Once upon a time, sweets rained from a tree. This is the tale of the Kamelleboom. The Kamelleboom stands near Bonn. It is a local legend.
The Kamelleboom was a place of joy. Children waited there for their parents. Parents returned from the market in Roisdorf. They brought sweets called “Kamelle”. This happened in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Farmers’ wives walked miles to Roisdorf. They sold goods in Cologne and Bonn. They bought treats for their children. The children waited at the Kamelleboom. That’s how it got its name.
The original Kamelleboom was an oak tree. It stood for 500 years. The tree marked the border between Alfter and Heimerzheim. It was a boundary marker in the 1500s. The old tree died in 1977.
Legend says children could ask the tree for sweets. They had to put their heads in the hollow trunk. They asked the Kamelleboom nicely. Then, sweets would fall from above.
Today, a young linden tree grows there. It shades the old tree stump. The stump is now a stone monument. It reminds people of the Kamelleboom. The monument has a concrete base. A plastic pipe is built into the concrete. Parents drop sweets through the pipe. Children still experience the magic. Even the littlest ones know the truth. Parents make the candy rain. But everyone still loves the Kamelleboom.
The Kamelleboom is located where the Pützweg meets the Roman aqueduct. The Alfterer and Roisdorfer Hufebahn also meet here. This crossroads holds the Kamelleboom. An old memorial stone stands under an oak tree nearby.
The Kamelleboom story continues. It blends history and myth. It connects past generations with present ones. It shows how simple things can create lasting memories. The Kamelleboom is more than a tree. It is a symbol of hope. It represents the sweetness of childhood.