This far north up in Germany it’s not uncommon to hear a town’s name in High German (in this case the town of Gettorf), Low German (Cheddörp), and even Danish (Gettorp). Whatever it is that you’re speaking, you’ll manage to have a good time.
Start at the Alexanderplatz where you can hang out with the Devil, whose tale is told (in Low German no less) of the Düvelstein — a 180-ton boulder from the last Ice Age; and the largest of its kind in all of Schleswig-Holstein.
Legend says that the Devil tried to hit Gettorf’s St. Jürgen’s Church, and missed. Impressive either way — considering it was supposed to have been thrown from a distance of over 5km. ;-)
St. Jürgen’s Church, BTW, is more than just a religious site, it’s historical too. The medieval (13th century) church’s exceptionally steep, 64-meter tower was used as a lookout during the 19th century German-Danish War.
On a totally different topic, Gettorf is famous for its Tierpark Gettorf. In English that’s a zoo. Either way, it’s known for its monkeys (like the Emperor Tamarin and the Diana Monkey) and its birds (Hyacinth Macaw and Bali Starling).
In addition to just the more exotic animals, the Tierpark has a petting zoo and works with animals on the endangered species list, and even has a couple of nature trails for you to walk around.
Speaking of nature areas, Gettorf is located within the Danish Wahld — a hilly area with prehistoric graves and modern farms just a stone’s throw from the nearby Baltic Sea. I guess that makes you a winner for any hiking or biking trail you pick, doesn’t it? ;-)
If you’ve chosen a path that leads you right to the Gettorfer Mühle, then you’ve certainly picked a good one. This Grand Dame is a 19th century Gallery Dutch brick windmill that’s now a romantic wedding venue and the local library.
Located nearby is the town’s Heimatmuseum (Local History Museum), which is also close the local Rathaus (Town Hall). How convenient. Actually just about all of Gettorf is convenient, it isn’t even 9.5 square kilometers.
Still big enough for the Devil to miss it, so long as you don’t…
