Harz Mountains

Harz Mountains
Heinrich Heine wrote that even Mephistopheles stopped and trembled when he approached the Harz, the devil's dearest mountains. It's easy to see why Heine---as well as Goethe, Bismarck, and a host of others---fell in love with these mist-shrouded woodlands. The region has offered more than inspiration, though; the Harz were Germany's primary source of minerals and ore for metal manufacturing until the early 20th century. Germany's 45-year division allowed the Harz Mountains to flourish in an artificial time warp. Since the region straddled the Iron Curtain, both East and West declared much of it off-limits, sparing it from development. The effects of that period's shaky economy can still be felt, particularly in the Ostharz. Now the recreation industry is rushing in from both East and West, but as of yet the long arm of American tourism hasn't reached the Harz.

Orientation
Now that the armed border guards have gone, visitors have taken their places and multiplied like mosquitoes in the Harz summer; hikers and spa-fiends alike rush to these rugged hills in the heart of the restored nation. The range stretches from the northwestern Oberharz to the wind-sheltered valleys of the south and Wernigerode in the east. Throughout the Harz, historic villages and the lush, natural beauty of the mountains and valleys form a powerful tag-team of tourism. In summer, the area is perfect for biking and hiking, while the first snow signals the beginning of the skiing, skating, and tobogganing season.

Transportation
The Harzquerbahn and Brockenbahn, antique, narrow-gauge railways, steam from Nordhausen to Wernigerode, pass through the unfortunately named towns of Sorge and Elend (Sorrow and Misery), reach a 540m peak on Drei Annen Hohne, and chug along to Brocken, the Harz's highest peak (1142m). Trains run every hour in summer from 8:30am-8:30pm. Schedules are available at most tourist offices, on the web at www.hsb-wr.de, and in the free monthly pamphlet Brocken Tips.

The easiest way to travel between the Ostharz and Oberharz is by the hourly bus between Bad Harzburg, the region's transportation hub, and Wernigerode. A train from Wernigerode to Bad Harzburg connects through Halberstadt and Vienenburg (1¾hr., 1 per hr., €10). From Bad Harzburg, hourly buses continue to Torfhaus and Braunlage. A more strenuous and interesting way involves a little jaunt through the woods. Torfhaus, Braunlage, Schierke, Elend, and Drei Annen Hohne all lie within a day's hike of one another.

Practical Information
The regional tourist office in Goslar and the regional bus station in Wernigerode offer a wealth of information for navigating the region. Be sure to find times in advance; schedules vary greatly between seasons and some buses only come a few times per day. Pick up a copy of the Fahrplan der Verkehrs- und Tarifgemeinschaft Ostharz (€2) for a comprehensive list of bus and rail lines in the Ostharz. A similar Fahrplan is available for the buses in the Goslar Landkreis, which runs all over the Oberharz. Always be prepared for bad weather here, especially sudden and violent rainstorms, as the rugged geography makes for dramatic weather patterns. Travelers should call the Braunlage Wetterstation at (05520) 13 20 for summertime (Apr.-Oct.) weather conditions. (Open 5:30am-11pm.) During the winter months (Nov.-Mar.), call Schneetelefon at (05321) 200 24.

If you travel through the Harz in the spring, you can join in the immense regional celebration of Walpurgisnacht (April 30). The hedonistic festivities, immortalized by Goethe, center around legendary witches who sweep through the sky on broomsticks to land on the peak of Brocken. The legendary witches dance with the devil until midnight, at which point the May King cleans house. Brocken Tips lists events and activities in Wernigerode, Goslar, and Quedlinburg. For more on cultural happenings and hiking tips, pick up a free copy of Harz-Blick at any Harz tourist office.