The Brocken
The highest peak of the Harz mountains, where German folklore set the Walpurgis Night gathering of witches.
Practised and told of here
Best time: 30 April for the festival, or late summer for walking.
The Brocken rises to 1,141 metres and is often in cloud. Folk tradition from at least the seventeenth century said that witches gathered there on the night of 30 April to meet the devil. Goethe set a scene of his Faust on the mountain, and the story is told throughout the Harz.
The legend
The story drew on an older spring festival in which fires were lit to drive away harm. The Church identified it with a saint's day, Walpurgis, and associated the old customs with witchcraft. Historians see the Brocken gathering as a literary and folk image, not a record of events.
Modern festival
Walpurgisnacht is celebrated in towns across the Harz on 30 April with bonfires, costumes and dances. Neo-Pagans hold their own rites, and some local traders sell witch dolls.
Visiting
A steam railway runs to the summit from Wernigerode. The mountain is a national park, and weather can be harsh.
A respectful visit to The Brocken
Living communities are not a show. Ask before photographing a person or a ceremony, and follow local rules.
- Brockenbahn steam train Ride up from Wernigerode.
- Summit Walk the round trail and read the signs.
- Schierke Visit the village at the foot.
Written by the EveryJaadu desk with AI assistance. Background: "Brocken" on Wikipedia. Opening hours, markets and ceremonies change; check locally before travelling. If something is wrong, tell us.
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