Odenwald Hike: Picturesque Hirschhorn

Gallery2. January 20213. January 2021 hikemindedLeave a comment

A walk with an old and dear friend trough the marvelous village of Hirschhorn over Neckar river. It’s so good to see people grow and change and that every change has the chance to be a powerful boost of live. At the same time walking through historic environments and knowing her since our distant school days reminds me that there is a solid foundation that can last over centuries.

Berlin Night Hike: Empty Covid City

20. December 2020 hikeminded14 Comments

I started taking walks at night sometimes on my own, sometimes with a friend to move my tired home-office legs. You see some dog walkers around but even Unter den Linden and Brandenburger Tor is empty. Nobody is out there and it’s like in a movie where you wake up and suddenly you become aware that you are the only person around.

Berlin, Our Beautiful Hideousness

Gallery5. October 20205. October 2020 hikemindedLeave a comment

Is anybody in Berlin taking care of of urban planning at all? And if yes, why all this ugliness? And why does something cool happen every time there is abandoned building? And if yes: Why not build abandoned buildings?

Weimar, Jena, Apolda – A Short Glimpse In Pictures

Image23. September 202029. September 2020 hikeminded1 Comment

Three towns of the same region in Thuringia, which have their similarities but also great differences. Mostly described in pictures.

Haus am Horn: An Experiment Of New Living

Image21. September 202028. September 2020 hikemindedLeave a comment

Haus am Horn—an experimental building for an exposition in 1923—is the only buildt Bauhaus architecture in Weimar.

The Eiermannbau In Apolda: The Flying Factory

Image18. September 202028. September 2020 hikeminded1 Comment

The Eiermannbau in Apolda is a formidable example of the lightness of modern architecture and an icon of industry culture.

A New Home For Refugees In 1947: The Eiermann Houses in Hettingen

9. July 202020. September 2020 hikeminded7 Comments

Some years ago I visited an exhibition in the Bauhaus Archive in Berlin and only there I became aware that famous architect Egon Eiermann not only built part of a hotel in my hometown Buchen im Odenwald, but also several settlements for post-war refugees in 1947.
In 1946 Magnani, a priest from Hettingen, and Egon Eiermann made plans to build houses for the numerous refugees coming from the East to Baden. The settlers were strictly selected by ethical criteria (“no people caught with lies, theft or adultery”) – and had to build the houses mostly on their own.
Today it is possible to visit one of the simple houses which perfectly shows the different stadiums of occupancy – for example by not (always) recreating the original parts, but by leaving 40s, 60s and 80s taste of the residents shine through.

We’ve been lucky to have a guided tour by one of the former students of Eiermann. And I strongly recommend a visit for every friend of modern architecture.
Please look for opening hours and more history (German language) on the website.

Other Eiermann houses in Hettingen and Buchen today

Berlin Day Hike: A Rainy February Sunday

2. February 2020 hikeminded4 Comments

One of those days. When you stray around in your city – necessary sometimes, to get a feeling of belonging and full of surprising discoveries. When I came here a long time ago, the historical Moltkebrücke (the bridge with the lions you can see below) was a solitary building in the middle of nowhere. And while there are some new, quite impressive corporate and private buildings, their aesthetic expression seams meaningless and empty compared to the Haus der Kulturen der Welt (Kongresshalle).
My Dad would have had his 76 birthday today.

Wild Berlin

23. January 2020 hikemindedLeave a comment

Sometimes, on a walk through the city, you see more animals than in the forest. For example a grey heron 🙂

Odenwald Hike: Impressions Of The Middle Ages At Hornberg Castle

24. December 201924. December 2019 hikemindedLeave a comment

The castle of Hornberg was first built in the 11th century. Germanys most famous knight, Götz von Berlichingen lived there for 45 years and the winery inside the castle is said to be the second eldest in the whole world.