Visit Buxtehude

The Charming Hanseatic City Close To Hamburg

View of the harbour and chruch in Buxtehude ©steveurbanczyk - Fotolia.com

Buxtehude, officially the Hanseatic City of Buxtehude, is a town on the Este River in Northern Germany. It is part of the Hamburg Metropolitan Region. It lies on the southern border of the Altes Land in close proximity to the city-state of Hamburg. This makes it a perfect destination for your next holidays between big city vibes and the calm of nature.

Buxtehude City Hall ©Stader Ansichten

The Tale of the Hare 🐇 and the Hedgehog 🦔


All over the city, depictions of hares and hedgehogs can be found. You might wonder why? Well, The Hare and the Hedgehog or The race between the Hare and the Hedgehog is a Low Saxon fable. It was published 1843 in the 5th edition of Grimms' Fairy Tales by the Brothers Grimm in Low Saxon.

Summary:
"One fine morning, the hare makes fun of the hedgehog's crooked legs, whereupon the hedgehog challenges him to a race to win a golden "Lujedor" (Louis d'or) and a bottle of brandy. When the race in the field begins, the hedgehog only runs a few steps, but at the end of the furrow he has placed his wife, who looks very much like him. When the hare, certain of victory, storms in, the hedgehog's wife rises and calls out to him: "Ick bün all hier!" ("I'm already here!"). The hare cannot understand the defeat, he demands revenge and conducts a total of 73 runs with always the same result. In the 74th race he collapses exhausted and dies."

Read the full tale here.