In 1907, the year when one of its most famous sons was born, the town of Jettingen-Scheppach belonged to the Kingdom of Bavaria.
And who was one of its most famous sons? None other than Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg.
Claus von who? If you saw the movie Valkyrie with Tom Cruise and Kenneth Branagh, then you know he was an integral part of the Hitler assassination plot on July 20th 1944.
History lesson over, go see the Gruftkapelle, the chapel of the von Stauffenberg family while you’re here.
It isn’t the end of the chapels in Jettingen-Scheppach, the St. Michael’s Chapel is a white, circular building from the 1760s. And the St. Sebastian Chapel is even smaller. Quaint isn’t a word that quite covers it.
I like Jettingen-Scheppach, but you know what got my knickers in a bunch? The fact that its three castles are all privately owned: Eberstall Castle, Klingenburg Castle, and Jettingen Castle, the latter of which was the ancestral seat of the von Stauffenberg family.
Drats… won’t someone let me in? I promise I won’t steal the family silver. ;-)
Oh well, I guess I better take a ride along the numerous bike paths, like the Schwäbische Kartoffel-Tour (that’s a Swabian Potato Tour) or 7-Schwaben-Tour, or hike along the Obstlehrpfad (Fruit Trail).
Nah, I’ll go see the 18th century Baroque Pfarrkirche (Parish Church) of the Assumption. Then I’ll hit up St. Leonhard in the village of Schönenberg (built 1776), and then the Church of Sts. Peter & Paul in Ried that was built in 1507.
Whoa… back up a minute — I almost left out the Katholische Wallfahrtskirche Allerheiligen. In English that’s the Catholic Pilgrimage Church of All Saints — but in any language it’s an 18th century Rococo church that was built over its 14th century predecessor.
Then I’m gonna treat myself to some shopping at the Fastenmarkt (3rd Sun in February), the Georgimarkt (3rd Sunday in April), the Michaelimarkt (1st Sunday in October), and the Kathreinmarkt (3rd Sunday in November).
All this is in addition to Jettingen’s Rosenmontag (a Carnival event that’s big in Bavarian Swabia), its Advent & Christmas concerts, and its Adventsmarkt that’s held every year on the first Advent weekend.
In between all the shopping, eating, drinking, and history you can always try playing 18-holes of golf, get in a game of tennis, or relax at the nearby Heiligmannsee.
Just so you know, the kids might like a day at the Legoland amusement park instead, which is merely 15km away.
Run along now! I’m gonna try to finagle an invite to one of those castles. And if the silver’s missing, it wasn’t me. ;-)
