Schluchsee

About

Schluchsee (German pronunciation: [ˈʃluːxˌzeː]) is a town in the county of Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald in the German state of Baden-Württemberg. It is located near the Schluchsee reservoir and is located in the Southern Black Forest Nature Park.

The municipal area extends at an altitude of 700 to 1300 meters above sea level. The highest point is the Schnepfhalde in the northwest at 1299 meters above sea level. The lowest point is located at the inlet of the Taubach and the Schwarza.

As a result of municipal mergers in the 1970s, Schluchsee now has a total of five districts, each with its own municipal boundaries. In addition to the eponymous district of Schluchsee, these are Blasiwald, Faulenfürst, Fischbach, and Schönenbach. These five districts are divided into a total of six residential areas as defined by the Baden-Württemberg Gemeindeordnung. In terms of name and size, these are mostly identical to the individual districts, with the exception of Schluchsee, which has two residential areas: Schluchsee-Village and Aha-Äule. The two districts of Schönenbach and Blasiwald also form Ortschaft within the meaning of the Baden-Württemberg Municipal Code. This means that they have a local advisory council (Ortschaftsrat) with a Head of the local community (Ortsvorsteher) as its chairperson.

The district of Muchenland and the hamlets of Althütte, Eisenbreche, Loch, Sommerseite, and Winterseite belong to the district of Blasiwald. The village of Faulenfürst and the village of Seebrugg (Seebruck) belong to the district of Faulenfürst. The village of (Ober-)Fischbach and the village of Hinterhäuser and Schwende belong to the district of Fischbach. The district of Schluchsee includes the village of Schluchsee, the hamlets of Äule, Oberaha, Unteraha, and Unterfischbach, the Dresselbach farmstead, and the settlements of Forsthaus Oberaha and Unterkrummen. The district of Schönenbach includes the village of Schönenbach and the farms of Oberschwarzhalden and Unterschwarzhalden. The abandoned village of Wüstengraben is located in the Blasiwald district, and the abandoned village of Oberkrummen is located in the Schluchsee district.

Districts of the municipality of Schluchsee and their population:

* with Aha-Äule, Dresselbach and Unterfischbach

Schluchsee borders the following municipalities (clockwise): Feldberg (Baden-Württemberg), Lenzkirch (both in the county of Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald ), Bonndorf im Schwarzwald, Grafenhausen, Ühlingen-Birkendorf, Höchenschwand, Häusern, and Sankt Blasien (all in the county of Waldshut ).

The average temperature in Schluchsee is +5.6 °C (January −2.2 °C; July +14.4 °C). The average amount of rainfall is 1503 mm. The rainfall is evenly distributed throughout the year. (September is the driest month, December the wettest) (Data refers to the period 1961–1990)

As a result of municipal mergers in the 1970s, Schluchsee now has a total of five districts, each with its own municipal boundaries. In addition to the eponymous district of Schluchsee, these are Blasiwald, Faulenfürst, Fischbach, and Schönenbach. These five districts are divided into a total of six residential areas as defined by the Baden-Württemberg Gemeindeordnung. In terms of name and size, these are mostly identical to the individual districts, with the exception of Schluchsee, which has two residential areas: Schluchsee-Village and Aha-Äule. The two districts of Schönenbach and Blasiwald also form Ortschaft within the meaning of the Baden-Württemberg Municipal Code. This means that they have a local advisory council (Ortschaftsrat) with a Head of the local community (Ortsvorsteher) as its chairperson.

The district of Muchenland and the hamlets of Althütte, Eisenbreche, Loch, Sommerseite, and Winterseite belong to the district of Blasiwald. The village of Faulenfürst and the village of Seebrugg (Seebruck) belong to the district of Faulenfürst. The village of (Ober-)Fischbach and the village of Hinterhäuser and Schwende belong to the district of Fischbach. The district of Schluchsee includes the village of Schluchsee, the hamlets of Äule, Oberaha, Unteraha, and Unterfischbach, the Dresselbach farmstead, and the settlements of Forsthaus Oberaha and Unterkrummen. The district of Schönenbach includes the village of Schönenbach and the farms of Oberschwarzhalden and Unterschwarzhalden. The abandoned village of Wüstengraben is located in the Blasiwald district, and the abandoned village of Oberkrummen is located in the Schluchsee district.

Districts of the municipality of Schluchsee and their population:

* with Aha-Äule, Dresselbach and Unterfischbach

Schluchsee borders the following municipalities (clockwise): Feldberg (Baden-Württemberg), Lenzkirch (both in the county of Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald ), Bonndorf im Schwarzwald, Grafenhausen, Ühlingen-Birkendorf, Höchenschwand, Häusern, and Sankt Blasien (all in the county of Waldshut ).

The average temperature in Schluchsee is +5.6 °C (January −2.2 °C; July +14.4 °C). The average amount of rainfall is 1503 mm. The rainfall is evenly distributed throughout the year. (September is the driest month, December the wettest) (Data refers to the period 1961–1990)

Schluchsee is one of the oldest places in the Black Forest to be mentioned in written records. After a diploma issued by Emperor Otto II on June 5, 983, was proven to be a forgery, the first reliable record dates back to 1076. This is taken from a document from 1125 confirming the donation of the "Schluchsee estate" to Saint Blaise Abbey. In the Middle Ages, the bailiwick rights belonged to the House of Fürstenberg. At the end of the 17th century, Saint Blaise Abbey regained sovereignty. In 1803, as a result of the Reichsdeputationshauptschluss, it passed to the Knights Hospitaller von Heitersheim. With the establishment of the Grand Duchy of Baden, the latter had to cede their sovereign rights to the new state in 1806 under the Rhine Confederation Act.

In the 19th century, the population began to impoverish, leading to emigration and a significant decline in population. Suffering lasting economic damage due to hunger and crop failures, many farmers were forced to sell their farms to the state. It was not until the construction of the Three Lakes Railway from Titisee to Seebrugg, which opened in 1926, that tourism began to boom again. Equally decisive for this, however, was the construction of the dam and the resulting impoundment of the lake, which, in addition to its importance for energy production, also became a popular leisure and recreational destination.

On July 1, 1971, the previously independent municipalities of Faulenfürst and Fischbach were incorporated into Schluchsee, followed by Schönenbach on September 1, 1973. Blasiwald was incorporated on July 1, 1974.

In the 2024 Baden-Württemberg local elections, the SPD lost one seat to the Freie Wähler List Schluchsee, which was running for the first time, resulting in the following distribution of seats

Jürgen Kaiser (independent) has been mayor since 2009. He was re-elected in 2017 and 2025.

Schluchsee has a municipal partnership with the French municipality of Sevrier on Lake Annecy.