Terraced landscapes in Germany

Research & Upload: Alexandra Kruse. The entries are still in process

The used name in Germany is Terrassen and for the landscape Terrassenlandschaft, according to their function also Ackerterrassen and especially important Weinterrassen for wine growing. Old names are Stufenrain, Kulturwechselstufen (see fig. 2). An additional historic type is the so called “Wölbäcker”(see fig. 3). There is a huge agrarmorphological ensemble of relief features, related to terraces that have been created in order to use the ground as best as possible – depending on natural conditions – and which do not exist anymore or only as relict, conserved through a different type of type.

However, the majority of German terraces are intentionally created, some have ‘appeared’ through long-term tillage, namely ploughing along slopes, which has resulted in erosion in the upper and accumulation (Konold 1996:102 ff) in the lower part of arable fields. They occur mainly at river slops and in hilly regions, at the lower foothills of the Alps. Natural terraces do only occur next to rivers in the high mountains. Terraces have been created in order to make production more profitable: Working on terraces is easier than on steep slopes, inclination can be better used, erosion will be reduced.

Intentionally created terraces for agricultural production date back early; historical findings prove wine cultivation at the rivers Rhine and Moselle appr. 5th cent. before Christ through Romans (Gilles 1995). It is unknown when fruit plantation on terraces started. But for the North-Eastern part of Germany (Brandenburg) it can be proofed for the 12th century (KRUSE 1999: 186ff). In former times, fields for crop production have been created everywhere in hilly regions. Nowadays most of those terraces are used as grassland, often as (horse)pasture (see fig. 5), as tillage is restricted to plain areas. 

Most terraces wine yards are artificial in order to use better the microclimate and inclination towards the sun and heat. Terraces are less steep and therefore easier to work at, less soil erosion is caused by evacuating rain water because of less inclined soils.
At the end of the 20th century several small, traditional terraces have been removed in order to create bigger flat fields to allow mechanised production. Pennig 2012 describes the case of the Kaiserstuhl region, where more and more people left in the 60ties and 70ties their farms as they could not afford a living anymore. In order to stop this migration, a huge land consolidation plan was started with the aim to produce large, tractor compatible fields. The whole area was newly modelled by the help of huge machines. Production was much quicker, easier and therefore more efficient than before and the migration trend was stopped. Unfortunately several negative components were the result: Many historic structures with high importance for biodiversity, like hollow ways had been destroyed. Rare and/or endangered plant and animal species lost their habitats. Erosion increased and, more important, in the backrows of these new and large terraces, cold air led to freeze of the grapes. Therefore the success was smaller than anticipated.