The Harz - a region in change
The reason for creating this blog is to show
you what the Harz is really like, warts and all. The Harz is a low mountain
range in central Germany, with a rich history. The Brocken Mountain, surrounded
by timber-frame towns act as the main focal point for the many visitors to the
region. For more information about the Harz and its history then please refer
to my website.
www.thisisharz.com
The Harz can feel like it's stuck in a time
warp. In Germany it has a reputation of somewhere where old people go to live
out the remaining years of their lives (something similar to Eastbourne in the
UK). It was a region whose tourism was based around the elderly, with hotels
that felt and looked older than its guests. Then almost overnight after the
German government removed the free fortnightly paid wellness holidays to the
over 60's, the main source of income dried up. Many hotels went out of business
and tourist numbers dropped dramatically. This affected not only the local
economy, but damaged the status of the Harz even more.
But the Harz has something unique to offer.
It is a region that is in a state of change and in the process of reinventing
itself. These two images beautifully represent what I mean. In my home town of
Bad Sachsa you have the 5-star wellness spa hotel Romantic Winkle, one of the
best hotels in the Harz, and close by the derelict and unwanted Guesthouse
Bremen. You have this impressive Art Nouveau villa, while 500 meters away lies
this crumbling neglected villa. And wherever you travel in the Harz you will
see the same. Old and new, investment and decay sit side by side, like two
opposing sides of change.
Why do I think you should visit the Harz?
Because it is an unspoilt part of Germany, a hidden treasure, and one through
this blog and web site I want to introduce to you. We are not a tourist board
and I am not a professional writer (clearly evident), we are simply an
independent site run by a mad Englishman.
I hope you enjoy our content.
(Our blog will commence from the 30th April
- Walpurgis Night)
