Aareschlucht

It’s spring 1935 and a Berlin-born photographer called Balkin is on the search for a good, handsome subject when he stumbles upon a fascinating discovery – the Tatzelwurm. Once he’s had a schnapps and recovered his strength, he recounts his discovery to the people in the restaurant of the Hotel Baer in Meiringen: he says that he saw an animal measuring around 80 cm in length and about 25 cm across at its broadest point. It was shaped like a very big snake, but with forelegs. The animal was brown, with light and dark spots, its body covered in scales.

‘Its whistle and its glare are frightening. The animal’s mouth has a row of barbs – they may also have been teeth. Its tail is short and pointed,’ says the photographer. And what does the innkeeper say in response to the guest’s description? ‘Oh, perhaps you ran into the Tatzelwurm – we normally call it the “Stollenwurm” around here.’

The photographer has his film developed in Bern and sends the copy, which isn’t very good, to the 

Berliner Illustrierte Zeitung, a weekly illustrated newspaper. The Oberhasli region and its native Tatzelwurm make headlines. 

The Tatzelwurm is now considered the local animal of the Aare Gorge. Our younger visitors, in particular, are fascinated by it: children can look out for the Tatzelwurm family during their visit to the Aare Gorge – there are parents and babies hidden there.

The picture of the Meiringen "Tazelwurm" taken by the Berlin photographer Balkin in spring 1935.