The Black Forest (Schwarzwald) stretches 106 miles, from Karlsruhe in the north
to Basle in the south. It is essentially composed of two densely wooded ranges, the Feldberg and the Grand Ballon. The Black Forest is a massif itself, both denser and vaster than the
Vosges, and crossed by large valleys; but it is the freshness of the woods, streams and springs, the quiet valleys and the colorful folklore, best exemplified by the rustic production of cuckoo
clocks, that give the region its unique character.
It is perhaps not a coincidence that early 20th century explorations of the unconscious were undertaken in the vicinity of ancient German forests.
Dangerous as it is, the forest is "the place where society's conventions no longer hold true. It is the source of natural right, thus the starting place where social wrongs can be righted," wrote
Jack Zipes in his book The Brothers Grimm: From Enchanted Forests to the Modern World (1988). The
"old German forests" are mythical places in German cultural history where "the essential truths about German customs, laws, and culture could be found...."
Perhaps the most famous collection of folk tales in our life, was that of the "Brothers Grimm." The Grimm's' first collection of folktales was not published during their lifetime. It was a
manuscript containing 53 stories, some written out in detail, others sketched in brief outline form. In December 1810 they submitted this collection to Clemens Brentano and Achim von Arnim for
inclusion in a planned third volume to their successful collection of folk poetry entitled Des Knaben Wunderhorn (The Boy's Magic Horn, 3 volumes, 1806, 1808, 1808), which was to be dedicated to
folktales. This fairy-tale volume never materialized, and the manuscript was not returned to its authors, but the Grimm's' interest in collecting and editing folklore did not die. In 1812 they came
out with their own fairy-tale collection.
In addition to the works listed above, the Grimm's (especially Jacob) wrote many substantive articles, reviews, forewords, and chapters, and published numerous editions and translations. Their
achievements as pioneering folklorists, linguists, and medievalists are astounding by any measure.
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