“People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care”

BAD KREUZNACH
Not only just another German Town

The beautiful historical town on the banks of the Nahe River

It is by rare coincidence that I was introduced to the beautiful German Town of Bad Kreuznach in the Rheinland - Pfalz Region, some 50 minutes southwest of Frankfurt and about 35 minutes south of Wiesbaden and Mainz.

As no hand wrist replacement has as yet been performed in South Africa, I was referred to an Orthopaedic Surgeon in Germany, Dr Heiner Thabe, who practises in the Orthopaedic Diakonie Hospital. For two weeks, this was my home to recover after the operation.

The challenge however, was not only to recuperate, but to communicate and understand the German language, because very little English is spoken and understood; and my German of some 40 years ago at school did not seem suffice!

During the second week I had the opportunity to explore and walk the pedestrian streets of Bad Kreuznach; interesting to note that the historical remains found here dates back to the early Roman times at the beginning of Christianity.

Today this town is predominantly built around the wine region and health spa and thus provides rehabilitation programmes for disabled people as extension to the orthopaedic work performed in the hospital. This 500 bed hospital, owned by the Lutheran church, serves not only the local community, but performs specialised operations, thus serving the whole of Germany.

Bad Kreuznach, centrally located within Germany, and some 20 kilometres from the junction of the Nahe and the Rhine, is a beautiful old town with a population of 40,000. The town is surrounded by vineyards and was built at the foot of Kauzenburg Hill and within the beautiful Nahe River valley.

The touching sculptures in front of the hospital, simbolising the inter-dependency of people, leaning towards one
another, supported by the message of faith and hope.

View of Kurhaus, the Nahe River  and famous vineyards

During the 400 years of occupation, the Romans gave the local people their monetary system, laws, progress in agriculture, administration, trade and business. The terms Altstadt and Neustadt (Old and New City), were then used only to identify the parts of the town of Kreuznach. Between 1291 and 1301, the wooden bridge was replaced by a stone bridge – a  remarkable structure, spanning the river on eight piers. At the end of the 15th century, the Brückenhäuser (Bridge Houses), were built on this bridge. During this time, the Sponheims also began constructing a fortified castle on top of the hill overlooking the town. It was given the name Kauzenburg  in the late 15th century.

During the nineteenth century, Bad Kreuznach was the playground to the royal families of Europe. Before the outbreak of World War I, a local pharmacist discovered that the briny waters of the springs contained radium. The success of these medical investigations became the foundation of the town’s development as a spa and health care resort.

Bad Kreuznach was major headquarters for the German High Command during both World Wars. As such, many of the leading generals of the German Army were in residence in many of the resort areas, including the Kurhaus, or health resort hotel.

Bad Kreuznach was badly damaged by a number of air raids during the last months of World War II. Following the Second World War, first French, and then American forces had been continually based in the city. After World War II, the resort facilities were returned to civilian use and the town won back its position as a health resort of international acclaim.

The old part of town is almost totally pedestrianised around Mannheimer Strasse: it runs from one side of town through to the other side, almost forming a curving human spine. A stroll along memory lane, passed Klaus Nordman’s Kunsthandlung Becker, where I bought an original Janosch etch, will commence at the historical Eier Markt (egg market), passing the town squares Fisch, Salz and Korn Markt and end at Salinen Platz.

On Salz Markt, the pedestrian square,
Holzworm and other restaurants serve traditional German food and wine

Eier Markt is a popular meeting place in summer-time

In the middle of Eier Markt there is a statue showing how Bad Kreuznach’s master butcher, Michel Mort, saved the town’s ruler Count of Sponheim during the battle of Sprendlingen in the year 1279. Robert Cauer created the sculpture in 1902, and was a descendant of the successful Cauer dynasty of sculptors. They  worked in Bad Kreuznach for 200 years as sculptors of international standing and had studios in different European capitals. The renowned boutique hotel and restaurant Michel Mort is housed in one of the historical gabled buildings facing the square.

Around the corner is the other famous restaurant Im Kittchen, (meaning in jail) serving small tapas-portions of typical German cuisine. The Saturday evening after my operation, I slipped out of the hospital (but luckily with one of the doctors, Birgit, and her fiancé, Christian) to enjoy some specialities on their menu (cold venison salad, scallops and shrimp terrine and wild hare pie) and sip some excellent local Riesling and Gewürztraminer from the Nahe Region.

The bridge houses, built from 1480 onwards, are an architectural delicacy and symbol of Bad Kreuznach. These half-timbered houses which were built on the pillars of the old Nahe bridge (around 1300) form the centuries old silhouette and are the connection between the old and new town.

The most impressive view of the bridge houses is from the Geißenbrücke (bridge) over the mill pond next to St. Paul’s church. The characteristic method of construction is easily recognisable from here. The parts of the houses jutting out are supported by wooden buttresses which means the houses are virtually unaffected by flooding.

The Korn Markt (Corn Market) fountain is the main attraction of the corn market square on which fruit and grain markets have been held for over 200 years (even today once a week). The fountain was created by sculptor Karl Steiner in 1975. It shows well-known and highly respected citizens from the town’s past. This group of sculptures, together with the figures in front of the central bank building, reminds one of the well-known town sculpture, found in Bremen.

The bridge houses are still used as shops and restaurants

A leisurely stroll of half a mile high above the unspoilt shore of the river nave leads through vineyards and shrubs and affords magnificent views of the spa center and the Nahe Valley.

One late afternoon we went to the beautiful fortified ham lock, Bacharach, situated along the lower River Rhine just passed the well-known Lorelei - rock. Although it was out of season (the tourist season only starts after the Easter weekend), even the quiet cobbled streets gush with history over many centuries; the first wine guild was also established here some centuries ago and until today plays an active role in the viniculture of the region.

Many interesting little artistic studios, many of which relate to the wine-background, line the narrow winding streets. This is surely a place I would like to re-visit in September, when I have to return for the other wrist replacement: something at least to look forward to!

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