Fahner height

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Fahner height
Mhl Fahnersche Höhenblick 5.jpg
Highest peak Abtsberg ( 413  m above sea  level )
location Thuringia
Inselberg des Thuringian basin
Classification according to Handbook of the natural spatial structure of Germany
Fahner Höhe (Thuringia)
Fahner height
Coordinates 51 ° 3 '  N , 10 ° 46'  E Coordinates: 51 ° 3 '  N , 10 ° 46'  E
rock Shell limestone
surface 26 km²
p1

The Fahner Höhe (also Fahnersche Höhe ) is elongated, densely forested, narrow and a maximum of 413  m above sea level. NN high mountain range made of shell limestone in the southwest of the Thuringian Basin in Thuringia ( Germany ). Like the Ettersberg , about 25 km to the east , it is an island mountain and after this the second highest inner elevation of the Thuringian Basin. In the inner- Thuringian system of natural areas in Thuringia of the Thuringian State Institute for Environment and Geology (TLUG), it represents an independent, 26 km² natural area .

The ridge got its name from the villages Groß- and Kleinfahner on the northern edge . Its distinguishing marks are the Bienstädter Warte , a former watchtower , and the Kleinfahner post mill .

The Bienstädter Warte, a symbol of the Fahner Höhe, in July 2011

geography

The Fahner Höhe lies within the sovereignty of the district of Gotha in the west, the district of Sömmerda in the northeast and the state capital Erfurt in the southeast, roughly in the middle of the triangle Erfurt - Gotha - Bad Langensalza . The following places are lined up around the Fahner Höhe, starting in the northwest and running clockwise: Burgtonna , Gräfentonna , Döllstädt , Großfahner , Gierstädt , Kleinfahner , Witterda , Friedrichsdorf , Tiefthal , Schaderode , Töttelstädt , Bienstädt , Molschleben , Eschenbergen and Ballstädt .

The Fahner Höhe runs in a north-west-south-east direction, is about 12 km long and a maximum of 4 km wide, in the east-facing spur it is significantly narrower. Your ridge is between 300 and 413  m above sea level. NN . Its highest point is in the west on the Abtsberg . The ridge slopes gently towards the Nesse valley in the south-west, and in the north-east it drops steeply to the Thuringian Basin . It protrudes up to 250 m from the Thuringian Basin and can be seen from afar. From the edges of the Fahner Höhe, with good visibility conditions, there are far-reaching views into the Thuringian Basin and the ridges at its edges. In the south, the heights of the Thuringian Forest with the striking Großer Inselsberg form the horizon line. In the northeast of the Fahner Höhe there are several Gipskeuper hills such as the threshold castle .

geology

The Fahner Höhe is a Hercynian arching, created by the pressing of the Zechstein saline, within the Thuringian Keuperbeckens. It is formed entirely on the surface by the limestone banks and clayey-marly intermediate layers of the Upper Muschelkalk . These plunge south and north under the marls, clays and sandstones of the Keuper . In particular, at the northern drop of the Fahner Höhe, the near-surface geological subsurface is formed by thick layers of loess that were deposited there during the cold ages.

By leaching the rocks of the Middle Muschelkalk underground, underground cavities are created which, after collapse, become noticeable on the surface of the earth through funnel-shaped sinkholes . Several sinkholes up to 25 m deep have occurred at the White Hut in the northwest of the Fahner Höhe.

Floors

On the mostly thick residual clays above Upper Muschelkalk , mainly water-retaining and strongly swelling clay soils have developed. Nutrient- rich pelosols and terra fusca are common, but brown soils are also found. In sloping areas, these merge into more shallow rendzines . In the case of loess clay , the brown earth tends to decay due to its water-retaining effect.

climate

With an annual rainfall of 650 to 700 mm , the Fahner Höhe is much more humid than the surrounding area. At the Fahner Höhe, there is uphill rain . Due to its exposed location, it catches precipitation from Atlantic lowlands that flow in from the west. The annual mean temperature of 7.5 ° C is only slightly below that of the Thuringian Basin . Towards the east, however, the Fahner Höhe becomes noticeably drier and warmer. The northern drop of the Fahner Höhe is on the shady side. There is less solar radiation than on the south side. There is therefore less warming and lower evaporation rates, so that the northern slopes are generally more humid and have a lower temperature amplitude.

