One of the most iconic images of Germany’s Black Forest is a fresh faced woman wearing a hat covered with red Pom Poms, a Bollenhut; but what is a Bollenhut? This stiff straw hat covered in wool Pom Poms is an integral part of the area’s Tracht. But it’s not as common as advertising and media would have us think. Although the Bollenhut has become a symbol for the Black Forest, it is traditionally worn in three primarily Protestant communities in the Kinzig Valley: Gutach, Kirnbach, and Reichenbach. And it’s only been around for a few hundred years. So, how did this hat become such a familiar representation of the Black Forest?
Extras wearing Tracht and Bollenhut at an outdoor museum in Gutach. Creative Commons
The first mention of a Bollenhut was in January of 1797. Before this, the small enclave of Protestant women in the Kinzig Valley of the Black Forest would wear modest black caps after marriage. In neighboring communities, the Catholic women would wear golden crown-like hats decorated with pearls, gems, and beautiful embroidery.
In 1797, Duke Friedrich Eugen von Wuerttemberg saw hat production as a way to help boost the economy of the Black Forest. When straw-woven hats for women became more common and affordable, Protestant women made a switch. Initially, the circles were painted on, and by 1820, a few small pom poms were added to the hats to make them more festive. And then more were added, and then they got bigger! Until they arrived at the traditional number of 14 Pom Poms.
Getting dressed in the Black Forest- layers of clothing put on in a certain order…topped by a Bollenhut, either Red or Black, depending on Marital Status.
Photo taken at theVogtsbauernhof in Gutach
Making a Bollenhut
Making a Bollenhut is more than just gluing balls to a straw hat. The Pom Poms are made from wool and trimmed into an oval shape. (Did you ever make pompoms in craft class? Lay a whole lot of pieces of yard across one string, then bind them tightly together. If you have enough pieces of yarn, they will form into a ball.) The balls are trimmed, steamed, and trimmed again to maintain their shape. The Pom Poms come in different sizes and are attached in a specific pattern that represents a cross from above.
Because these hats can weigh over 2 kg (around 4 pounds), Hat makers reinforce the straw hats with a white substance made from calcium and gypsum, which is painted onto the brim (the exact formula is a hat maker’s secret!). This also gives the hat a nice white brim.
It takes about a week to create a single Bollenhut. Today, only a few women make the traditional Bollenhut. It’s a dying art form that hopefully can be kept alive.
Why are there 2 Different Colors of Bollenhut?
Girls receive their first Bollenhut at their Confirmation. This one has red Pom Poms and represents “availability.” When a woman marries, she trades the red for a more modest black. The hat is worn over a cap that covers the hair. Before confirmation, girls just wore the cap.
Black Bollenhut worn by Married Women- Creative comnons
Black Forest Tracht has always been black, white, and red, dating back to the 10th century. The Black Pom Poms make sense since they’re in keeping with the modest Protestant tradition of the time. But why Red? Some say it comes from the mushrooms that grow wild in the Black Forest. It could also be that it’s a happy, fresh color that can be seen from a long way. Perfect for attracting that future husband?
Visiting a Bollenhust Maker
(Her accent, I could listen all day.)
Bollenhut Rules
Like most traditional Tracht, there are strict rules or guidelines to wearing a Bollenhut.
It’s only worn for festival days or church days.
It is NEVER worn with jeans and t-shirts... only with the matching Tracht. Matching Tracht means the Black Forest embroidered dress and white blouse with GIANT sleeves. Not that cute blue Dirndl you found in a shop in Munich.
And it’s NEVER EVER worn as a Karneval Costume!
A Girl of the Black Forest, Public Domain
How did the Bollenhut become the Symbol of the Black Forest?
There are 120 styles of Tracht in the Black Forest, so how did the Bollenhut, which is only worn in 3 communities, become the symbol of the whole Black Forest? Because of art. The beauty of the Kinzig Valley drew artists like Wilhelm Hasemann (1850—1913). Other artists flocked to the region in the early 1900s. They loved painting the scenery and the local people. Included in their paintings were women wearing a Bollenhut. Some of these images became postcards and spread the image of Black Forest Women in Pom Pom hats! Ultimately, these hats became a huge part of tourism ads, synonymous with the Black Forest, which is ironic since they are a specialized local part of Tracht.
Ludovico Wolfgang Hart, Tinted Photograph 1984- Public Domain
The Heimatfilm “The Black Forest Girl” (Schwarzwaldmädel) was the first color film of the post-WWI2 era and one of the most popular Heimatfilme of all time. Starring Sonja Ziemann, it cemented the image of a Black Forest girl in a Bollenhut across the country.
Note—Many people see the Bollenhut’s resemblance to the world-famous Schwarzwalder Kirsch Torte, Black Forest Cherry Cake. The closest I can find is that in 1915, the creator of the Black Forest Cake, Joseph Keller, got inspiration from the colors of the Schwarzwalder Tracht. The Pom Poms certainly look like cherries.
The Bollenhut Today
Today, wearing Tracht is no longer considered old-fashioned, and young girls from Gutach, Kirnbach, and Reichenbach are proud to wear the clothes of their heritage. There are only a few hat makers left in the Valley, and hopefully, someone will step up to learn to make them. This way, the craft of making a real Bollenhut will not die out.
According to one young woman, “When we wear the Tracht to events outside the village, it makes you proud and gives local identification and awareness of your home. If the girls are allowed to put on a proper hat for the first time at the confirmation, it gives them the feeling of adulthood. The hat is made for special occasions. One must add that the Bollenhut is very dressy. The saying goes, “Clothes make the people. “But you can also extend that: beautiful clothes make beautiful people.”
A Bollenhut May not be for you, but you can get these cute souvenirs!
Bollenhut hat
Chain Bollenhut silver
References
Schwarzwaldportal- Bollenhut history
“Der Bollenhut:Ein Symbol der Schwarzwälder Tracht Publikation von LUTZ RÖHRICH PDF
My cousin’s hubby (from Gutach) has a Bollenhut maker in the family! My dad’s family was from Hornberg, one town south of Gutach (he came to the US in 1950, the year I was born); several Bollenhutpuppen in the house (including a nifty one whose skirt is a pincushion). Nice article!!
That’s so cool! It’s a rare art!
I received a German doll in the 1960s who’s wearing a bollenhut with red pompoms. I enjoyed learning about the hats from your post! Thanks!
Sweet! I’m so glad. Thank you!
Sweet! I’m glad you enjoyed it! Thank you