Hermannsweg

The Hermannsweg is a long hiking trail which follows the ridge of the Teutoburg Forest, running from Rheine to Velmerstot in Germany. It is marked by signposts showing a white H on a black background. The Hermannsweg is named for Arminius (German name: Hermann), a Cherusci chief who defeated the Romans in the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest in 9 AD. Together with the long Eggeweg, this long-distance hiking trail forms the Hermannshöhen. It is maintained by the Teutoburger-Wald-Verein e.V., located in Bielefeld.

== History == Parts of the way along the ridge of the Teutoburg Forest were already used by hunter-gatherers and traders in the Mesolithic period, as evidenced by findings of flint tools. In the Middle Ages, the Hermannsweg connected surrounding areas to travelling and trading routes of interregional importance such as the Westphalian Hellweg and the Frankfurter Weg. The hiking trail was officially established in 1902, 25 years after the construction of the Hermannsdenkmal near Detmold, which commemorates the Cheruscan victory over the Romans in 9 AD.