BADEN-WURTTEMBERG
- Alex P
- 3 days ago
- 5 min read
Baden-Wurttemberg is a German cocktail of the fairytale Black Forest Schwarzwald, ancient castles, cozy towns and automotive engineering magic of Mercedes and Porsche.
BADEN-WURTTEMBERG: ICONIC LANDMARKS
Baden-Wurttemberg is a German cocktail of Black Forest, ancient castles, cozy towns, and engineering wizardry. Imagine strolling through the narrow streets of Heidelberg, with a romantic castle looming above you, as if straight out of a fairy tale. A sip of coffee, and you're in Stuttgart , where the latest Mercedes and Porsche models gleam provocatively.
If you're craving nature, welcome to Black Forest Schwarzwald! Dark pine woods, villages with half-timbered houses, and whispering waterfalls — it's easy to believe in gnomes and spirits. You can also climb the Feldberg, the highest point on earth, and breathe in the alpine air with its special taste.
Baden-Wurttemberg is a country with many facets: from the university quiet of Tübingen to the sunny comfort of Lake Constance , from medieval Ulm to the futuristic flair of its many museums. This land doesn't shout about itself, but speaks directly to the heart.
BADEN-WURTTEMBERG: COAT OF ARMS' HISTORY
In fact, this region has a fairly stable old name: Swabia . This region on the upper reaches of the Rhine and Danube is named after the Swabians, a people who speak a distinct Swabian dialect. The term derives from the name of the ancient Germanic tribe, the Suevi.
Despite its rich heritage, the word "Swabia" doesn't appear in modern official names, but it modestly and somewhat reproachfully looks down on its contemporaries from the coat of arms of three black lions on a golden shield. But why did they change the name? It's most likely because almost half of Swabia, as a cultural, historical, and linguistic region, is located in Bavaria, while outside Germany, Swabians are found in France, Austria, Switzerland, and even Transcarpathian Ukraine.
The coat of arms with three lions refers to the traditions of the ancient Duchy of Swabia, whose last dukes, the Hohenstaufen, used this coat of arms. The name "Swabia" was long discussed for the new federal state, but was not adopted due to opposition from part of Baden. Intrigues.
Thus, the historical name was retained on the coat of arms only visually, while the proper name came from the historical regions. Following a referendum, these regions were united in 1952 to form the state of Baden-Wurttemberg. It seems they simply decided to more clearly define the modern geographic boundaries and combine them.
The Grand Duchy of Baden was a state in southwestern Germany that existed from 1806 to 1918. It actively participated in German politics, constantly joining various German state unions and formations.
Baden was renowned for its progressiveness: it was here that Germany adopted its first liberal constitution, allowed freedom of religion, and abolished the death penalty. However, the abolition of the death penalty was a bit of a curiosity – the abolition law was set to take effect the day after the scheduled execution, but the Duke refused to postpone it. As a result, the criminal was executed just hours before the law was scheduled to take effect.
The Kingdom of Wurttemberg existed from 1806 to 1918 and became so thanks to Napoleon, who generously distributed royal crowns to his allies.
What made Wurttemberg distinctive? A developed bureaucracy, iron discipline, and the uncontrollable stubbornness of its rulers: kings were slow to implement reforms, and local laws were so meticulous that Württemberg was often called the "state of notaries."
Baden-Württemberg also has a "great coat of arms." This isn't just a symbol, but a veritable heraldic dossier for the state. It's held by a charming griffin and a deer: characters from the coats of arms of the old states of Baden and Württemberg.
The shield holders stand on a pedestal in black and gold — the colors of this federal state. Interestingly, the deer was once gold, and the griffin silver. Today, everything has been simplified somewhat, but the symbolism remains: each element echoes former principalities, duchies, and imperial ties.
The shield bears six minor coats of arms: from the red-and-white Franconian rake and the imperial dynasty Hohenzollern black-and-white checkerboard to the gold-on-black Palatine lion (the part of Bavaria that became part of our federal state) and a red-and-white shield, a reminder of Austria — a series of small Habsburg holdings on the upper Danube. The coats of arms of Baden and Wurttemberg are somewhat larger than the other coats of arms, which is understandable.
BADEN-WURTTEMBERG: FUN FACTS
Of hunting trophies and the need to carefully check contracts before signing.
The coat of arms of Württemberg features strange squiggles that at first glance look like someone's calligraphic fantasy. In reality, they are much more prosaic and, at the same time, noble: they are deer antlers. In the region, they symbolize not only forests and game, but also a long-standing hunting tradition — with rituals, trophies, and that sense of balance between man and nature that has been valued here for centuries.
Over time, antlers became a symbol of status and identity, migrating from coats of arms into everyday visual culture. The most famous example is the Porsche logo. Yes, that same prancing horse (the coat of arms of Stuttgart) is surrounded by a shield with black and red stripes and the very same Wurttemberg antlers. Thus, ancient hunting symbols unexpectedly became part of a world of speed, engineering precision, and modern myth. History knows how to accelerate.
Baden-Württemberg can frighten not only with its forests, but also with its stories. The most persistent of these is the legend of Doctor Faust, a man who read books too carefully and, perhaps, not contracts carefully enough. The moral here is simple and relevant: before signing, it's worth rereading the fine print, especially if the person you're talking to is suspiciously eloquent and smells of sulfur.
The supposed prototype of Faust, Johann Georg Faust, was born in the town of Knittlingen. There, the myth is treated with indulgence, but respect — as a warning. Curiously, the city's coat of arms seems to complement the theme: a bishop's crozier crossed by two black feathers. In heraldry, feathers are a symbol of writing and knowledge, and black rarely promises a cloudless outcome.
Coincidence? Perhaps. But in Baden-Wurttemberg, they prefer to believe that symbols don't simply adorn the shield — sometimes they quietly comment on fate.
BADEN-WURTTEMBERG: ALPINE SKIING
Feldberg is often called the "Schwarzwald in miniature." And the Schwarzwald is the very same "Black Forest," where mysticism abounds. Forested slopes, shaggy snowdrifts, a clean environment, quiet hotels, and excellent conditions for family skiing. An excellent option for those who want neither Olympic walls nor noisy stages.
Baden-Wurttemberg's highest mountain stands at 1,493 meters. Lifts can transport skiers to the most beautiful slopes of the Schwarzwald, making Feldberg an excellent ski resort with over 30 kilometers of trails of varying difficulty.
Comments