Seven kilometers south of Freiburg lies Wittnau. Nestled in the Hexental valley it’s a place of surprising history. Wittnau isn’t just a pretty village. It’s a storybook of human lives woven into the very fabric of the Black Forest.
Imagine the 7th and 8th centuries. Alemannic farmers first settled here. They named their farmsteads Biezighofen. By 806 the village was officially mentioned as Piazinchova in records. This wasn’t just farmland. It was a place of faith too. A document from 786 speaks of a farmstead called Witunauia and its church. The name Witunauia comes from old High German words meaning “wood” and “meadow”.
Wittnau’s history is one of noble families and religious influence. The powerful St Gallen monastery held sway here for centuries. Noble families ran the Wittnau manor. This continued until the 19th century when it became Baden Grand Duchy property. In 1795 the Bollschweil barons built a new church. It became the last Baroque church of the Breisgau region.
The male line of the Snewlin-Bernlapp family died out in 1837. The Grand Duke of Baden gave Wittnau to the Barons of Berstett who also took over the Bollschweil Castle. Baden abolished feudal rights as it built a central administration.
Since 1811 Wittnau and Biezighofen have been one community. Wittnau grew from a farming community to a residential one in the 1960s. It joined the Hexental community in 1971 to keep its independence. Wittnau became a recognized recreation area. It has grown further because of people moving from nearby Freiburg.
Wittnau boasts more than just a rich past. Its present day is vibrant. There’s the Gallushaus for events a community center and a fire station. The St Gallus kindergarten and the Franz-Xaver-Klingler elementary school are here. Local businesses thrive alongside a strong sense of community. Wittnau’s landscape includes the historic Bettlerpfad trail. This connects Merzhausen Freiburg and Badenweiler. There are many walks around Schoenberg and along the Hexental circular path. Cyclists use the Hexental route. A second cycle path is planned to improve cyclist safety.
Even Wittnau’s winemaking history is compelling. Its Kapuzinerbuck vineyard was one of the highest in the Upper Rhine Plain. Only hardy grape varieties could grow here. Vineyard area shrunk in past decades. The highest vineyards were removed after 2000. In 2010 the vineyard was only a third of its mid-20th-century size.
Wittnau’s history is interwoven with the lives of remarkable people. Hermann Ginter a Catholic priest and art historian is an honorary citizen. Famous people lived in Wittnau including football coach Joachim Loew who resided there from 2007 to 2016.
Wittnau isn’t just a place on a map. It’s a living testament to centuries of history faith and community spirit. It is a place of beauty and charm. It is a place where the past meets the present. A place well worth exploring.