Femeiche Erle

There is a guest book, a good opportunity to leave a kind greeting to the Femeiche. Please bring writing instruments, the pen was empty and we didn't have any with us.

Anyone who has ever wanted to see one of the oldest oak trees in Germany should stop here. The community itself estimates the Femeiche to be 1,500 years old. Many festivals have been celebrated here over the last few centuries and other important events have also been held under the oak: raesfeld.de/magazin/artikel.php?artikel=9.

In 1441 the Diepenbrock brothers were ostracized for murdering lay judges under this oak. Over the centuries, lightning and storms have badly damaged the tree, the rotten core of which was hollowed out. There was hardly an event in the village of Erle that was not celebrated in this tree, which measured about three meters in diameter at the bottom. During a maneuver of his troops in 1819, the then Crown Prince, later King Friedrich Wilhelm IV of Prussia, had breakfast with two generals in this.

The Femeiche is about 1500 years old. In pre-Christian times it was consecrated to the god Odin. They were also called Ravenseiche (raven oak). The legend tells that the god Odin sat as a judge under the oak. Its ravens crouched in the branches of the tree. They looked in all directions and told God what was happening around them. It was assumed that under the oak there was also a pagan sacrificial site where sacrifices were made to the gods.

The oak must have been a mighty tree as early as the time of Emperor Charlemagne (around 800 AD). The chronicle reads that until 1589 court was held under the oak tree for murderers and robbers. From the court sessions, the oak today has the name "Femeiche" (feme = court).


Many guests who visit the Femeiche are amazed that the tree can still grow and that it bears green leaves every year. Its trunk is crooked and completely hollow and perforated. Only the thick supports and iron bars hold it upright.