Station: [14] Wine-growing

F: Now, it’s all about the tipple! There is evidence of wine-making in Dotzheim from as early as 1275. Today, three old-established Dotzheim families uphold this wine-growing tradition: the Höhn, Nicolai-Schuster and Wintermeyer families make a white wine that has a distinctive mineral character, thanks to the local clay and marl soil – it’s called “Dotzheimer Judenkirsch”.

The weird name (it means Jews’ Cherry) has nothing to do with Dotzheim’s Jewish families. It’s a reference to the slope on which the grapes grow, and that name in turn refers to a typical local plant: physalis, or Chinese Lantern – nicknamed “Jews’ Cherry”.

These days, the centuries-old wine growing tradition naturally includes the Wine Queens, who showcase the excellent Dotzheim wines with charm and dignity.

M: Before you move on into the next room, take a moment to look at the glass case immediately in front of the corner devoted to wine-growing. It holds one of the highlights of our collection: an original lance from the Battle of Waterloo.

In 1815, the Duchy of Nassau took the British side in the struggle against Napoleon, and we know that ten soldiers from Dotzheim fought in the battle. Britain and its allies won, and after their victory, one of the Dotzheim soldiers recovered this lance from the battlefield and brought it back home with him. We’ll hear about the Battle of Waterloo again later. But first, we’ll be taking a look at the traffic system in and around Dotzheim. Please go on into the next room and take a look at the glass case on the wall to your left.