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Berlin State

Vacation 2010 September 23, Germany Medieval Village Düppel, Berlin

Borough Steglitz-Zehlendorf

In 1939, student Horst Trezciak was searching for unexploded ordnance at a military training facility. Instead, he found shards of medieval vessels and was smart enough to take them to a museum. Becuase of the war aind its aftermath, it took three decades, but finally in 1968 an archaeological excavation took place, discovering evidence of a medieval village. Amongst the discoveries were house foundations, a well and a pit for the dry distillation of tar. Based on the finds, it was concluded that a village was located here as early as 1170. By 1230, the village consisted of 16 houses, situated around a central square. In 1975, this village was reconstructed. It now serves as a model of medieval life and is one of the largest sites of experimental archaeology in Germany. Experiments include recreation of medieval trades like baking and weaving and reverse breeding of farm animals, resembling those of the year 1200.

The well was rebuilt at its original location. Since most of the exhibits are not real artifacts but reconstructions, there are almost no "Do-not-Touch" signs here.

Examples of medieval trades, pottery, spinning wheels, hand looms, a baking oven, a plow and a smithy (above) and examples of early domesticated animals (below).

We had a great time at the village. The next day, Julia and Kay took us to Berlin to check out some of the more recent history of the town.

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