The oak is considered the German tree par excellence. Numerically, that's not entirely true. Beech trees are even more common in Germany than oak trees. However, since oak trees belong to the beech family, the claim to be the "tree of the Germans" can be upheld.
Oak trees are distributed worldwide
Oak trees are distributed worldwide. Only in Australia do they not occur in nature. How many species there actually are is hard to say. The numbers vary between 600 and almost 1,000 oak species.
In Germany, the stock of pedunculate and sessile oaks accounts for nine percent. This makes the oak the second most common deciduous tree here.
The oak is valued for its longevity and hard, hardly rotting wood. The durable, solid wood is used for many purposes such as:
- Furniture
- railway sleepers
- barrels
- floors
- hydraulic engineering
- firewood
History of the oak in Germany
Oak trees have existed in Germany since ancient times. Trials were held under her expansive crown. An example of this is the Femeiche, one of the oldest German oaks, which stands near Borken.
The oak has been Germany's national tree since the 18th century.
After the Franco-Prussian War (1870 - 1871) peace oaks were planted all over Germany. This was done in the hope that peace would remain between countries as long as an oak tree lived.
The oak in art
How important the oak was and still is to the people is shown in the numerous illustrations of oak trees not only in art, but also as military insignia.
In the Gothic period, the oak, acorns and oak leaves are a recurring motif. Since the oak was associated with Saint Mary because of its permanence, images of the tree can be found on many Bible covers.
It is not only in Germany that military rank insignia contain the oak leaf, which is a symbol for higher ranks.
tips and tricks
Hamburg's warehouse district was built on hundreds of oak poles. The oak wood is particularly strong and does not rot if it is permanently in the water. For this reason, this type of construction was not only used in Germany, but also in Holland, for example, when the subsoil did not allow for permanent construction.