The Story of Lake Constance’s Name

The well-known and popular Lake Constance is worth being visited. One can experience the nature and culture of the beautiful Black Forest all year round. Common traditional culinary specialties like e.g. the Black Forest Ham or the Black Forest Kirsch should all be experienced while visiting this region. Most of the gourmands are very interested in trying those delicacies because of their incredible taste.

Bodensee, vor Überlingen (= Lake Constance near Überlingen), Source: Wikimedia Commons, CC-BY 3.0 Lizenz, by Achim.

Many tourists will probably also be interested in the history of the Lake Constance and the story of its name. People often travel around the world and ask themselves how a place got its name. This is why we want to tell you something about it.

Lake Constance has been mentioned by its name as early as 43/44 AD. There are written records about it made by the Roman geographer Pomponius Mela. In these records Pomponius mentions two of the three bodies of water of the Lake Constance:  he names Obersee as Lacus Venetus and Untersee as Lacus Acronius. Several years later, precisely in 75 AD, Pliny the Elder mentions casually Lake Constance in his work “Naturalis Historia” as Lacus Raetiae Brigantus. The manner, in which Pliny the Elder mentions Lake Constance as Lacus Raetiae Brigantus, indicates that this name was already used in his time. The term Brigantus derives from the Latin name of the city Bregenz (= Brigantium).

From the 9^th/10^th century on, in Latin documents Lake Constance has been mentioned with a second name “Potamicus”. The second name of the lake Lacus Potamicus is derived from the royal palace Bodman, which was visited frequently by kings and queens and therefore was of great importance. One can assume that the German name of Lake Constance (which is Bodensee) derives from the palace Bodman and the identically named location Bodman. They preferred the German term of Bodmansee, which was Bodimse in colloquial language, to the Latin term Lacus Potamicus. Many countries transferred this term into their languages.

In the 15^th century the German term “Bodensee” got an alternative name, which was Lacus Constantius. With this name they referred to Constance city, which lies on the Obersee. This new term, as well, has been transferred into many other languages like for example into English. This is why the English name of the lake is Lake Constance.

Event highlights in the Black Forest in June, July and August

Here the most interesting events for you of the Black Forest region in June, July and August:

June:

7^th June: Traditional Corpus Christi procession in Mühlenbach.  Every year during the night before the procession a huge crowd of volunteers spread a carpet of flowers of approx. 1km length with gorgeous patterns. On the day of celebration the procession will move together with the saint of saints over this carpet. People dressed in traditional dresses and delegations of clubs with their flags will ramble about the city followed by the sounds of the choir, traditional band and gun salutes.

9^th/10^th June: International Chain Saw Feast Days Oberes Kinzigtal in Wolfach. 40 wood artists will compete against each other in carving of imaginative, head-high sculptures.

15^th – 17^th June: Maximilian Knights Festival in Horb on the Neckar River. The city Horb is the location of one of the biggest medieval spectacles of Europe. Here you will get to see landsknechts in their camps who will show you the impressing history of Wuerttemberg; you will see as well noble knights who will contest for the favors of the fair maidens. Furthermore, the activities of the merchants and craftsmen, medieval music, fire-breather, artists and magicians will enchant you with their performances in front of the historical backdrop of the Old City.

17^th June: Black Forest ULTRA Bike Marathon in Titisee-Neustadt. That will be the mountain bike highlight in Dreisamtal! There will be five routes with unforgettable views. Annually thousands of people flock up to here from far and wide for being part of the biggest Mountainbike Marathon of the Middle Europe. The number of participants will amount to 4.500 people. It will be a rich and a full-day program of the event (in Hinterzarten, Kirchzarten and Todtnau it will even start on Friday).

17^th June: “Fantastic Portals”. Castle Adventure Day all over Baden-Wuerttemberg. Mansions, castles and gardens of Baden-Wuerttemberg, and of course of the Black Forest, invite to a special adventure day. This year’s name of the feast day of the mansions and monasteries, castles and historical gardens will be “Fantastic Portals”.

23^rd June: International Summer Ski Jumping in Bad Griesbach. It says “Ready, Steady, Jump” on the Crosshead Ski-Jump. Here will take place the first international Summer Ski Jumping in a Three-Party Competition for the Georg-Thoma-Cup. On Saturday will be the Follower Jumping on the lower ski-jump; on Sunday will be the Jumping on the big ski-jump.

