At home in the Harz Mountains

I had my first photographic experiences with a box and 6x6cm roll film as a child. From my first salary, I bought a reflex camera (Praktika LTL 3 from Dresden). Later, a Canon camera. Through my work as a public relations officer and photojournalist in a hospital, I worked my way into digital photography and its processing. I used my Pentax cameras for business but also for all my hiking, mountain biking and even canoeing trips. I have been retired for a few years and am usually never without a camera.

I live in the Harz Mountains, the northernmost low mountain range in Germany. In terms of weather, it is the first mountain range to be exposed to the cold air masses from the north in the winter months. The highest peak is the Brocken at 1142m. Wikipedia has information on the climate:Brocken climate (Wikipedia)


Due to its exposed location in northern Germany, the mountain is a place of extreme weather conditions. Short summers with low temperatures are often followed by very long winters with numerous snow days and heavy storms up to hurricane force. The climate on the Brocken corresponds to an alpine location of 1,600 to 2,200 metres, or the climate of Iceland.
- Average number of snow days (from 1 cm altitude): 178
- Average number of thunderstorm days (audible near and far thunderstorms): 38
- Average number of foggy days: 306.6

In addition to the Brockenhotel, the TV tower, the Brockenhaus (museum) and the railway station, there is, of course, also a weather station run by the German Meteorological Service. Hikes to the Brocken have their appeal at any time of year. Especially in the winter months, we often have inversion weather where everything below the Brocken disappears in the clouds. With these winter photos, I would like to present my home with the Brocken Summit.

G. Matthias Schüler

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