Literary Hiking Trail Oberwinter L2 "Nietzsche Path"

The philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche (1844 - 1900), who studied philosophy in Bonn in 1864/1865, frequently visited Rolandseck with his student fraternity Franconia, where they stopped at the Groyen guesthouse. Only two university professors are said to have stopped them from pistol shooting on a meadow above the hotel.

A beautiful, small circular route with a great view from the Rolandsbogen. 

The "Nietzsche Path" begins at the parking lot of the Rolandseck Rhine ferry and leads along the Rhine shore and the Freiligrath monument up to the Rolandsbogen. From there, it goes a bit over the Rodderberg and finally through the forest back to Rolandseck.

The path is named after the philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900), who studied classical philology in Bonn in 1864/65. In his famous lecture on the future of our educational institutions, he used the memory of his visits to Rolandseck with his student fraternity Franconia in 1872 as a starting point for his text. After celebrations at the Groyen guesthouse, he had retreated with a friend for pistol shooting on a meadow above the hotel. Allegedly, two philosophy professors from the University of Bonn stopped them from their dangerous sport, which led to a discussion about the role of philosophy in educational institutions.

"The servant of our fraternity knew our somewhat remote and elevated shooting range and had carried our pistols there for us. This place was located on the upper edge of the forest covering the low ridges behind Rolandseck, on a small uneven plateau and quite close to our foundation and consecration site. On the wooded slope, sideways from our shooting range, there was a small treeless spot inviting to sit down, which allowed a view over trees and bushes towards the Rhine, so that the beautifully twisted lines of the Siebengebirge and above all the Drachenfels defined the horizon against the groups of trees, while the sparkling Rhine itself, holding the Nonnenwörth island in its arms, formed the center of this rounded section."

Excerpt from Friedrich Nietzsche: On the Future of Our Educational Institutions, 1872.