Race for height: Weiskirchen plans Schimmelkopf at 700 meters!
In Saarland, Weiskirchen and Nohfelden are vying for the title of highest elevation while new measurements and plans are being discussed.

Race for height: Weiskirchen plans Schimmelkopf at 700 meters!
In the heart of the Saarland there is a competition that has been a topic of conversation for years: the fight for the highest elevation in the region. Anyone who thinks this is a tired race is wrong. The Schimmelkopf in Weiskirchen, once the undisputed number one at 694.8 meters, has been facing a new challenger since 2005. The Dollberg near Nohfelden took the title with a height of 695.4 meters and has been unbeaten since then. But the community of Weiskirchen doesn't want to accept this and is now planning to settle the matter with a huge pile of earth.
Mayor Stephan Barth has taken the initiative and is planning to improve the mold's head to an impressive 700 meters. The plan is to use excavated material from new wind turbines to create a hill that will not only be taller but also more attractive than ever before. Features such as natural modeling, a summit platform, information boards and an impressive summit cross that provides a panoramic view are on the wish list. The new landmark will have the illustrious name “Roof of the Saarland”, which makes the Schimmelkopf a unique selling point for Weiskirchen. But the project also has its critics.
The reactions from Nohfelden
The community of Nohfelden reacts to the plans with calm and a clear rejection of artificial embankment. “The height of the Dollberg has no economic or identity significance for us,” says Nohfelden. The Dollberg has firmly established itself, and citizens show little interest in an “arms race” between the mountain peaks. Even if such peak heights have occasionally fluctuated in the past - such as the increase of Kalmit in the Palatinate Forest by one meter or the Hagelberg's now 200.24 meters - the question remains whether these changes actually have an influence on the regions' pride and sense of belonging.
Stephan Barth and the “Future Workshop Weiskirchen” project group are still hungry for change. They support the filling with the aim of giving the mold head an attractive, unique selling point. However, critics complain that practical aspects and the real attractiveness of the gray head are overlooked as a point of attraction in the discussion. The debate about the title could soon be covered in the program “Region am Mittag” on SR 3 Saarlandwelle - an exciting exchange of blows awaits us.
Altitude measurement and geophysical backgrounds
It is clear that measuring height is not an easy undertaking. Factors such as the local gravity field influence the results, and the ideal references for heights are the geoid models. In Germany there are various height reference systems that differ for historical and geophysical reasons. Normal altitude (NHN) has been used as a reference area since 1992. This shows that height information can vary, which is also relevant in the debate about the highest elevations in Saarland. As the different height measurements demonstrate, the healthy competition between peaks is not only regional in nature, but also has a broader, geophysical context.
While the gray head prepares to possibly soon wear the crown of Saarland again, it remains to be seen whether the citizens of Nohfelden will remain calm or whether the wind will change. The competition for the highest peaks shows that there is so much more to nature and community than just numbers - this is where it gets down to business, and perhaps there is a very personal pride in every elevation.