The old Eder Valley
The mysterious side of Lake Edersee usually appears in autumn, when the water level drops and one can marvel at the Eder riverbed. Only then do the cemetery graves, remains of walls, and bridge sections become visible, recalling a time when around 900 people called the old Eder Valley their home.
The reason for the flooding was not a natural disaster, but the construction of a dam.
The Eder Dam was built from 1908 to 1914 to serve as a reservoir to regulate the water level of the Weser River. Flood protection in the lower Eder, the lower Fulda, and the Weser, as well as hydroelectric power generation, were also goals. At that time, no one considered using it for tourism.
The residents of the three villages of Asel, Bringhausen, and Berich were forced to give way to the massive floodwaters and leave their homes forever. The dissolution of the communities dragged on for six years. However, the 155 buildings were razed to the ground in just one day. The people of the Eder Valley took everything they could carry with them. Many of the resettlers removed parts of their half-timbered houses and incorporated them into the construction of the new houses. The churches of Bringhausen and Berich were also dismantled and rebuilt in the new villages.
Asel and Bringhausen settled above the Edersee, only Berich left the lake to settle near Volkmarsen to find his happiness in “Neu-Berich”.
What remains are the sunken remains and the memory.
The best-preserved structure is the four-arched Eder Bridge near Asel-Süd. It was built between 1887 and 1890 and is 60 meters long. Only the cemeteries of Alt-Bringhausen and Alt-Berich remain. The latter were covered with a concrete surface before the flooding and are now accessible when the water level is high enough.
Official tours of the sunken villages also take place at this time.
Information and booking of tours
Edersee Touristic
Tel. 05623 / 99980
E-mail: info(at)edersee.com
Web: www.edersee.com
So, dive into a bygone world and explore the bottom of Lake Edersee!
