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Find sources: "Altenbrak" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (February 2023) (Learn how and when to remove this message) Ortsteil of Thale in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany Altenbrak Ortsteil of Thale Church in Altenbrak Coat of arms Location of Altenbrak Altenbrak Show map of Germany Altenbrak Show map of Saxony-Anhalt Coordinates: 51°44′N 10°56′E / 51.733°N 10.933°E / 51.733; 10.933 Country Germany State Saxony-Anhalt District Harz Town Thale Area • Total 19.43 km2 (7.50 sq mi) Elevation 340 m (1,120 ft) Population (2017) • Total 332 • Density 17.1/km2 (44.3/sq mi) Time zone UTC+01:00 (CET) • Summer (DST) UTC+02:00 (CEST) Postal codes 06502 Dialling codes 039456 Vehicle registration HZ **Altenbrak** (German: [\[altn̩ˈbʁaːk\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA/Standard_German))[1] is a village and a former municipality in the [district of Harz](/source/Harz_(district)), in [Saxony-Anhalt](/source/Saxony-Anhalt), [Germany](/source/Germany). 1912 map of Altenbrak View of Altenbrak from the [Böser Kleef](/source/B%C3%B6ser_Kleef) vantage point ## Geography The village is strung out for about 1.6 kilometres (0.99 miles) along the River Bode in an east–west valley. It is 3 kilometres (1.9 miles) from the [Wendefurth Reservoir](/source/Wendefurth_Reservoir), which is part of the [Rappbode Reservoir](/source/Rappbode_Reservoir). From its shape and nature, Altenbrak is very much a *Straßendorf* or ribbon development. In front of the dam is the hamlet of [Wendefurth](/source/Wendefurth) that used to belong to this parish. Altenbrak's neighbouring communities are [Allrode](/source/Allrode), [Blankenburg (Harz)](/source/Blankenburg_(Harz)), [Cattenstedt](/source/Cattenstedt), [Friedrichsbrunn](/source/Friedrichsbrunn), [Hasselfelde](/source/Hasselfelde), [Treseburg](/source/Treseburg), Wendefurth and [Wienrode](/source/Wienrode). Within the local area are the forest inn of Todtenrode (*Gasthaus Todtenrode*) and the *[Jagdschloss Windenhütte](/source/Jagdschloss_Windenh%C3%BCtte)* which are also checkpoints 65 and 59 in the [Harzer Wandernadel](/source/Harzer_Wandernadel) hiking network. It is a tourist location that has more than 7 accommodations and the outdoor pool of the town to enjoy the summer. Hotel Weißes Roß Pension Haus Rodenstein Pension Restaurant "Zum Harzer Jodlermeister" Cafe and Pension Theodor Fontane Ferienhausanlage und Gaststätte Zur Jägerbaude Pension Harzresidenz House Bodetal There is viewing point, *Aussichtspunkt Schöneburg*, above the village at an elevation of 441 metres (1,447 ft) above sea level. It is checkpoint 63 on the [Harzer Wandernadel](/source/Harzer_Wandernadel) hiking network.[2] ## History Altenbrak was first mentioned in 1448 as a [smelting](/source/Smelting) site. The establishment of the village probably goes back further to 1227. After the last [ironworks](/source/Ironworks) was closed in 1867 the population became poverty-stricken. Later, tourism developed, encouraged by the sheltered situation of the village. There has been a private post office (*Postagentur*) in Altenbrak since 1891. Its post agents were Heinrich Fessel (1891–1902); Adolf Schomburg (1907); Fritz Steffen (1908–09); and Georg Hoffmann (1910–16). In 1884 [Theodor Fontane](/source/Theodor_Fontane) spent some time in Altenbrak. The *Gasthaus zum Rodenstein* and other places he visited during his excursion into the [Bode Gorge](/source/Bode_Gorge) are mentioned in his novel, [Cécile](/source/C%C3%A9cile_(novel)). Since 1949 Altenbrak has been a climatic spa (*Luftkurort*). Since 1 July 2009, it has been part of the borough of [Thale](/source/Thale). ## Politics Coat of arms of Altenbrak Dachdecker mit WeitblickDachdecker mit Weitblick: Michel Wiese übernimmt gern Verantwortung. Altenbrak - Neu im Ortschaftsrat und gleich der Chef: 38-Jähriger ist neuer Ortsbürgermeister von Altenbrak. ### Coat of arms The coat of arms was approved by the county on 10 July 2008. [Blazon](/source/Blazon): "Divided vertically gold and green, left a green spruce, right a silver half-waterwheel, in the blue wavy base a silver trout" (*Gespalten von Gold und Grün, vorn eine ausgerissene grüne Fichte, hinten ein halbes silbernes Wassermühlrad am Spalt, im blauen Wellenschildfuß eine silberne Forelle."*)[3] The colours of the old parish are the colours green and gold (based on the tincture of the coat of arms). The coat of arms was created by the Magdeburg herald, Jörg Mantzsch. ### Flag The flag has two stripes: the left-hand stripe is green and the right is yellow. On horizontal flags the upper striper is green and the lower one yellow. The coat of arms is placed in the centre. ## Culture and places of interest The *[Harzer Hexenstieg](/source/Harzer_Hexenstieg)*, a hiking trail just under 100 km long, running from [Osterode](/source/Osterode_am_Harz) to [Thale](/source/Thale) passes through Altenbrak. Every year on the first weekend in September the Harz Yodelling Competition takes place in Altenbrak. Plays and concerts take place on the forest stage in Altenbrak in the summer. It has seating for 1300. ## Personalities ### Born in the village - Herbert Krebs, born 19 June 1901 in the Todtenrode Forester's House (*Forsthaus Todtenrode*); died 13 November 1980 in [Rechtmehring](/source/Rechtmehring), forester and hunting author (*Vor und nach der [Jägerprüfung](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=J%C3%A4gerpr%C3%BCfung&action=edit&redlink=1)*) ## References 1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["Altenbrak Teil A"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xze7lR2uARs). *YouTube*. Hajo Wohlfart. Retrieved 4 January 2026. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** [*Stempelstelle 63 / Schöneburg (Aussichtspunkt)*](http://www.harzer-wandernadel.de/stempelstellen/uebersichtskarte/stempelstelle-63-schoeneburg-%20aussichtspunkt/) at www.harzer-wandernadel.de. Retrieved 1 Nov 2017. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** [Amtsblatt des Landkreis Nr. 8/2008 Seite 12](http://www.kreis-hz.de/media/artikel/medien_1/hkb_08_2008_internet.pdf) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20120421181650/http://www.kreis-hz.de/media/artikel/medien_1/hkb_08_2008_internet.pdf) 2012-04-21 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine) ## External links - [Altenbrak](http://www.altenbrak.de/) Authority control databases VIAF GND WorldCat --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Altenbrak](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Altenbrak) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Altenbrak?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.