Castle of the week 40 - Schloß Weitenburg
The
mists of the Black Forest are covering the valleys, wolves are
howling, and lumber jacks chop the wood for the long winter.
Still in the 21st century, you can feel this medieval atmosphere
over here in the southwest corner of Germany. Between the
mountains of the Black Forest and the heights of the Swabian
Alps, the river Neckar created a wonderful, mystic valley. The
richness of fish within the river let ancient humans settle along
its banks. Celtics, Alemans and Romans enjoyed the spirits of the
forests and the beauties of the valley. Full of fairy tales and
legends, this area is one of the oldest civilized regions in
Germany.
As early as 1062 Weitenburg Castle was built high
above the River Neckar, as one of about half a dozen fortified
strongholds between the cities of Horb and Rottenburg, which was
well known in Roman times as Sumelocenna. Within the first 700
years of its history, Weitenburg Castle very often changed
ownership and used to be a home for plundering-knights and
devoted monks. A story of the 15th century tells us that the
knight Hans Pfuser von Nordstetten, who was the present owner of
the Weitenburg Castle, kidnapped in 1437 even the royal
ambassador to hold him for ransom. The Duke of Württemberg
replied with a siege and, at last, the knight was caught and sent
to the royal court. Within those times, the plundering-knights of
the castles in the valley terrorized travellers, and it wasn't
recommended to pass through the valley without an escort.
Different combats and sieges destroyed most of the castles, and
Weitenburg Castle is now the only one remaining in the valley.
Ruins of the neighborhood castles give visitors
an impression of how the valley was ruled by robber-knights. Next
to Weitenburg Castle, hikers can find the ruins of the Siegburg,
and it's not a tale that in dark winter nights smoke steams out
of the holes in the ground, and the ghost of the White Lady shows
up. The Siegburg Castle ruin is the most mysterious in that area
and the baron of Weitenburg Castle, Max von Rassler, could tell
you all the stories and tales. What used to be a fortified
stronghold is today a three-winged inhabited castle. Its various
architectural styles reflect the spirit of the Renaissance,
Baroque and Neogothical periods. And even the Duke of
Württemberg himself owned the Castle for a limited period of
time. In the year 1720 Baron Rupert von Rassler bought Weitenburg
Castle. Emperor Leopold I made it possible for the Rassler family
to become nobles and honoured Baron Franz Christoph von Rassler
by allowing him to display the royal "L" on his coat of arms.
It's told that the Rasslers got fed up with the fogs in the
valley and looked for a nicer place to live. The Bishop of Chur
gave the credit of 43,000 Rhine-Guldas and three generations of
the Rasslers had to pay it back.
Till 1806, the place was part of the Austrian
Empire, and during Napoleon times they lost their independence
and became part of the Kingdom of 
Württemberg. In the 1950's Weitenburg Castle
opened a restaurant and the family hosts business and scientific
congresses. In late 1980 a golf course was added, and Weitenburg
Castle and the family of the Rasslers have become modern barons.
It's just another tale that a cousin of them became a motorbike
rebel and invented the famous Rassler-Trike.
Write-up courtesy of Targan Khan. Pictures courtesy of Schloß Weitenburg