Seed Production Path
In 2021, the town and citizens of Quedlinburg can look back with pride on 250 years of seed breeding in Quedlinburg with the anniversary of the founding of Martin Grashoff, Quedlinburg's oldest seed breeding company.
The IG Saatguttradition (Seed Tradition Interest Group) in the Kultur- und Heimatverein Quedlinburg e.V. (Quedlinburg Culture and Heritage Association) is delighted that, in this anniversary year, it has been able to implement Dr. Manfred Kummer's idea from the 1970s to create a breeders' trail.
The interest group is now presenting the product of its three years of work on this project on the association's website.
The Breeder's Trail was only made possible thanks to the support of the World Heritage City of Quedlinburg, businesses, institutions, and sponsors, as well as funding from the European Union under the ELER and LEADER programs. The design office Agentur für Kommunikation GmbH (based in Quedlinburg), represented by Ms. Kerstin Zentner, was commissioned to carry out the project. The stele on the central island was designed by wood sculptor Uwe Bormann, Rieder. Citizens of the region associated with seed cultivation supported this project by providing historically valuable photos, documentation, and information. The city of Quedlinburg and private landowners made it possible to erect and install the information boards. On the part of the IG, Dr. Rolf Bielau as initiator and author and Hartmut Klein as project manager had a decisive influence on the realization. Many thanks to all those involved for their creativity and commitment!
The starting point of the Breeder's Trail is a central information point on Carl-Ritter-Platz, which was used for seed cultivation until 1945, with three information boards and a wooden stele symbolizing seeds. There you will get an initial overview of the history of the seed industry in general. A circular trail then leads to ten locations commemorating important seed breeding companies. More may follow in the future. All locations are within walking distance of the city center. Each station is marked by an information board.
Starting at Martin Grashoff in Lange Gasse, the trail continues through the Abteigarten to the company headquarters of Heinrich Mette, Alexander Grußdorf, and Gebr. Dippe AG. From 1945 to 1991, the Deutsche-Saatzucht-Gesellschaft (DSG), later VEB Saat- und Pflanzgut - gartenbauliche Kulturpflanzenarten, the Institut für Pflanzenzüchtung/Züchtungsforschung and the VVB Saat- und Pflanzgut played a decisive role in shaping Quedlinburg's image around the world. The Breeders' Trail currently ends at Station 10, which commemorates the achievements of Mathilde Ebert. She ran her floristry business here on Heiligegeiststraße. Compared to her almost exclusively male colleagues in the horticultural industry, she stood out as the founder and lecturer (Weihenstephan) of the teaching profession of floristry in Germany.
Detailed explanations of the individual stations are also available in a handy brochure at our Quedlinburg Information Center.