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Kusel County
Now that we’ve made an abundance of discoveries in Kaiserslautern and Donnersberg Counties, let’s head out a bit northwest and see what our neighbor, the County of Kusel, has in store. It is home to over 2,000 American and NATO members within the Kaiserslautern Military Community.
The county is comprised of three union communities: Oberes Glantal, Lauterecken-Wolfstein and Kusel-Altenglan with a total population of 71,500. The City of Kusel is the administrative county seat and the third smallest district town in Germany with its 5408 inhabitants.
While not as well-known as Germany’s bustling metropolitan cities, the Kusel district offers a tranquil escape to those seeking breathtaking landscapes with a blend of history and culture. The county covers an area of about 573 square kilometers (221 square miles) and is comprised of an astonishing number of 98 individual towns and villages!
Kusel is surrounded by rolling hills, dense forests, and meandering rivers, making it an eldorado for nature enthusiasts. The district is part of the North Palatine Uplands, offering plenty of opportunities for hiking, cycling, and exploring.
Kusel has a history that stretches back thousands of years, and evidence of human settlement in the area dates to prehistoric times. The district has seen the influence of Celtic tribes, Roman conquerors, and medieval feudal lords, each leaving their mark on its culture and architecture.
Three charming union communities
Let’s begin our road trip around the county at the Gartenschau premises in Kaiserslautern. Following the picturesque course of the Lauter River along Lautertal (valley), we will encounter a few quaint villages and finally reach Lauterecken-Wolfstein. This is the furthest union community towards the north and least populated by members of the KMC. Lauterecken is the administrative seat although it is a very small town with roughly over 2,000 inhabitants. Here the historic Lauter bridge, where the river flows into the Glan River, and nearby Wasserschloss Reipoltskirchen, the best-preserved water castle in Rheinland-Pfalz, are worth a visit.
Nearby Wolfstein, which is celebrating 750 years of city rights this year, is famous for its Kalkbergwerk (lime stone mine), which offers tours and events for the public. The company Karl Otto Braun is the largest employer in Kusel County and has been a leading manufacturer of specialized medical textiles since 1903. The company also has subsidiaries in India, Japan and in Atlanta, Georgia. It offers a wide range of products tailored for sports medicine, orthopedics, wound care and is a global market leader for elastic medical bandages.
Following the the Glan River upstream, we’ll reach the Union Community of Oberes Glantal. Schönenberg-Kübelberg is the largest town and serves as the administrative center, well known for its welcoming atmosphere and a great starting point for exploring the region or a stroll over its farmers’ market every Friday. Oberes Glantal is known for its rolling hills, scenic landscapes and its leisure lake Ohmbachsee, a popular spot for hiking, fishing and boating.
The town is famed for its mysterious Bierkeller that is said to hold more than one secret. It was constructed in 1843 by Silesian miners, and according to sightings, the ghost of the first brewer still roams the tunnels. A hidden treasure was supposedly buried there during World War II and some claim that there is an underground passage that was used to smuggle goods and evade taxes. Today, it is part of the “Begehbares Geschichtsbuch” (Walkable History Book) project, which aims to make local history accessible and engaging. The bierkeller and its mysteries is open to the public every first Sunday of the month from 2 to 5 p.m.
Swinging back into the heart of Kusel County, we’ll hit Kusel-Altenglan with the town Kusel being the administrative seat maintaining 31 individual towns and villages. It has a mix of rural charm and small-town amenities.
Kusel’s music culture is rather noteworthy. The district has a long-standing tradition of brass bands and musicians that roamed the countryside in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Some of the musicians even emigrated to the United States and there is a “Musikantenland Museum” at Lichtenberg Castle. The “Fritz-Wunderlich-Halle,” named after Fritz Wunderlich, born in Kusel and one of Germany’s most celebrated tenors, offers world class entertainment from jazz, classic music, musicals, big bands and even rock stars throughout the year.
Wildpark und Greifvogelzoo Potzberg is a further attraction that offers a domestic animal park, a zoo with birds of prey and flight demonstrations. Another alternate and fun mode of transportation using muscle power is a draisine (trolley) tour from Altenglan to Lauterecken or vice-versa during the summer.
Ladies and Knights
The most prominent landmark nearby overlooking the village of Thallichtenberg is Lichtenberg Castle ruins. With its 425 meters in length, it is one of the longest castles in Germany and the largest in the Palatinate region. Its history dates to around 1200 when it was constructed as a spur castle, a type of medieval fortification that is sited on a spur of a hill for defensive purposes. Initially, it was owned by the Counts of Veldenz until 1444, after which it came under the rule of Stephen, Count Palatine of Simmern-Zweibrücken, where it served as an important administrative seat.
In 1792, French troops occupied the region, and the castle suffered significant damage due to plundering and a fire in 1799. After the defeat of Napoleon, the area was handed over to the Duke of Saxony-Coburg-Gotha in 1816 and by 1834, the principality was sold to Prussia, when the castle fell into disrepair. In 1895, it was placed under historical monument protection, and restoration efforts began in the 20th century.
Today the castle is a popular tourist destination, not only for the magnificent view, but it also houses the music museum and a natural history museum. In addition, there is a herb garden, a youth hostel, a kiosk and a restaurant. Occasionally, workshops and exhibitions take place, such as basket weaving, herb gardening and stained-glass crafting.
The most popular events are the middle-age summer market, and a medieval Christmas market held at the end of November. The castle then transforms into a festive medieval wonderland with knights and ladies, authentic reenactments, crafts, middle-age music and dance performances, archery, fire shows and medieval style foods and drinks.
Festivals and fun
Each union community, or even town and village, celebrates a fest of its own throughout the seasons, but the largest festivals take place in Kusel itself. In the spring there is an Easter and Spring Market, the Hutmacher (hat maker) fest takes place in June and the Kusel Messe in early September.
For further information, visit: www.landkreis-kusel.de