During winter inversion weather conditions , the central slopes of the Fahner Höhe form from around 300  m above sea level. NN the fog line . They then protrude as a sunny ridge out of the foggy cold air lake that has formed in the Thuringian Basin.

Waters

Following the steep northern drop of the Fahner Höhe, the limestone of the Upper Muschelkalk mainly forms plateau areas that are only slightly broken up. The limestone is fissured and permeable to water. There are therefore only a few streams on the Fahner Höhe . Most of the drainage occurs underground.

After periods of rain, heavy rain or snowmelt, the surface water of the Northern Fall also flows away into erosion ditches above ground. The gorge-like deepened Imtalgraben between the Bienstädter Warte and Kleinfahner is particularly impressive .

The drainage takes place through ditches in the south and southwest to Weißbach and Nesse , in the west to Tonna , a tributary of the Unstrut and to the northeast to the Gera . The watershed between the catchment areas of the Elbe and Weser can thus be located at the Bienstädter Warte .

Vegetation and flora

The flower of the Fahner Höhe: the liverwort

The Fahner Höhe is mostly planted with forest. Natural oak-hornbeam forests of various types dominate, v. a. Forest rennet and meadowsweet (or star chickweed) oak-hornbeam forests (Galio-Carpinetes and Filipendulo-Carpinetes). Woodruff beech forests (Galio fagetes) have developed on the northern roof facing away from the sun . Oak and ravine forests rich in deciduous trees are rare on the Fahner Höhe and are only represented in the Imtal, in sinkholes and in places also in the foot of the slopes of the northern fall. Impressive old and extensive oak-hornbeam forests are the Ballstädter Holz in the west, the oak forest Im Haken near Witterda and the Peterholz near Töttelstedt. In the Peterholz there are small transitions to stone-seed-oak-dry forests. The oaks there reach heights of under 20 m and are very gnarled. The oak forests of the Fahner Höhe usually have a strong undergrowth of thorn bushes ( sloe and hawthorn ). Natural rejuvenation of the oak can therefore be difficult.

Occurrences of the Siberian iris ( Iris sibirica ) and the cross gentian ( Gentiana cruciata ) are to be regarded as special features of the flora of the Fahner Höhe . The liverwort ( Hepatica nobilis ), which can be seen as the flower of the Fahner Höhe , is widespread . Yellow monkshood ( Aconitum lycoctonum ) occurs in large populations on the northern slope . In sparse oak forests in the south of the Fahner Höhe, the color sore ( Serratula tinctoria ) , which is rare in Thuringia, is widespread. There it shows the alternately moist to dry soil conditions above the Upper Muschelkalk. Also rare is the Märzenbecher ( Leucojum vernum ), which in early spring forms carpets of white flowers in the flower base, a fresh valley in Ballstadt wood.

history

“Seven graves” of soldiers who died on April 9, 1945 on the Abtsberg

On April 9, 1945 , inexperienced young Wehrmacht soldiers dug foxholes for a defensive position on the Abtsberg in the western part of the Fahner Höhe . They were taken under fire by an American reconnaissance tank of the 80th Cavalry Reconnaissance Troop. Seven 17- and 18-year-olds died, the rest of the troop surrendered and were taken to the Bad Kreuznach prison camp . A seriously wounded man died on the transport. Because of the condition of the bodies, the pastor decided that the fallen were not buried in the cemetery in the neighboring village of Eschenbergen , but on the Abtsberg. Until 1953 there were seven wooden crosses with the names of the soldiers, which were then replaced by a small memorial . The stone bears a name plaque, inscribed with "FALLEN ON 9.4.1945". The site is known as the Seven Tombs . A total of 53 German and 6 American soldiers lost their lives in the vicinity of the Fahner Höhe on April 9 and 10, 1945.

economy

Manufacturing

Photovoltaic system at Burgtonna

South of Burgtonna on the southwestern edge of the Fahner Höhe, one of the first photovoltaic systems in Thuringia was built in 2007 .

