Calw along the Nagold. It is a long, but nice walk.

Via train from Stuttgart, you will need to check online at www.bahn.de for train times. I would strongly recommend looking for the connections that take you via Pforzheim Hauptbahnhof (train station), where you can change to a local line that takes you directly to Calw. It is a nice ride through the Black Forest, and the total time is less than 90 minutes. 

Via car from anywhere in Germany (or the entire world, for that matter) use your navigator because I don't have a car and you could be coming from anywhere. The least I can do here though is to tell you the "navi" info:

State: Baden-Württemberg

City: Calw

Postal code: 75365

Late Afternoon in Markgröningen, where barefoot shepherds run

Markgröningen's main square in the late afternoon sun.

My visit to Markgröningen was a short one as I was there on business, so I regret that I don't have a lot of photos or stories to tell you about this very interesting town. Still, I wanted to post this because it is definitely an interesting place with a very unique tradition - the Schäferlauf. I'll tell you more about that further down.  First, a little something about this historically unique town.

Bartholomäuskirche, Markgröningen
(Bartholomew's Church)

Evidently, Markgröningen was originally known as Gruoninga when it was first mentioned in a deed in 779. This deed was a gift (from whom, I don't know) to the Monastery of Fulda, which is today the seat of the Archbishop of Fulda, yet another beautiful city worth visiting which is located in the center of the German state of Hessen. Later, Mark (meaning: border region, particularly of an area of defence) was added to the name to denote its location at the time between the Alemannisch (today, roughly the area of western Baden-Württemberg running along the French border down into the Basel area of Switzerland) and Frankish (basically in what is today northern Bavaria, parts of Baden-Württemberg, Hessen and also Thuringia) territories.

Close-up of the Markgröningen Rathaus on the main square

(I can assure you that the wood is solid. My own home is of the same style and age. It is so old, it almost
seems to be petrified. Drive a nail in and you will never get it out again. It's as solid as rock!)

Markgröningen is located 15 km northwest of Stuttgart, but it is not accessible by train. Buses run there regularly from Asperg. The trip from Stuttgart should be about 35 minutes, so it still makes quite a reasonable excursion. If for no other reason, it is worth the trip for its Fachwerkhäuser (half-timbered houses). So, if you are in the area, make a point to stop by.

A view through the main square toward the Bartholomäuskirche 

For those of you interested in German history, this town was designated a Free Imperial City as far back as 1229. This meant that the city was responsible directly and only to the Holy Roman Emperor himself, and not to the local lord no matter how high his or her rank. And yes, this was a good thing.  Markgröningen did not last long as a Free Imperial City, however, as the Swabian House of Württemberg acquired it in the 1300s. It was designated a seat of government at different times between then and the second half of the 15th century. 

Marktplatz

Just look at that house. Doesn't it look a bit top heavy? Looks like you can just 
give it a good push and it will fall right over. It has been there a very long time.

Following the Reformation, Markgröningen became Protestant. Its Spital (can be a hospital for the poor or a wayside shelter for pilgrims; the word is also used for "hospital" in Switzerland and Austria today), which was established in 1297 and run by the Catholic Order of the Holy Spirit, was taken over by the city in 1552 and has been administered by it ever since. 

Another view of the Rathaus

Note the angle of the clock and bell tower at the top. Beneath it, you might be able to make out
the eagle on the Wappen (coat-of-arms) on the right-hand side. This eagle distinguished the city as
a Free Imperial City. See below for other photos.

Okay, so I said earlier that I would tell you a little about the shephards' run, or Schäferlauf. I do wish I had photos to show you, but I don't. You will have to see it for yourself and make your own photos. Fortunately, if you are in the area, you still have time to get there because it will be held August 22 - 25 this year.  As of this posting, that is only a few weeks away!

