Mount Brocken in Germany: photo and description, stories and legends

2024 Author: Harold Hamphrey | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:06

Each nation has its own mystical traditions and legends. Most Western European and B altic peoples have one night a year called Walpurgis. In these countries, this word is translated differently, but the meaning is the same - "witch's fire." According to legend, on this night, witches gather for a sabbath, conjure, worship dark forces and burn bonfires.

There is such a night in Germany, from April 30 to May 1. Mount Broken is inextricably linked with Walpurgis Night.

Short description

This mountain is the highest point of the Harz massif. Its height is 1140 meters. Despite its small height, it is the most famous and most visited in the entire country.

Where is Mount Broken? In the very center of the state, on the lands of Saxony-Anh alt.

However, the mountain has become famous not only because of the legends about the witches' sabbats, but also because of the special climate, which is completely uncharacteristic of the country as a whole. Many historically significant events took place on the mountain itself.

How to get there

The easiest way to the top isthrough the city of Wernigerode. A narrow-gauge steam locomotive with the name "Mephistopheles Express" departs regularly from the local station. By the way, it is the old steam locomotive that runs here, which is still fueled by coal and does not use any electricity, all the equipment is mechanical. The horn before departure is still buzzing and everything in the area is covered with a cloud of smoke. It seems that you have moved into the 18th century. Although inside trailers are very comfortable. Destination 1, 4 hours drive.

There are much fewer passengers at the Schierke station. They go out to walk to the top. The road to the top runs along the railroad tracks. By the way, at the Schierke station you have the opportunity to ride a sleigh that moves on wheels on rails.

The path along Mount Broken runs along a mysterious forest, in some places the meadows are dotted with stones of different sizes and shapes. To this day, it is not known how they ended up in these places. Particularly impressionable travelers feel a chill all over their body. Goethe himself, who climbed here in the old days, described this forest in his work Faust.

And the most interesting thing is that the mountain is shrouded in fog for almost 360 days, so anything can seem in such an environment.

Infrastructure

In the very town of Vernigorod near the Brocken mountain in Germany, the infrastructure is well developed, there are hotels, shops and everything necessary for travelers to stay.

The city itself has been known since the 9th century, sothe most beautiful ancient monuments of architecture, castles and town halls, mainly in the Baroque style, and traditional Prussian architecture. Although the castle itself is located near the town.

History

In the 30s of the last century, a radio transmitter mast appeared on Mount Broken. Even during World War II, the US military did not bomb it.

In Soviet times, the mountain was of strategic importance for the GDR, radio and television broadcasting facilities were placed on it, respectively, the object was secret, so there was no access for ordinary citizens.

In 1961, access was opened, and the last Russian soldier left the facility in 1994.

Optical illusions

In which country is Mount Broken? In Germany though on the mountain itself the weather conditions are amazing for this country. There is thick fog here for almost 300 days a year, and the atmospheric temperature makes you dress warmer.

The most interesting thing is that on the mountain you can observe the so-called ghost of Brocken. In the daytime, the shadow of the person himself falls on the fog, which makes the figure seem enlarged in size, stretched upwards. The person himself is surrounded by a rainbow aura. Impressionable people are scared almost half to death.

Mystic

There is a legend about Mount Brocken in Germany. First of all, Walpurgis Night is one of the most significant pagan holidays in witchcraft. Among other peoples of the world, the holiday is called May Eve or Beltey. This is the night from April 30 to May 1. Counts,that on this night, witches gather for a sabbath, and the holiday itself is dedicated to fertility.

The name of the holiday is associated with Saint Walpurgis. She was an English nun who came to Germany in 748 to found a monastery. The nun enjoyed extraordinary popularity and was considered a saint. Even the Roman calendar has her name. This day is celebrated on May 1st. Now the holiday is celebrated not only in Germany, but also in Scandinavian countries.

How it happened

It was believed that on the eve of this night, the witches sat on brooms and climbed them to the top. Witches flocked to Mount Broken and Bald Mountain in Kyiv. So writes, in particular, Montagu Summers in his book "History of Witchcraft and Demonology" (1926). And the peoples of Finland have a legend that on the last day of April, not a single mountain in the country remained empty, there were witches everywhere. And the most important thing that should be near the mountain and on it is a reservoir and a stone slab- altar.

Toward midnight all the latecomers appeared and as soon as the clock struck twelve, a black goat appeared - a demon or the Prince of Darkness. But this demonic creature attended only 2 or 3 of the largest covens, where the most faithful worshipers of the Prince of Darkness gathered. Demons with a lower status flew to the rest of the gatherings of witches.

Then there was a kind of admission of neophytes into the ranks. After the "official" procedure, the sabbath began directly, accompanied by round dances, the witches circled around the fire in a frantic rhythm.

Then everything quickly ended as soon asThe hands on the clock were approaching 4 am. And all this ended before the first roosters began to sing. All witches and demons were disappearing.

If a lost eyewitness got to such a party, then everything ended badly for him. As usual, his life ended under the sacrificial knife. If the eyewitness managed not to fall under the watchful eye of the witch, then, most likely, he became crazy. If this did not happen, then he had to keep his mouth shut throughout his life. It is believed that for this reason, most of the settlers around Mount Broken to this day tightly close the shutters on the windows of their houses. Some residents of Vernigorod even today prefer to hide on the night of April 30 to May 1 in their own home.

Modernity

Today, few of us believe in witches, especially in the fact that they gather for sabbaths. Therefore, the infrastructure is well developed on Mount Broken, there are hotels, hiking trails are laid and communication is excellent. But still, it's so nice to plunge into the atmosphere, where everything is shrouded in legend.

On the day of the celebration of Walpurgis Night, a costume action takes place on the mountain, everyone is dancing here: both mummers and travelers. Everything happens around the Heksentantsplati, which means “the place of witch dances”. This is the oldest boulder, where, according to the assumptions of historians and believers, the most interesting things happened, witches gathered and performed rituals. All the action takes place to the music of the famous Ramstein band, which is the most suitable for such an event.

There is a themed museum on the mountain where you can learn about the history of the place and how important the mountain was from the time of the Inquisition to today.

If possible, be sure to plan your trip for the end of April and visit the mountain on this night, when all the fun happens. Indescribable sensations and a lot of new impressions are definitely provided for you!