Landeskindertrachtentreffen

Next year Oberursel will play host to the Hessentag – an annual event that takes place in a different town each year in the state of Hesse(n).

I won’t comment on the politics of the Hessentag at this stage, or what this will mean for residents and business owners next summer.  However, the first “side-effect” has already taken place.  It was called the “Landeskindertrachtentreffen”.

Roughly translated that means the “state childrens’ traditional dress festival”.

On stage at the EpinayplatzNow, Oberursel may be well known for several things such as its fountains and cider, but I’ve never really known it to have a traditional way to dress.  That’s the sort of thing that’s usually left to areas like Bavaria.

And yet they still hosted the childrens’ festival this year.  Why?  Because as far as I am informed, the town hosting the Hessentag must host the childrens’ festival the previous year.  So Oberursel did not have much choice.  If you want the Hessentag to come to your town, you have to accept the Landeskindertrachtentreffen as well.

That’s pretty much the way I experienced people talking about it beforehand – like a “duty” that had to be performed.  After all, how many children in Oberursel have “traditional costumes” to wear?

Well, on the day there were a number of appropriately dressed groups in the town, although I was not aware of any from Oberursel.  They came from different parts of the state, and I suspect they do the same thing each year at the chosen location.

In fact, the whole Trachtentreffen was rather low key in my opinion.  On the other hand, in the roads leading off from the square where it was held there were plenty of things for children to do.  They could learn to juggle, walk on stilts, or just play and have fun with the games and activities that had been laid on.

Activities for children in the Holzweg

Activities for children in the Holzweg

The weather was good as well, so in the end of was a pleasant day out, despite the tongue-twister name!

33° in Oberursel today

Holzweg, Oberursel

Seifenkisten – it all started in Oberursel

Many people have heard of soapbox cars, but I’m sure not many associate the term with the type of vehicles that took place in the annual Seifenkistenrennen the other day in Oberursel.

I suspect even less know where the sport originates from.

Whilst the original design may go back to wooden crates used for transporting soap, the modern designs are either more ambitious or extravagant.

Some resemble racing cars, others old-timers.  But what makes the races particularly interesting is not just the speeds at which they travel, but the unusual ones.  One good example of this would be the “sofa on wheels” that took part in the races here this year.

The length of the course is strictly governed, as are the weight and ages of those taking part.  But even the start ramp has a specification to make the races across Germany as equal as possible.  And yes, there is even a national championship.

Seifenkisten on Oberursel 2010

Seifenkistenrennen in Oberursel

What makes the race in Oberursel special is that the town lays claim to the origins of the sport.  The story goes that the first race was held in the Ackergasse, by children who built their cars having been inspired by the racing cars and their drivers taking part in the Gordon Bennett Cup that was held in the area in 1904.

There is even an exhibition about it in the town’s muesum.

Please click on ACCEPT to give us permission to set cookies [more information]

This website uses cookies to give you the best browsing experience possible. Cookies are small text files that are stored by the web browser on your computer. Most of the cookies that we use are so-called “Session cookies”. These are automatically deleted after your visit. The cookies do not damage your computer system or contain viruses. Please read our privacy information page for more details or to revoke permission.

Close