Schönwald – the birthplace of the cuckoo clock

One day, more than 250 years ago ...

A rough wind blew over the inhospitable winter landscape. The farm folks in the "Höfle" were sitting in their gloomy sitting room, each being occupied with various tasks. The women together with the girls and maids worked on straw braiding, wool pulling and spinning. The farmer, together with the farm hands and sons, did something more coarse like making shingles and preparing various equipment for the farm.

A little house, part of the farm, was the home of the clock maker Franz Ketterer, who was called "Treyer-Franz". During these long winter months, Franz was able to continue the finicky job on his invention. Numerous experiments had failed. But today was to be the ”big” day. The farmer with his wife and children and even the servants came over from the farm, to attend this ”live” experience. and late in the afternoon, there it was for the first time, the sound ”cuckoo”.

Around 1735, the media would have reported the birth of the cuckoo clock like this or in a similar manner, but actually, the ”bird” was created in total quietness.

Together with Simon Dilger from Schollach, Franz Ketterer is one of the progenitors of the Black Forest clock making. The festival hall, renovated in 1993 was named in his honor, the ”Uhrmacher-Ketterer-Halle”. and the Native Association of Schönwald commemorates Franz Ketterer as inventor of the cuckoo clock with a monument near the "Höfle".

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