24^th June: Eulogi Ride in Lenzkirch. The Eulogi Ride is celebrated in compliment to the patron saint of the goldsmiths, the blacksmiths and the horses every year on 25^th June or on the Friday before in Lenzkirch. The Eulogi Ride is a regular meeting place especially for those who love horses and who live in the Southern Black Forest. The whole area boasts decorations when the impressive cavalcade is marching towards the pilgrimage chapel accompanied by the ringing of the bells. It is a frequent beautiful, genuine peasant’s feast day which you would find in this form nowhere else than in the Southern Black Forest. That is why thousands of pilgrims and other guests are attracted to this place annually.

July:

30^th June – 8^th July: High Black Forest’s Jazz Summer: It will be an event with traditional and international artists and which will leave nothing to be desired. The jazz concerts will take place in the cities Hinterzarten, Feldberg, Sankt Märgen, Schluchsee and Titisee-Neustadt.

14^th /15^th July: Forest Festival “100 years of Hüsli” in Grafenhausen-Rothaus. The “Hüsli” is getting 100. That is reasons enough for the musical society Rothaus to celebrate this anniversary properly. Visitors can expect a musical and culinary celebration in the celebration tent in front of the local museum “Hüsli”.

14^th July: Night in white at the Titisee. There will be fireworks in the white decorated lake road. Visitors are asked to dress in white.

15^th July: Old Handwork in the High Black Forest in Feldberg. Traditional handicrafts of the Black Forest will be performed and presented in the hall of Feldberg. The craftsmen will show techniques, handworks and arts which almost got lost in the course of times.

21st of July: “Music and Water“ Festival at the Hochfirst Ski-Jump in Titisee – Neustadt. It will be a spectacle of fire, water and music. There will be a rock symphony at its best, which will last 3 hours. The music will be accompanied by a beautiful water laser pyro show. Let your mind be taken by the impressive ambience of the Hochfirst Ski – Jump into colorful dream worlds of the symphonic sounds of Wolfgang Roese’s adaptions merging with shimmering fountains and laser figures.

28^th/29^th of July: Castle Festival in Bonndorf. This weekend near the Bonndorf Castle there will be many attractions for young and old, a musical entertainment program, and treats by the associations.

August:

4^th/5^th of August: See the Night Festival at the Schluchsee with a Dragon Boat Cup. The motto of this event is “pure adrenalin”. Next to the breathtaking view of the sea there will be a wide range of events, music performances, gastronomic delicacies and sporty activities. The highlights of the festival will be the illuminated Sail Parade at Saturday and the Dragon Boat Race at Sunday.

10^th of August: Traditional Lawrence Festival in Feldberg. In honor of the Saint Lawrence, who was the Patron Saint of the shepherds and herds, the day will begin with a church service at 9:30 a.m. in the Lawrence Chapel near the Todtnaut Cottage. Afterwards, a Shepherd’s Parish Fair  take place which will include a cattle market, dance events and entertainment programs in the rustic cabins lying around the Feldberg.

12^th of August: Mill Festival in Seebach. The festival will start at 11 a.m. with a morning pint concert. The music will play all day long. In addition, there will be rites and performances of peasant handicrafts. There will be also an all-day event for the kids as well as a wide range of food and drinks.

12^th of August: 125^th years Anniversary Festival of the Höllentahlbahn in Schluchsee. Visitors can expect a weekend with a wide variety of historical and entertaining events around the Dreiseenbahn (Three Seas Railroad). Your day will begin very musically with a morning pint concert of the traditional band of Gündelwangen.

10^th – 13^th of August: Hans-Thoma-Day in Bernau. The Hans-Thoma-Day is a hometown festival which will involve 150 Bernau citizens dressed in traditional clothes, performing traditional arts and rites. Also there will be traditional music and visitors will have the chance to see various art expositions. The festival will take place in honor of the artist Hans Thoma who was born in Bernau in the Black Forest.

17^th – 19^th of August: FIS Summer Ski Jumping in Hinterzarten. The program of the FIS Grand Prix offers next to the international youth’s ski jumping also women’s individual competitions. On Saturday, the 18^th of August 2012 the visitors will witness a world premiere in the team’s competitions. It will be the first time that the teams will jump in mixed teams. The teams will be composed of two men and two women. The highlight of the whole event will be as each year the individual jumping of the men at Sunday.

17^th – 19^th of August: Wine Festival in Enzklösterle. Visitors can expect to enjoy music, excellent fireworks, wine and great entertainment.

26^th – 31^st August: “Zuerst war die Güte” (= At first there was the goodness) – 17^th Sculptor Symposium in St. Blasien. This week 15 artists from all over the world will have the chance to show what they can. The sculptors will make proper works to the topic “At first there was the goodness”. At the end of the week these works will be sold at auction. Do witness the artist’s workings and their interpretations of the issue. The event will be accompanied by all-day music and a Sunday shopping.

