A small place. Of great stories. And history.

ASSIST excursion to Königsbronn on July 5, 2025

The excursion began in a small place called Itzelberg. The highlight here is the cold-water lake fed by the Brenz River. While hiking alongside the lake towards Königsbronn, the group encountered even a wild swan family.

The first destination in Königsbronn was the source of the Brenz River, known as the ‚Brenztopf‘, where water emerges from an underground cave in the Swabian Alb at a temperature of 7°C. Next to this attraction are several others: the town hall with its historic Rococo façade; an old hammer mill which today houses event rooms; a small hydropower plant and a Kneipp facility. Since it was a sunny, hot summer’s day, it was much appreciated to be able to cool down one’s feet.

History of Königsbronn – Germany’s oldest industrial location. Contrary to popular belief, the origins of the ironworks industry in Germany were not in the Ruhr region, but on the Swabian Alb. Since the late Middle Ages, iron has been produced from ore in Königsbronn. The beech forests of the region supplied the fuel for smelting. At the foundry’s flame furnace museum, the group learned how furnaces, bells and cannons had been cast in Königsbronn since 1650.

The tour concluded with a stop at a memorial plaque for Georg Elser, who attempted to assassinate Adolf Hitler shortly after he started World War II. ‚I wanted to prevent even greater bloodshed through my actions.‘ is a quote from Elser, who lived in Königsbronn for most of his life.

Another industrial museum, an old file grinding shop, was also included in the tour. The file grinding shop and the flame furnace museum have both been restored over many years by volunteers from the Königsbronn Cultural Association, as has the small private brewery with its beer garden. The group ended the excursion there with a cool drink.