Got wood? Chances are if you’ve got even a shred of timber lying around you can thank one of Saulheim’s sons. This town in Rhenish Hesse in Rhineland-Palatinate was the birthplace of Friedrich Weyerhäuser, living here until he was 18.
Mister Weyerhäuser went on to emigrate to the the United States, but you’re more than welcome to see his humble German beginnings. At the time of his death he owned more than 30 factories and became one of the world’s largest suppliers of wood — which his company is still doing.
Not in Saulheim, though, in case you’re wondering.
Saulheim is a quiet agricultural town where fields of sugar beets and asparagus stretch as far as your eyes can see. You know what else is grown around here? Grapes.
Yup, those delicious wine making varieties that’ll go great with all that locally grown produce. The Ritter-Hundt-Weinkerb is a great wine event, held every year over the second weekend of September.
At the Weingut Landgrafenhof culinary and wine-tasting (among other events) await me. No, I mean you. How about us — care to join me? ;-)
This isn’t a one-festival town, I can tell you that. The Backesbrunnenfest is held always on the 1st weekend of July, the Maifest every May (as if you couldn’t tell), and the obligatory Christmas Market in December.
The largest festival is the Kerb, a four day event (Friday-Tuesday) over the last weekend of August.
Saulheim’s church is worth seeing, even if there isn’t a festival going on. The Church of St. Bartholomew was built way back in the 14th century, however it was the artwork of Alois Plum in the 20th century that transformed this medieval church. It was his work on St. Bart’s (as I lovingly call it) stained glass, known as the Resurrection Window, that is a focal point here.
Another focal point in Saulheim is a menhir that’s named Langer Stein. It’s associated with all sorts of pre-Christian legends, but also has Christian symbols as well. Just don’t go drawing your own on it, OK? ;-)
