Q: RE: The German Half-Timbered House Road

Has anyone traveled all or part of the road described at this link: http://www.deutsche-fachwerkstrasse.de/uk/cont.php3 ?

If so, what were your impressions?

Hi Bill,

A few years ago I made a study of various forests and forestry management techniques employed in the Harz and Thuringian mountains plus also have travelled widely in the southern part of the Black forest.

The north is full of Fachwerk and the south more with alpine log type buildings.

Do you have a specific question ?

Regards

Ken Hume

Hi Ken,

Thanks for the response. I am planning a trip for next year, and I want it to be both enjoyable and educational. I want to learn as much as I can, so a few questions that occur to me are the following:
- Are there any open air museums to be found and/or demonstrations of technique to be seen?
- In addition to the framing, there are techniques for applying infill (lehmbau), weatherproofing the infill and coloring/weatherproofing the exposed timbers. Are there points along the way at which I can learn more about the process, not just the result?
- Are there any places that are so popular with tourists that it is wise to avoid them during the summer months?
- Is the fact that my German vocabulary extends only to about 50 words going to make it impossible to communicate with people knowledgeable in timber framing, as opposed to people who deal with tourists all the time?
- Is there any intersection between practitioners of "green" building in Germany and of traditional building?
- Does German society support continued application of traditional building techniques on a scale that the U.S. and Europe do not, and if so, why?

Regards,
Bill

Regards,
Bill

Hi Bill,

Wow - so many questions.

I will put you in touch offline with someone who has made a similar journey.

Regards

Ken Hume

Hi Bill,

I just received the following information from Chris How in Australia re your planned fachwerk trip to Germany :-

" Your friend who intends to visit Germany should get hold of the Theiss book of Archaeological sites, “Archaologie Erleben” which gives many building museums. It cost 22 Euros; ISBN 978-3-8062-2276-0, or just look it up on Google. My thoughts are that some of the best medieval villages are in the south; The Romantische Strasse; Dinkelsbuhl, Rothenburg and Nordlingen. All in lower Swabia. Also Biberach in upper Swabia and Forchheim in northern Bavaria. Germany is full of interesting picturesque towns however, so mobility is the main problem.

The books on framing which I rely on can be obtained from Amazon.de. Best is Schaefer’s book “Deutsche Holzbaukunst” in reprint and Bohm’s “Holzkonstructionen” is a good second. Both are well illustrated so language is less of a problem. It is a big subject and there is far too much to see in a very big country, but we all have to start somewhere. If he is in the north then there is a good museum near Luneberg Heath where Monty took the surrender 10 days before Eisenhower."

Regards

Ken Hume
pp Chris How MSc.(timber building conservation) C.Eng.