Schrumpftal

The Schrumpfbach valley has always been characterized by its mills. This 5 km long side valley of the Moselle winds with a slight incline from Hatzenport / Moselle to Münstermaifeld-Metternich along the Schrumpfbach. In earlier times, the small flowing water powered numerous mills, most of which are still preserved today, but without their original function. These mills can be traced back for centuries and were all feudal in the Middle Ages. The dues for the feud were mostly paid in kind. The Schrumpfbach valley with its 15 mills, six of which are located in the Hatzenport district, connects the Moselle village of Hatzenport with the Maifelder Eifel villages of Mörz and Metternich. Because of its idyll and scenic beauty, the valley is appreciated by hikers and cyclists alike. Different in all documents are the proper names used for the valley, such as Scrumpe, Schrump, Schrumpf, Schrumff, Schromb and more. At present it is assumed that in the Schrumpftal once soldiers and men of war after a lost battle strongly shrunk (decimated) attacked the enemy again and defeated. As a reward for this, the army commander received the area as a gift. Today, the Schrumpftal is a popular attraction for cyclists, hikers, nature enthusiasts or simply the curious.

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