Öschingen: Hiking and History

Öschingen brings together a specific hiking route and several historical perspectives. On the way to Filsenberg, the route alternates between a forest ravine and a quiet road; in the town, a woodcut museum, former castle sites, small historic monuments, and traces of past land use point to a variety of topics. If you are looking for a hotel for a trip to Öschingen, this selection can help you match the character of the destination to your interests: are you mainly interested in hiking, printmaking, or local history?

Hiking the trail to Filsenberg

From the Roßberghaus hiking lodge, a trail descends through a forest ravine west of Langenberg to the small road alongside the Öschenbach stream. The route then climbs to Filsenberg along a quiet road. The route therefore begins with a descent through the ravine, followed by an ascent on the road. If you are considering this route, you can check whether this type of trail suits your plans by looking at its course. Check the current trail markers and conditions before setting out, as they may change.

Printmaking in the Old Town Hall

The Klaus Herzer Woodcut Museum is housed in Öschingen’s old town hall, built in 1700. Its collection includes around 1,800 works produced using woodcut and metal-printing techniques, as well as printing blocks, wood sculptures, and monotypes. The collection also includes the large Grieshaber printing press and another proofing press. The different types of works and collection items give the museum a clear focus on printmaking: alongside the prints, it also features sculptural works, printing blocks, and presses. Its location in the old town hall also connects this subject with a historic building.

Castle Sites and Local History

The former castle site in Schenkenbaumgarten in Öschingen still features a castle mound, ramparts, and ditches. Another local castle is Burg First on Firstberg. It is associated with the minor noble lords of First: Kraft von Firste first appears in a document in 1288, and Marquart von Firste in 1300. The castle site in Schenkenbaumgarten and the lords of First mentioned in historical documents offer different points of reference for local history: the surviving landforms in one case, and recorded personal connections in the other.

The former Öschingen grist mill on the Öschenbach stream is also part of the town’s history. In the spring of 1764, an agreement between the municipality of Öschingen and the millers of Gönningen made its construction possible. The mill ceased operating in 1978. The dates mark different stages: the agreement that paved the way for construction and the later end of operations. Thus, alongside the castle and nobility themes, the former use of the land along the Öschenbach also comes into view.

A field name recorded in 1522 suggests that wine was grown in Halden, on the southern slopes of Firstberg. This historical reference adds an agricultural perspective to the history of buildings and castles. Öschingen’s small historic monuments also include the Hauhäusle and Unternhardthäusle. If you are interested in local traces of the past, a range of topics come together here: historic buildings and landforms, the landscape’s former uses, and a museum devoted to printmaking and printing technology.

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