Upper Harz Yodelling Competition
Every year, yodelling competitions are held in the Harz Mountains. These cultural events serve to preserve an old Harz tradition: yodelling. According to the Duden dictionary, yodelling is singing without lyrics. Artists of all ages, from 5 to 70, will be taking part. The anniversary event is held under the patronage of the Lower Saxony Ministry of Science and Culture. Participants are divided into different age groups and must perform a piece consisting of a text and a yodel – in other words, a yodelling song. The performance is judged by a specialist jury of seven members, who award marks from 1.0 to 6.0 according to specified criteria.
A mark of 6.0 is the highest mark that can be awarded. The final mark is then calculated by adding up all the individual marks. Before this, the highest and lowest marks are discarded. All participating artists receive a certificate. The top three finishers are presented with bronze, silver and gold medals by the organisers. Trophies donated by sponsors will also be presented. In 2026, the competition will take place on 6 September at the Kurgastzentrum in Altenau. Admission for spectators is 5 euros. Children and young people are admitted free of charge.
How yodelling came to the Harz Mountains
Yodelling is generally only associated with Alpine regions such as Bavaria, Switzerland and Austria, but this is not entirely correct. Although outside the Alps, the Harz, as the northernmost low mountain range in Germany, has an old yodelling tradition. The beginnings date back around 400 years to the mining era in the Harz. Today's modern means of communication, such as the telephone and the internet, did not exist at that time. People communicated with each other verbally. For longer distances over mountains and valleys, people had to come up with something. Yodelling helped here.
Yodelling was primarily practised by people who worked in the forest. It was the lumberjacks, woodcutters and charcoal burners who used this form of communication. First and foremost, however, yodelling was a way of expressing joie de vivre. From the 1920s and 1930s onwards, yodelling was further developed musically and competitions were held. Karl Reinecke from Altenau, founder of the Oberharzer Heimatbund, invited people to a yodelling competition for the first time in 1936. A song followed by a yodelling song was required.
