Ratzengraben

We find ourselves in a tranquil oasis, the Ratzengraben: once a place for rowing, it has now been restored to a natural stream. The shady spots here are especially inviting during the summer months.

In the 14th century, the Ratzengraben was constructed as a flood protection measure. At the Kiener (a specific spot) of the Ratzengraben, women from all over the town, daughters, maids, and servants, used to gather to do laundry.

This was a place to exchange gossip and stories. It became a custom to pass the time with various tales about the entire town, about everybody, while doing the laundry. This is where some "dirty laundry" was aired.

But flax was also "retted" here. The flax was placed in the stream. Through this process of retting, the fibers separated from the plant tissue. This was crucial to obtain beautiful linen yarn for fustian, a mixed fabric of cotton and linen or flax.