Bockau
| Bockau | ||
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View over Bockau
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 Bockau
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Location of Bockau within Erzgebirgskreis district
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| Coordinates: 50°33′N 12°42′E / 50.550°N 12.700°ECoordinates: 50°33′N 12°42′E / 50.550°N 12.700°E | ||
| Country | Germany | |
| State | Saxony | |
| District | Erzgebirgskreis | |
| Government | ||
| • Mayor | Siegfried Baumann | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 19.15 km2 (7.39 sq mi) | |
| Elevation | 450-550 m (−1,400 ft) | |
| Population (2015-12-31) | ||
| • Total | 2,322 | |
| • Density | 120/km2 (310/sq mi) | |
| Time zone | CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2) | |
| Postal codes | 08324 | |
| Dialling codes | 03771 | |
| Vehicle registration | ERZ | |
| Website | http://www.bockau.de/ | |
Bockau is a community in the district of Erzgebirgskreis in the Free State of Saxony in Germany. The community is known for growing and researching herbs. Owing to its centuries-old cultivation of angelica, whose roots are used in making liqueurs, Bockau is also known locally by the nickname Wurzelbucke (Wurzel is German for “root”).
The place lies in the western Ore Mountains in a sheltered hollow in a side valley off the Zwickauer Mulde valley, stretching up to the Ochsenkopf bei Jägerhaus, an 823-m-high mountain.
Bordering on Bockau are Aue, Lauter, Schwarzenberg, Sosa and Zschorlau.
In the late 15th century, farmers began gathering medicinal herbs from meadows and woods and to ply a trade with them. Important to the herbal lore were, among others, spignel, lovage, angelica, valerian and rhubarb. From the roots’ essential oils they mixed medicinal tinctures, essences and pills. Not least of all, they burnt schnaps. The research establishment grew out of this. Later, herbs were grown in dedicated fields, with angelica plants even being grown as late as 1989. The roots were exported to several European countries and overseas. With the changes in the East Bloc, local herb growers were left to themselves and their herbs.
A long tradition was threatening to wither and die. Since that time, many in Bockau have been growing the herbs in their gardens and never tire of telling of the valuable angelica roots’ medicinal properties or of using them for their health.
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Wikipedia