Does the name Silberberg evoke images of sparkling silver treasures? It might not be filled with precious metals. The Silberberg is more about stunning views and a bit of local legend.
Welcome to the Silberberg. It is a high point offering scenic views of Bodenmais and the Zellertal below. From here, the contrast between the snow-white meadows and the dark fir and spruce trees is striking. In the distance, you can spot the peak of the Großer Arber.
Let us talk about what makes this place special. Imagine traveling up to the Silberberg’s middle station by chairlift. Beneath you, the deep snow is marked only by the tracks of a lone snowshoe hiker. It makes you wonder about the good forest spirit said to inhabit this area. Legend says that if a wanderer gets lost in the deep woods. Or if children lose their way while searching for mushrooms. This spirit silently guides them back to the edge of the forest, showing them the path to the valley.
There is also a tale of a farmer’s wife. She struggled to climb the Silberberg with a heavy basket on her back. The good spirit is said to have lightened her load along the way. It has been many decades since a shepherd saw the white beard of the forest spirit glowing from an abandoned mine.
Speaking of mines, the Silberberg has a rich mining history. The story of discovering the ore deposits at the Silberberg goes like this. A Bohemian miner found a rich vein of ore. He kept its location secret. For years, he dug and mined, using a magic mirror to find the richest spots in the rocks and crevices. He became incredibly wealthy from the silver and gold. One day, he vanished. Locals believed the devil had taken him.
Another legend involves a worker’s wife from the Vitriolhütte. She let her goats graze near the old Gottesgab mine. One evening, she realized a goat was missing. After searching, she heard it bleating from an old shaft it had fallen into. When miners rescued the goat, they discovered a rich vein of galena. It contains silver in the Bavarian Forest.
The legend says the miners celebrated a little too enthusiastically. They squandered their newfound wealth on gambling and drinking. In 1463, the bishop ordered the construction of the Barbarastollen at the site where the goat was found.
The Barbarastollen takes you back in time. You get blue cloaks and yellow helmets for safety before entering the Silberberg mine. Descend into the more than 500-year-old Barbarastollen. Follow the rusty tracks that once carried mining carts full of ore. You will pass an electric double-piston pump. A hundred years ago it created the compressed air for the drills. The noise was deafening.
The Barbaraverhau is gigantic. For centuries, miners used fire to heat the gneiss rock. Then they doused it with cold water. This made cracks. They followed the ore veins deep into the rock, crawling on all fours. They carried the broken ore in baskets over ladders and narrow wooden paths to larger tunnels. There it was loaded into mining carts.
Dynamite was invented 150 years ago. Miners drilled deep holes. They filled them with dynamite. However, the damp climate caused nitroglycerin to leak. It collected in cracks. This made explosions likely.
Finally, there’s the tale of the Silberfee or silver fairy. One day, miners carried a dead colleague down the Silberberg to his wife and seven children. The eldest son climbed the Silberberg to seek the Silberfee. It was said that she helped those in need. He found her at the entrance to a hidden shaft. He told her of his family’s plight. The Silberfee gave him three bars of pure silver, cheese, and bread. She told him to go to a silversmith in Passau to exchange the silver for money. With this treasure, the miner’s family lived a happy life. The boy became a silversmith in Passau. He married the master’s daughter.
So, as you stand here on the Silberberg, take in the views. Remember the miners, the forest spirit, and maybe, just maybe, keep an eye out for the Silberfee.