"The Region of My Former Homeland" a Gefell Travel Page by elgin99

My formerly home around Gefell was three miles from the Bavarian frontier close to the town of Hof/Saale. So also the North of Bavaria was after reunification in 1990 my home region, too.
The Southeast of Thuringia is a nice and well wooded region with its largest water reservoir of Germany. Extensive forests, little industry and an altitude between 450 - 719 m guarantee peace, quiet and clean air. Tourism and forestry are the economic base of the region.
In addition hunting is of great significance as a provides a source of income of the region.
The town Gefell was a frontier town until reunification (my album below). My children grown up there, I met some important people, esp. my best fatherly friend. He was a forester and given an understanding of nature to me, brought hunting in my life... but died too early.
So hunting was an important part of my life for many years, till 2003.

On the highway A9 direct half distanced between Munich and Berlin (in the middle of Germany), only 2 km beside the road you find a little town named Gefell. It has an extra connection to this superhighway.

It´s nearly on the border to Bavaria, because you need only 5 km and you are there. The next biggest town is indeed Hof /Saale, Bavaria.

It´s the most and last southeast corner of Thuringia in Germany and also not far from the border to Czechia.

Our water reservoir (river Saale) is 28 kilometers long, has many possibilies for water sport, fishing, sailing and more and is the largest of whole Germany.
Here one beautiful view above sea.

More details about water sports: Tourism

Higher elevations of Franconian Forest and Thuringian Slate Mountains are covered with coniferous forests.

Round about the historical Castle Burgk (photo), one residence of Principality Reuss (also Reuß), high above the lake you found more deciduous forest.

Forestry and manufacture of wood-products constitute an important part of the local economy.

Would you like to see how a tree is falling? In this Webshot album Forestry I show you some pictures. I´ll update time by time, because I´m waiting for following shots about forestry with a Harvester the "revolution" in forestry.

Another part is hunting. Some hundred years ago the family of Reuss separated a wide area for their hunting (named "Tierpark Weidmannsheil"), settled Maral-stags, too. Therefore also today existing a special red deer population in this area.

I´ve finished my hunting since some years, but it was also an important part of my own life here. Some pictures you will find in Hunting album