The Ore MOunTains experience Welcome to the Erzgebirge hOMe to those who like to combine relaxation and activity on their holidays. Unwind today and leave the adventures for tomorrow – the Erzgebirge region has charm enough for both. Mining & culTural geMs hOMe OF Treasure 4 E r z g E b i r g E Mining & Cultural g E M s E r z g E b i r g E Mining & Cultural g E M s 5 Magnificent. Riches on the “Miners are the conquerors surface and riches deep of the underground world. Just one below the ground; thrilling e xample of their power was the stories of the mountain. Each Bergstreittag (Miners’ Strike Day) and every visitor will find in Schneeberg, one of the very first strikes over pay.” Dr. Henry schlauderer Excerpt from the Miners› Altar in their own personal treasure President of the regional Federation of Miner, St Anne›s Church, Annaberg on this tour of discovery. Pitman and smelter societies Experience mining a little differently – Copper hammers at the Saigerhütte Olbernhau Museum at the artmontan festival The Markus Röhling Stolln former silver mine, Annaberg-Buchholz The glint of silver Miriquidi – the dark forest. the name the first that is unique in Europe, and has sent the Erz- settlers gave to our region; a forbidding moun- gebirge well on its way to becoming a tain landscape overgrown by trees. Yet these unEsCO World Heritage site. the Erzgebirge were soon forced to yield, for the settlers had still pays tribute to those who recovered such discovered that the earth concealed a rich treasures: every year before Christmas, miners treasure: glorious amounts of silver. today the in traditional garb weave through the towns tunnels, fascinating mountain towns and accompanied by bands – and from these re- splendid churches bear witness to the ensuing markable processions the casual observer will silver rush – the so-called berggeschrey (‘mi- begin to understand the value of the work once ning clamour’). they form a cultural landscape performed by the miners. Miners dressed for parade erzgebirge · The Ore Mountains experience erzgebirge · The Ore Mountains experience 6 E r z g E b i r g E Mining & Cultural g E M s E r z g E b i r g E Mining & Cultural g E M s 7 “You can hear the silver here in the Erzgebirge. Noble, light, resplendent tones – typical of Gottfried Silbermann’s organs.” albrecht Koch Director of Church Music at Freiberg Cathedral Daetz Centre Lichtenstein – Manufaktur der Träume – museum and President of the gottfried silbermann society wood carving art from all over the world International Robert Schumann competition of folk art and crafts in Annaberg-Buchholz The wealth of the erzgebirge some time after silver was first discovered here, the saxony princes built beautiful towns with the proceeds of this arduous work. Marien- berg, for example. this awe-inspiring town with its perfectly square marketplace and regular right-angled streets emerged fully- formed from the drawing board. the Erzgebir- ge was a prosperous and attractive region, so it was no wonder that creative minds such as adam ries, gottfried silbermann and robert schumann loved living here – and it was from here that their fame spread. Much of the wealth that came out of the silver mines went straight into the treasure rooms of the Dresden lords. the name of the trade route was the silberstraße (silver road), along which the past everyday life of the mining region is still alive and well today. One of the 32 Silbermann organs that can be found in Saxony terra mineralia in Freiberg – over 3,500 treasures from all five continents erzgebirge · The Ore Mountains experience erzgebirge · The Ore Mountains experience 8 t HEM a O x mo x t HEM a O x mo x 9 TradiTiOnal handicraFTs & a winTer wOnderland hOMe OF lighT 10 E r z g E b i r g E t r a D i t i O n a l H a n D i C r a F t s & a W i n t E r wo n de r l a n D E r z g E b i r g E t r a D i t i O n a l H a n D i C r a F t s & a W i n t E r wo n de r l a n D 11 warmth. contemplation. Togetherness. Home. Outside the weather is the Erzgebirge region is the cradle of german Christmas tradition; its customs are deeply icy; inside in the snug parlour rooted in our mining history. the miners lived life largely underground – in the dark. they there’s candlelight, the scent yearned for the light that is still bestowed upon us by the warm glow of the schwibbögen and of incense, the traditional the candles in the window. Old and new – traditional Schwibbogen Christmas figures – a warm, (half-arched candleholders) familiar sense of