Timber Over Tinder: A Tree That Brings Lovers Together
A 500-year-old German oak tree helps people find love through handwritten letters left in its knothole.
In a world filled with dating apps and instant messaging, a 500-year-old oak tree in Germany is keeping the old-fashioned charm of handwritten letters alive. Located 250 km from Berlin in the Dodau Forest, this tree, known as the "Bridegroom's Oak" or *Bräutigamseiche* in German, has been playing matchmaker for over a century.
The story of this magical tree began in 1891 when a young couple used it to secretly exchange love letters. The daughter of the local head forester fell in love with the son of a chocolate maker, but her father did not approve of their relationship. To stay connected, the couple began leaving letters for each other in a knothole in the tree’s trunk. Their love story had a happy ending when the girl’s father finally agreed to their marriage, and they tied the knot under the tree on 2nd June 1891.
Word of this romantic tale spread, and soon, people began writing letters to the tree in hopes of finding their own love. By 1927, the knothole had become so popular that a ladder was set up to help people reach it, as it was 10 feet above the ground. The tree even got its own postal code, and the local postmen started delivering 50 to 60 letters to the tree every month.
The tree works like a public mailbox. Anyone can open, read, take, or reply to the letters. Over the years, many people have found love through this unique tradition. One man found a letter from a woman who lived just 20 kilometres away, and they eventually got married. Even a retired postman, who delivered letters to the tree, met his wife after she wrote to him directly at the tree after seeing him on a TV show about the oak.
In 2009, the Bridegroom’s Oak was symbolically "married" to another famous tree in Germany, the Himmelgeist Chestnut from Düsseldorf. Sadly, the chestnut tree died in 2015, but its trunk was turned into a sculpture to keep its memory alive.
Despite the rise of smartphones and dating apps, the Bridegroom’s Oak continues to bring people together in a special way. It reminds us of the power of handwritten letters and the magic of old traditions.
If you ever visit the Dodau Forest, don’t forget to leave a letter in the tree. Who knows? You might just find your own love story waiting for you there.
