Forest House around 1955 um 1955

Mitwitz, the Gateway to the Franconian Forest

In keeping with its function, the Forest House is overgrown with trees and shrubs, making it hard to spot. The Forest House was built in 1890 and is the birthplace of the famous physiologist Prof. Dr. Hermann Rein. His textbook Introduction to Human Physiology was published in 1936 and remains a standard work for every medical student to this day. After 1945, he was a co-founder of the German Research Council and the Max Planck Society.

The Forest House was inhabited by foresters until the 1940s. Today, it houses a veterinary practice.

The forest remains of great significance to Mitwitz, which is why it is also called "The Gateway to the Franconian Forest." The cultural landscape, shaped by humans over centuries with its many lakes, is a popular destination. Mitwitz is also considered the birthplace of the Green Belt.

This refers to the inner-German border that existed until 1989. The border strip was off-limits and was heavily guarded with tall walls and watchtowers. As a result, it became a retreat and migration corridor for more than 1,200 rare and endangered plant and animal species. For example, there is the lapwing, which needs the wet meadows to raise its chicks; the European adder, which can bask in the sun undisturbed here; the thread salamander, the otter, the beaver, and the black stork—just to name a few.

With the reunification, the Green Belt was designated as the first nationwide nature conservation project under the leadership of the BUND Bayern and is now considered a national natural monument.

Curious? With our puzzle fun at the Green Belt, young nature explorers have the opportunity to go on an adventure!