So what is it? It is a barefoot race through what is called a Stoppelfeld (field of stubble). Sounds like it would hurt. Anyway, young girls race each other for the coveted crown and title of queen, and the boys do the same for the king's crown. And what else do each of their majesties receive? Well, something that all kings and queens covet, of course. A sheep! 

This has been going on in Markgröningen since about 1445. (They ought to be pretty good at it by now, I would think.) The event has turned into a three-day festival with a period costume-filled parade, church service and demonstrations of the various tasks of shepherds. Yes, there are even sheep. Surprised? Although I have yet to see the actual event, I have only heard that it is indeed worth meandering through and experiencing.

I do wish I had more photos to show you. Hopefully the few I have here will at least whet your appetite enough to at least do some research on your own via the internet. Don't just look at Wikipedia. Go to other sites, or click here and find more online photos of the actual Schäferlauf on Google. 

Der obere Torturm
(Upper gate tower)

This is the last remaining of the four gates into the city of Markgröningen when a wall surrounded it.
The wall was dismantled before 1850.

How to get to Markgröningen by public transportation: From Stuttgart Hauptbahnhof (main station), take the S5 (underground platform) to Asperg (another interesting town with a castle above it). This takes about 18-20 minutes. From there, go out to the front of the station and catch the no. 532 bus in the direction of "Mühlstraße Oberriexingen". Ask the driver to tell you when you have arrived because the old town is not where he drops you off. I don't believe any buses go through that part of town, but it is merely a couple of blocks away. Remember where you got off, because you will need to come back to that spot to return to Stuttgart. Altogether, the trip from Stuttgart should take you about 35 minutes.

By car? Hmm, I don't travel that way, so I can't tell you, but I would assume streets and perhaps a highway or two might be a good idea ;-). Otherwise, I think most of you who drive have a navigator, so enter "Markgröningen" or "Markgroeningen", and any of the options that come up will get you there. 

BESIGHEIM: another surprise find

Besigheim, located in the southern German state of Baden-Württemberg, is a town located at the confluence of the Neckar and Enz rivers. The town is surrounded on three sides by water. The earliest written documentation of Besigheim was dates back to 1153. Its ownership passed through various hands and was ravaged by war numerous times over the centuries. Most of the military occupations were imposed by the French armies, the last of which was during the Napoleonic Wars, which ended in 1815. 

The old town once boasted a castle, but it was destroyed over a period of more than 50 years following Louis XIV's Nine Years' War (War of the Palatine Succession). A couple of towers still remain in the old town amidst a number of other beautiful, historical buildings. I found some of the ancient stone manors found in the town calling me to photograph them. I gladly obliged.

Not only was Besigheim owned by several different German princes, it was for a time owned by the Hapsburgs as well. 

The colorful Fachwerk (half-timbered) buildings are a favorite of mine, which can be found all over Germany. The old Rathaus (Town Hall) above shows an example of this.

It was nice that my first visit there was a sunny autumn day. The creeper making its way all over a number of walls could not have been more splendidly bedecked in glorious shades of reds, yellows and more. The sun and the blue skies made for marvelous backdrops to photographs.

The Schoch Tower, built somewhere around 1200, and the old stone house above are principal landmarks in the upper part of the Old Town.

One of several very old homes located in the upper Old Town. Note the size of the windows and simple carving around the doorway.

Besigheim is definitely worth the visit. It can be reached from Stuttgart Hauptbahnhof (main station) via the R4 line within approximately 25 minutes. Trains leave every 30 minutes on the quarter hour.

Bietigheim-Bissingen: the "Double B" Town

Located approximately 20 kilometers north of Baden-Württemberg's state capital of Stuttgart, the city of Bietigheim-Bissingen boasts some beautiful, historical structures that date far back into the Middle Ages. The city's only remaining gate-tower was built in the 14th century, and together with a number of other marvelous structures, be they half-timbered or stone, visitors in search of history will be quite pleased by their findings. 

Like most German cities with similar historical offers, the city of Bietigheim-Bissingen is perfectly suited for pedestrians. The well-cared-for buildings and interesting places to visit make for a nice walk through the streets and an enjoyable visit.

