Cuckoo Clocks from Germany – a unique and traditional clock from the black forest

Traditionally the most famous cuckoo clocks come from the back forest area in Germany. Traditionally they are still made with all the experience and hand craft of the south western part of Germany.

The cuckoo clocks have many years of traditions and the noise has been so much perfected to come as close as possible to the real ones in nature.

The cuckoo clocks are not only a tool to see the clock but also should reflect the traditions, stories and experiences of the region.

a long-time tradition and development

The cuckoo’s clock tradition is for Germany some tradition that shows tradition at it’s best and stands for german preciseness and unvieled German coziness.

The cuckoo clock has been originated in the area of Schonach, where people live since the middle of the 18th. Century only from the cuckoo clock’s production. When it was developed the cuckoo clock had two advantages: 1. the clock worked for much more time than other traditional clocks and instead of ringing a bell, a cuckoo comes out to wake you up and telling you that another hour has passed. the inside of a cuckoo clock worked in the most traditional way and still does: The whole wheels and mechanism is made out of wood. The cuckoo clock’s nice producer is still made in the same way: a sound chamber out of wood and bellows with a paper air bulk to make the noise. The basic idea was to make a rooster to wake up the people and the servants in the morning to make sure that they start working on time on the fields. Since the kicker sound was not possible to make, the clock makers decided to just use two pipes and producing the typically sound of the cuckoo.

A typical cuckoo clock is made out of wood and shows the best preciseness that Germany has to offer.

purists swear that the cuckoo clock has to stay the same way as already over 250years ago. One of that producer has decided to make the mechanic open for everybody and just simply decided to make a cuckoo clock in an XXL version. It became the world’s biggest cuckoo clock, as big as a normal single family home.

The clock is as interesting and dark as the german history, decorated with latin numbers, oak wood, antlers, etc. Inside the mechanic is all made in wood and shows how a traditional black forest cuckoo clock has to be.

At each hour an 80 kilo cuckoo bird comes out and makes the typical sound.

Find below the pictures of the world’s biggest cuckoo clock, with an inside picture of the size and mechanic.

Therefore it has the risk of all the traditions: The best times are over but how do you make a classic still work and innovate in order to be still considered traditional. A classic will also work but can it be transformed also into the newest times?

There are nowadays several versions: 1st: the original one without any fancy new additions; 2nd: the ones made with moving figures and extra sound; 3rd the ones made out of quartz and just need a battery, also there you can have them with moving figures or not.

The world is changing and people changed their houses and also the cuckoo clock. There are now versions that are totally transparent, versions in light neon colors, or silver deer, etc.

Not everybody agreed with it but the main fact has to stay the same: The cuckoo noise and also the mechanic has to still work with the same principals, just more precise, etc than it was hundreds of years ago. The 150 single pieces still work in the same manner with a chain and weights at the end. The mechanic does not need any electronic or batteries. A normal movement has to work between 5-8 days and can last even longer without having to rewind it by pulling the weights the opposite way (one on top, the other one below). The gravity does the rest and is therefore very much eco friendly, as plastic and also lots of chemical is not used.

Nowadays the innovations show also that the tradition is still alive. It should not only show like a typical Grimm fairytale with wolfs and dark and dangerous forests but reflects the positivity of Germany: friendly and achieving sport success, as well as economical success. Around the cuckoo clock there has been lately another hype again but only the outside of the clock changes but the inside is still as traditionally as a german tradition can be and who knows what the future brings.

Drive with us up to the black forest and see why fairytales and cuckoo clock comes from here. See a factory and see the tradition and the new innovations. We are looking forward to meet you here in Salzburg. Best regards and a good travel Be Special Tours!