For years I have heard about the low mountain range called Harz, located in the North of Germany, and I became intrigued with the mystery associated to it. I used to live in the North of Germany, where people often mentioned it, and I have even visited a museum with a strange “witch’s chair” from the Harz.
When I finally visited the Harz in 2019, I could experience its quiet beauty and mysterious atmosphere. My friends and I stayed in a hotel at the shore of a stream coming from the higher mountains of the Harz. After our breakfast, we started the ascent to the Brocken mountain, which at 1141,2 m above sea level is the highest peak of the mountain range and of the entire North of Germany. We followed a narrow path contiguous to a pristine stream. It was summer, so the weather was pleasant even at high altitudes. There were fallen trees crossing the stream and colourful stones along the path, covered with lichen or iron ore. On the top of the mountain, we saw a meteorological station with a very tall tower. Besides the station there was a huge stone marking the highest point of the mountain and a restaurant. We could contemplate the beautiful, green, mountainous landscape surrounding us from all sides.
The Harz is not only a magnificent natural preserve but also a mystical place, full of pre-Christian symbols and structures. This low mountain range has been settled since at last the Bronze Age. Parts of the ancient sanctuaries of the first dwellers are still identifiable as sculptures on the rocks, paintings and niches on caves, despite the attempt of many Christians to destroy them or to use them as sanctuaries of their own faith. Archaeologists have even discovered a set of structures that closely resembles the English Stonehenge in both its form and complexity. The energy of these sacred places attracts thousands of tourists every year.
It is essential to preserve the environment and the archaeological sites of the Harz mountain range because they reconnect people to nature very deeply. Even though most people explicitly acknowledge the importance of preserving the environment, they are not strongly motivated to act accordingly unless they have a personal connection to a place that they see as sacred or otherwise special. The Harz is a powerful means to establish this connection.
