For various reasons it is difficult to talk about the Thingstätte in Heidelberg, particularly in English. The English problem is a language one. A Germanic Thing (pronounced ting) is a thing in English but not as in an object or an article but as in a folkmoot (kind of like an entmoot for people). Then there are the historic problems. This venue, fashioned in a way that Nazis envisaged Germanic culture 2000 years ago, was built in the 1930s on a hill near Heidelberg for pseudo Germanic festivities and rituals. Early on it was clear that it would never do what it was meant to do because they built a stage in the middle of an amphitheatre for thousands of spectators but forgot about toilets and other necessities. After world war II it was neglected, then half-heartedly revived (even Placido Domingo gave a concert there once), after 2000 it was only used unofficially for Walpurgis Night feasts where students partied in the night from 30 April to 1 May. This was stopped in 2018 as it created too many problems, not least several forest fires.

Today it’s mainly a destination for excursions. There is a lookout point in the vicinity which offers a wonderful view of the Heidelberg Schloss on the other side of the river Neckar.

FOWC with Fandango: Venue

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