Route 3 – Wartburg

This Route includes the town of Wartburg and its environs as well as the villages of Dalton, Fawnleas, Harburg and Schroders. In the second half of the eighteenth century relatives and friends of the German settlers of Hermannsburg followed the pioneers into the area, establishing a small but tidy trading town and a prosperous farming community. In all the new settlements the Lutheran faith and the German language and culture were nurtured and remain strong today. In fact a hearty meal at the quaint Wartburger Hof turns into a travel warp for many English speakers as they find themselves outnumbered by the German speakers of the district. Most of the area’s income comes from the cultivation and processing of sugar cane, maize and timber. About 250 farmers transport cane to two mills crushing around 2 000 000 tons of sugar cane a year. True to its staunchly religious founders, Wartburg and surrounding areas boasts two Lutheran, one Roman Catholic and one Apostolic church, and there are Methodist, Anglican and Dutch Reformed churches in the outlying districts. An event for which the town is rapidly becoming famous is the Weinachtsmarkt (Christmas Market) held on the last Saturday of November every year. Numerous stallholders from far and wide gather at the Wartburg Hall to sell specialty foods and Christmas gifts (among other things). Contact Anne Truter (033 – 503-1069) for further information.