Jahrhunderteiche, Wuppertal

The Centennial Oak is a commemorative tree on the southeastern edge of the Barmer Wald in Wuppertal, near Villa Foresta. The oak was planted on April 1, 1908 for the centennial celebration of the then independent city of Barmen.

The founding of the town took place when, on January 4, 1808, the French occupiers issued a decree naming the personalities who were to be members of the new town council. On February 3, 1808, the new municipal councilors, headed by Carl Bredt, were sworn in by the provincial council. This date is considered the day when Barmen, with its 14,000 inhabitants, received its municipal charter. The planting of the century-old ponds 100 years later was one of several celebrations to mark the anniversary; among other things, the foundation stone for Barmen's new town hall was also laid in the presence of the Crown Prince and Crown Princess.

At the simultaneously named "Jahrhundertplatz", the intersection of the forest paths Kuckucksweg and Waldweg, the oak tree stands to this day. The tree, which was 17 years old at the time, was selected by the Barmer Verschönerungsverein and had already reached a height of 7.77 meters. One meter above the ground it had a trunk diameter of 16 centimeters and a trunk circumference of 51 centimeters. From the century place, at the time of planting, one had a wide view of the surrounding forests. Radevormwald was visible far away on the horizon.

The planting act was started with the welcoming speech of the chairman of the Barmer Verschönerungsverein Robert Barthels. Representing the Lord Mayor, Councillor Paul Hartmann thanked the Verschönerungsverein for preparing the square with the oak tree as a "symbol of a flourishing community" and for the association's activities for the city. The people present symbolically filled three shovels of soil each into the planting hole.

A wooden plaque on the trunk bears the inscription: Barmen is now a district of Wuppertal. The district council of Heckinghausen, the borough in which the Barmen forest is located, had the centenary square prepared for the "200th anniversary of the city of Wuppertal" and two new benches framing the square were donated by the Heckinghausen and Heidt district associations respectively. The Sauerländische Gebirgsverein hiked to the Centennial Pond in two groups, from two directions, on April 1 to commemorate the planting. The project community "Barmen 2008" provided information on the 200th anniversary.