Two people leaving as I make my way in through the 14th century
gate of Beitigheim-Bissingen.
Above the highest arch in the gate, one can see the little golden shield with 
three antlers, one atop the other. This shield is the emblem of the
House of Württemberg. 

Above: One of my favorite things to be found throughout so much of central and northern Europe is pictured above: the beautiful and intricate trade shingles protruding out from over doors or windows of stores and other businesses announcing symbolically what kind of business is going on below. In the days when most could neither read nor write, these signs bore simple emblems of the trade going on in the businesses over which they hung, so the average shopper could easily find what kind of shop or business they were looking for. Fortunately, they are still found all throughout these parts of Europe - some of which can be almost comical-looking today. Clearly this shingle demonstrates something to do with ale of some sort.

The main street of Beitigheim-Bissingen is a pedestrian zone.
The beautiful medieval Fachwerk (half-timbered) structures 
are in abundance here.

     

This splendid bridge was constructed between 1851 and 1853 by Karl Etzel. Known as the Bietigheim Enz-Valley Viaduct, it carries one of the train lines between Stuttgart and Bruchsal over the Enz River and Valley. The view from the train is quite extensive. It was damaged in the Second World War, but well restored. If you should come to "B-B" via train from Stuttgart, the walk from the station, which is on the Bissingen side of the River Enz, allows for a nice walk along the river and a marvelous view of the massive viaduct-bridge as you make your way under the structure to get to the Bietigheim side. 

One of several lovely gardens one passes when making one's way along the river toward Bietigheim.

The two cities of Bietigheim and Bissingen were joined into one municipality in 1975. Bietigheim, the oldest of the two, was first documented around 789. Bissingen is mentioned in 870. 

Above: One of the covered footbridges that crosses the narrow Metter. The River Metter is much smaller than the larger Enz. The Metter flows into the River Enz at Bietigheim, where it continues northward and joins the much larger Neckar, not terribly far away in another "B" city by the name of Besigheim. Check the next blog entry for my photos on my visit there. 

A sculpted garden below the walls of Bietigheim. 

Above and below: It is my humble opinion, based on the Württemberg antlers in the upper left quadrant of the shield which the statue above the fountain is holding next to itself, that the statue is none other than Count Eberhard II of Württemberg. He purchased part of the then neighboring community of Bissingen in the 1339, but later gave Bietigheim city status in 1364. 

Many years later, the powerful Württemberg family was to include these two locations within their growing duchy of Württemberg, which became a kingdom at the grace of Napoleon I at the beginning of the 19th century. See Bebenhausen: where it all ended.

Below: The old Rathaus, or town hall, of Bietigheim was built in 1507. Unfortunately the sun was directly above the building when I took the photo. For the life of me I could not find an angle get a clearer shot. The colors are not exact due to my not having a filter with me.  

This city is filled with so many beautiful buildings of the Fachwerk, half-timbered, style. I regret that I do not have but so many photographs of them all to show you. Probably, the most famous of the structures here is the Hornmoldhaus, which was built in 1535/36. It is one of the best of its type in all of southern Germany.  I hope the photos that I do have here will at least whet your appetite to visit this very interesting city, with its many offers and attractions.

Note the beautiful half-timbered (Fachwerk) work and window settings in this house. 

The Schloß, or castle, built in 1546 has been renovated and is today the home of a very good music school.

Part of the remaining wall of the city.

How to get there: 

From Stuttgart take the S-5 from the main train station (Hauptbahnhof). The S-5 normally leaves from underground at the station. As stated above, the city is only about 20 kilometers north of Stuttgart.

From Karlsruhe, take the S-5 either directly to Bietigheim-Bissingen or the one that passes through there on the way to Stuttgart.

Whether from Stuttgart or Karlsruhe, Bietigheim-Bissingen is easily a nice day trip.