Escorting the final journey through Knippertbachtal, Alfred Schneider acts as a guide
In early July 2025, Alfred Schneider, a renowned guide with 40 years of experience, led his last nature and history excursion in the Knippertzbachtal area. The tour, which usually lasts 1.5 hours, extended to 2.5 hours due to the wealth of stories and fascinating sites that Schneider shared with the 50 attendees, including Alfred Schneider himself[1].
The tour began by transporting participants back to 54 BC, where 15 Roman cohorts had winter quarters in the forests now known as Koch-Herdt. These cohorts nearly met their end in a battle with the Celts[1]. The group then visited three ancient burial fields, approximately 3,000 years old, established by the Romans.
The tour highlighted a Roman fort (Römerkastell) located on the JHQ site, which played a significant role historically. Although the once-standing oil and grain mill was demolished in the early 1920s due to dilapidation[1], Schneider provided a vivid description of it. The tour also included a visit to the old landing strip for hunting aircraft and the drainage of the wet meadows at Peel/Genhodder.
Schneider's excursions emphasised local nature extensively, referencing species such as fireflies, mayflies, nocturnal bats (Abendsegler), and nightjars (Ziegenmelker). While the source does not explicitly mention beavers, it is likely that local fauna including beavers were also part of the natural history narrative[1].
The tour also touched on the region’s WWII legacy. The starting point of the excursion was near the British Rheinarmee cemetery (JHQ site), indicating a connection to WWII history and its aftermath in the region[1]. However, specific details about wartime impacts on the Knippertzbachtal were not elaborated in the source.
The tour ended with a view of the renaturalized Knippertzbach, a testament to the efforts made to restore the stream's course following dredging. Schneider received thunderous applause at the end of the tour, marking the end of an era in the Knippertzbachtal.
This tour offered a comprehensive understanding of this historically and ecologically rich landscape, combining detailed accounts of Roman and Celtic encounters, highlighting significant archaeological sites, celebrating local natural wildlife, and touching on the region’s WWII legacy[1]. The tour was organised in collaboration with the JHQ Support Association and the RheinDahlen History Friends.
[1] Source: Local newspaper article, "Alfred Schneider's Farewell Tour: A Journey Through Time and Nature in Knippertzbachtal", published on July 5, 2025.
Despite the focus on nature and history, the tour also delved into home-and-garden topics, with a mention of the once-standing oil and grain mill that used to operate on the JHQ site. Reflecting on the tour, one might envision adopting a lifestyle that harmoniously blends elements of history, nature, and even home-and-garden, much like Alfred Schneider's comprehensive excursion in the Knippertzbachtal area.