security. Christmas market – Schwarzenberg Wood art in modern design Even today, homes are lovingly decorated over “Mettenschicht, the miners’ last the Christmas period and people call their friends together to talk and tell each other sto- shift before Christmas Eve. ries. What used to be called Hutzenabend (a The exhibition mines celebrate this merry and companionable evening of wood- carving and lace-making) is still gladly arranged over the Christmas period for guests today. Companionship is still very important to the people of the Erzgebirge – so, with miners’ music and hearty for example, they come together every year to traditional food.” watch as the traditional, tall, carousel-like Matthias Kreibich Christmas pyramid in the centre of the Christ- Former miner and executive director of the mas market is set into motion. saxony Museum of industry, Ehrenfriedersdorf tin Mine site; Visitors’ Mine & Mineralogical Museum at the Ehrenfriedersdorf tin Mine ‘Hear ye all’ The Zwönitz night-watchman announces the time as well as pieces of wisdom on his nightly tour of the city centre. erzgebirge · The Ore Mountains experience erzgebirge · The Ore Mountains experience 12 E r z g E b i r g E t r a D i t i O n a l H a n D i C r a F t s & a W i n t E r wo n de r l a n D E r z g E b i r g E t r a D i t i O n a l H a n D i C r a F t s & a W i n t E r wo n de r l a n D 13 a steady hand and a cool head the chisel glides gently all the way along a and steady hands are required. When the simple block of linden wood. a delicate shaving people of the Erzgebirge invented this and “The special thing of wood curls upward. again the chisel is ap- other techniques long ago, they could never plied, and curl after curl unfurls. the same have guessed that their folk art would one about our work is action is repeated all the way around the day be famous around the world. today the that the careful craftsmanship wooden block. spanbaumstechen (creating authenticity of these elaborately crafted items tree woodcarvings) is like ring turning, in is guaranteed, even outside germany, by the is immediately apparent.” which figures are cut from a wooden ring.i t is “Erzgebirgische Holzkunst” (‘authentic Erzge- Dieter uhlmann Managing Director of the association of a craft technique that is unique to the Erzge- birge wood art’) seal. Erzgebirge Craftsmen and toymakers. birge and for which plenty of staying power Meticulous work at a clock maker’s in Glashütte Spanning generations – Spanbaumstechen (carving chiselled traditional bobbin lace-making wooden trees) is a precision job Esche Museum, Limbach-Oberfrohna with your own eyes Erzgebirge handicrafts are made to last, and the woodworkers, clockmakers, trimmers and bob- bin lace-makers make the exceptional extraor- dinary. their work is filled with ingenious detail and imaginative concepts. those keen to watch these experts in action are recommended to visit one of the exhibition workshops or the areas famed for toy-making around seiffen and Olbernhau. incidentally, the Erzgebirge is the only place in the world where it is possible to qualify as a maker of wooden toys. Designed with careful attention to detail – the famous 11-dot angel erzgebirge · The Ore Mountains experience erzgebirge · The Ore Mountains experience 14 t HEM a O x mo x t HEM a O x mo x 15 hOMe OF The angel spOrTs & viTaliTy in winTer 16 E r z g E b i r g E s P O r t s & V i ta l i t Y E r z g E b i r g E s P O r t s & V i ta l i t Y 17 Sport. Everything the skier’s heart could desire – abundant “20 Olympic victories and snow, wonderful slopes, over 300 international medals – that’s top winter sports, countless cross-country trails. Erzgebirge-style.” A cross-country trail in the romantic surroundings of Nature Jens Weißflog Pure winter pleasure in the Olympic gold-medallist and world champion Proprietor of the “Jens Weißflog” apartment hotel, heart of Germany. Oberwiesenthal resort the region offers around 1,000 km of well- marked trails, including one of the most beau- tiful and snow-sure trails in the whole of ger- many, the Kammloipe. it was designated an ‘Excellent’ trail by the german skiing associa- tion. pure adrenalin: bob-sledding through the Taking the cableway on eastern Germany’s ice canal highest mountain One of the most challenging tracks in the world Hurtling down the ice canal at 100 km per hour… insanity, or actually rather good fun? You’ll have to decide for yourself as a visitor to First-class winter sport the altenberg luge and bobsled track.