Swedenschanze

From the Dornberg district, you can clearly see the Kaiser-Friedrich-Gedächtnishütte, a refuge that is popularly known as the Schwedenschanze, located on the Bußberg in the Teutoburg Forest at an altitude of 306.2 meters. The Schwedenschanze can be reached on foot from numerous places. Once you have reached the Schwedenschanze after a sometimes strenuous walk, you are rewarded with a wonderful view over the Ravensberger Land. In addition, on Sundays and by prior arrangement with the hut owner, you can fortify yourself for the return journey in the refuge.

Where does the name Schwedenschanze come from?
Schwedenschanze is a common popular name for old ramparts whose origins were not exactly known. The rampart next to the refuge is the actual Schwedenschanze and was probably first built around 1673.

History and origins of the Kaiser Friedrich Memorial Hut
Emperor Friedrich III, son of Emperor Wilhelm I, died after only 99 days of reign. Even three years after his death, he was still so popular with the people that many places in the country wanted to honor him. On July 12, 1891, the foundation stone for a memorial stone to Kaiser Friedrich was laid on the site of the current refuge. The memorial was planned as an obelisk with a relief image of Emperor Frederick III attached to it. However, the monument could not be completed due to a lack of funds.

21 years passed and the decision was made to build a memorial and protective hut, for which the citizens were prepared to donate. Architect B. Kramer from Bielefeld was commissioned to plan the memorial hut, and the building contractor Kampmann from Bielefeld-Dornberg was responsible for its construction. After only three months of construction, on October 18, 1912, the day on which Emperor Frederick III would have turned 81 years old, the building was inaugurated as the Kaiser Friedrich Memorial Hut just 15 m from the old ramparts. The outer dimensions were 9 x 12 m and the inner body measured 8 x 5 m and was 3.75 m high. The building was surrounded by a narrow portico with a total of 14 square columns. The structure cost a total of 6,000 marks.

Shortly after the First World War, the bronze relief attached to the refuge was stolen. It was then decided to replace the relief with a sandstone plaque with the well-known inscription "Learn to suffer without complaining". After the Second World War, the refuge repeatedly fell victim to the destructive rage of reckless people, and only the foundation walls of the small hall remained standing.
It was not until 1952 that work began on the reconstruction of the refuge, which was not intended to be a restaurant in the usual sense, but rather a rest stop that would serve hikers exclusively as a place to rest and provide shelter in bad weather.

On Volkswandertag 1987, the roof truss caught fire after the tenant put the chimney into operation. The damage amounted to around DM 2,000. The hut was subsequently closed because the roof was in danger of collapsing.

Since 2006, Dornberg resident Klaus-Peter Twistel has been working with the owner of the hut, the ISB, to preserve and restore the Schwedenschanze with exemplary civic commitment. With the help of municipal funds and Klaus-Peter Twistel's donations from numerous companies, associations, the Dornberg district council and private individuals, the refuge and outdoor facilities have been largely renovated. In addition, craftsmen from Bielefeld worked on the renovation free of charge. In addition, the visual corridor into the Teutoburg Forest was extended to the Dornberg district side and a visual corridor was created in the direction of Steinhagen.

Source: www.bielefeld.de