Harz Mountains, Germany — the Brocken (folk tale)

The Brocken and Walpurgis Night

Folklore — not a documented case

On the Brocken, northern Germany's highest peak, witches were believed to gather and dance with the Devil every year on the night of 30 April. The summit's famous “Brocken spectre” is a well-known optical effect.

The Brocken is the highest peak of Germany's Harz Mountains and, at about 1,141 metres, the highest point in northern Germany. Covered for much of the year by fog, wind and cloud, it is known in German folk belief as the gathering place of witches.

The stories in this section are folk tales and legends; they are not verified, real events and should not be confused with the rest of the archive.

From the same region