Agriculture and Forestry

The forests of the Fahner Höhe are used for forestry. The mature age group forest dominates. Coniferous wood such as spruce , forest and black pine does not occur naturally and was brought in for forestry. A special feature is a stock of old Sudeten larches on the Nordabfall near Gierstädt. Nutrient-rich soils and the climate on the northern roofing of the Fahner Heights, which is favored by the protection of the mountain range, have enabled the development of a fruit-growing area that is still important today since the 19th century . The plateau areas in the south of the Fahner Höhe are intensively used for arable farming.

tourism

The Fahner Höhe is an important local recreation area for its neighboring communities and the catchment area of ​​the cities of Erfurt , Bad Langensalza and Gotha . The paths and gravel forest roads are frequented by walkers, hikers, cyclists and other recreational athletes. The starting point is often the confluence of the forest roads with the L 1027. The Fahner Höhe is easily accessible by hiking trails. Hiking destinations are the flower base near Ballstädt and the flower carpets of the spring flowers in the north of the Fahner Höhe. The ridge of the ridge can also be hiked in its entire length between Burgtonna and Erfurt-Tiefthal.

In spring, the cherry blossom festival attracts visitors to the eastern edge of the Fahner Höhe. The Grundmühle , a beer garden and event location in the forest near Töttelstädt , is the starting point for many people looking for relaxation.

traffic

The Fahner Höhe is only crossed in a north-south direction by the state road  1027 between Gierstädt and Molschleben, which winds up the north slope with a hairpin. Otherwise it will not be cut by traffic routes.

natural reserve

The Fahner Höhe is secured as a landscape protection area . The Hirschgrund near Großfahner and a winter linden- sessile oak forest near Witterda are designated as nature reserves , as is the Orphaler Grund west of Tiefthal. The western part of the Fahner Höhe was also placed under Europe-wide protection as FFH area No. 43 Fahnersche Höhe - Ballstädter Holz in the final notification of the Free State of Thuringia from January 2000.

Numerous smaller areas are protected as area natural monuments (FND) and protected landscape components (GLB). For example, the FND Blütengrund was set up to protect the occurrence of Märzenbeche in the west of the Fahner Höhe. The FND on the Abtsberg plateau also pursue the goals of floristic species protection . One of the most individual occurrences of the Siberian Iris in Thuringia was secured there.

The Peterholz near Töttelstädt, an old oak forest with parts of dry forest, is designated as a natural forest parcel .

Others

The administrative community Fahner Höhe of the municipalities of Dachwig , Döllstädt , Gierstädt , Großfahner and Tonna also bears the name of the ridge.

literature

  • Naturschutzbund Deutschland, Kreisgruppe Gotha (Hrsg .; 2000): On the nature and history of the Fahner Höhe . Gotha.

Individual evidence

  1. Markus Schwarzer, Andreas Mengel, Werner Konold, Nicole Reppin, Linda Mertelmeyer, Manuel Jansen, Karl-Heinz Gaudry, Manuel Oelke: Significant landscapes in Germany. Expert recommendations for a room selection . Ed .: Federal Agency for Nature Conservation . tape 2 : Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland, Hesse, Thuringia, Saxony, Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria. Bonn – Bad-Godesberg 2018, ISBN 978-3-89624-254-9 , chap. 297 Fahner Höhe, p. 221 ( Online [PDF; 29.6 MB ; accessed on January 19, 2019]).
  2. Map services of the Federal Agency for Nature Conservation ( information )
  3. ^ Walter Hiekel, Frank Fritzlar, Andreas Nöllert and Werner Westhus: The natural spaces of Thuringia . Ed .: Thuringian State Institute for Environment and Geology (TLUG), Thuringian Ministry for Agriculture, Nature Conservation and Environment . 2004, ISSN  0863-2448 . → Natural area map of Thuringia (TLUG) - PDF; 260 kB → Maps by district (TLUG)

  4. ^ After Action Report of the US 80th Infantry Division of April 1945, p. 6
  5. Anja Buresch: “Battle for Erfurt. The American occupation of the city in April 1945 ”, Erfurt 2016. ISBN 3954007185
  6. Seven graves - what happened there? . Project presentation by the Democratic Youth Foundation. Ed. VG Nesseaue Friemar, 2006. pp. 12–15

Web links

Commons : Fahner Höhe  - collection of images, videos and audio files