Events in the Cultural Center „Bonndorf Castle“ in 2012

Here you can read more about the history of the Cultural Center „Bonndorf Castle“.

Expositions:

Until 15^th of June:

Pavel Feinstein – Der Biss der Muse (The Bite of the Muse). The works of the artist, who is originally from Moscow but who has lived in Berlin since 1980, will provide unusual insights into seemingly familiar topics.

1^st of July to 11^th of November:

Wilhelm Loth and Käthe Kollwitz. Bonndorf Castle presents an exposition of the sculptor Wilhelm Loth (1920 – 1993) in association with the Käthe Kollwitz Museum from Cologne and the Gallery Schlichtenmaier (Dätzingen Castle). Loth lived and worked for many years in Karlsruhe. In the center of the exposition is the connection between Loth and Käthe Kollwitz, who in turn bore a closely relation to the administrative district of Waldshut.

Concerts:

7^th of July:

The Klenke Quartet will present compositions of Joseph Haydn, Benjamin Britten and Franz Schubert.

After its debut, the Klenke Quartet gives concerts at the most prestigious festivals. The four female musicians travel for concerts through all the European countries as well as through Northern and Southern America. In 2003, they accompanied the former Federal President Johannes Rau with concerts on his official visits in Mexico, Chile, Uruguay and Brazil.

22^nd of September:

The soprano singer Stefanie True and the piano player Amy Blyth present works of Johann Ladislaus Dussek, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy and Robert Schumann.

6^th of October:

Trio Wanderer will present compositions of Ludwig van Beethoven, Franz Schubert and Peter Tschaikowski.

The trio has already won such awards as the “Victoires de la Musique” as the best chamber music formation of the year in France, the Gramophone Critic’s Choice Award, the Choq du Monde de la Musique and the Midem Classical Award.

10^th of November:

Singer Pur – A Thousand Years. It will be a presentation of secular music which has been played through the centuries, on the occasion of the 20 year anniversary of Singer Pur.

The soprano singer, the three tenor singers, the baritone singer and the bass singer have won prizes and awards several times. By now, they have been won the Classic ECHO prize three times. The singers, some of whom are former Domspatzen of Regensburg, can be named with good reason as the best known German vocal ensemble.

Readings:

8^th of July:

Readings of the Literature Scholarship Holders of Baden-Wuertttemberg: Bernadette Conrad, Manuela Fuelle and Lena Gorelik.

21^st of October:

Iso Camartin – Über Grenzen (Over the Borders). Lecture and Discussion.

Iso Camartin was born in Chur in 1944. He was a literary scholar and a cultural scientist, philosopher, writer and literary critic. Also, from 1985 to 1997 he was a professor of Rhaeto-Romanic literature and culture in the ETH and in the University of Zurich.  From 2000 to 2003, Iso Camartin headed the Cultural Directorate Swiss television. Since then he has been a liberal publicist and writer.

This event serves as an opening for a series of events with the topic “Borders” of the Randen Commission, which is an informal incorporation of Canton Schaffhausen, the administrative district of Konstanz, the Black Forest – Baar region and the administrative district Waldshut.

The Black Forest’s Christmas Fairs

This year the Christmas spirit does not want to arise in everyone’s heart.  While the last year brought us plenty of snow this year December seems to be like a usual autumn month. Nevertheless, it should not be a reason for spoiling us the most beautiful tradition of Christmas time, which is the Christmas fair. All those with unfinished Christmas shopping should really visit a Black Forest Christmas fair and get a great present like of the Black Forest delicacies.

The list of the Christmas fairs is long but here we name 3 of the most popular Christmas fairs in the Black Forest:

The Freiburger Christmas fair will be open until the 23^rd of December. With its 111 stalls and 2 children’s carousels it is the jewel among the Christmas fairs. Here you can get more details. http://www.weihnachtsmarkt-freiburg.de/

In Pforzheim the 40^th Golden Pforzheim’s Christmas fair will be open until the 22^nd of December. Here 70 traders will present everything the heart desires. This Christmas fair will be in the inner-city, so you should not miss the chance to visit it.

The Baden-Baden Christmas fair, which is the so called “Christkindlmarkt”, will be open until the 26^th of December and will contain around 100 stalls. The “Christkindlmarkt” is nestled in the hills of the Black Forest and is one of the most beautiful places of the region. The daily changing programs will delight even the sharpest grinch. Get more information here. http://www.baden-baden.de/static/site/christkindelsmarkt/index.html

For those who are still hesitating we have a video of www.schwarzwald-bodensee-urlaub.de. What are you still waiting for?

Handicrafts, delicacies, punch and glühwein are waiting for you!