The town of Blumberg is in the region where the source of the
Danube is situated, the
glacial valley between
Eichberg and
Buchberg. The town's official origins date from the 13th century, with the Masters of Blumberg first mentioned in 1260. However, one of the oldest settlements, the
Steppacher Hof, was already documented in the 12th century, and the town itself is believed to have originated long before that time, as archaeological finds have shown the area was inhabited during the
Stone Age. The
Wutach is a tributary of the
Rhine that changes name twice as it passes through the southern
Black Forest. Blumberg was established in the Wutach valley near the
Wutach Gorge. Built above the town in the Middle Ages, Blumberg Castle contributed significantly to the development of the surrounding settlements, and while ruled by the princely
Fuerstenberg family, who owned a brewery from 1283 until 2004. Blumberg was elevated from a town (
) to a city in 1559. During the
Thirty Years' War from 1618 to 1648, the castle was destroyed. Thanks to its
Doggererz iron ore reserves, the town experienced a short-lived expansion after the war's end. The
Doggererz mine was reopened, and the ore was extracted once again from 1934 to 1942 under
Nazi Germany Many of these workers were forced labourers, as
the practice was widespread at the time in Germany and
German-occupied Europe. Blumberg has a memorial honoring these workers. As it shed its status as a primarily agricultural town, Blumberg's population increased rapidly, from 700 in 1935 to 7,000 in 1945. During World War II,
Sophie Scholl, one of the founders of the anti-Nazi
White Rose group, spent time in Blumberg. In her memory, the Sophie Scholl Kindergarten was opened on February 28, 1992. When World War II ended in 1945, the town and surrounding region were
occupied by French forces as part of
South Baden, as the previous states of
Baden and
Württemberg had been divided into US and French occupation zones under the
Allied occupation of Germany. Blumberg expanded during the 1950s as various industrial works became established in the district and now has around 10,800 inhabitants, while the town is a thriving tourist area. Nevertheless, Blumberg has retained a
small town sense of community and traditional character, with seasonal festivities, customs, street parties, and parades such as those for the
Swabian-Alemannic Fastnacht (carnival) continuing to take place. Small specialized local stores that go back generations still exist, and for a few weeks, multi-colored, decorated, and filled carnival doughnuts can be found at artisanal bakers, where handmade bread, cake and cookie specialties are freshly baked daily. Early in the morning,
butchers begin producing the region's traditionally seasoned cold cuts, sausages, and terrines, as well as fresh meat and
Silesian specialties. ==Tourism==