publikationen

In optimistic turning back: „The first switches on the light“ (01.01.1995 RHW)

Publishers DER HÖHLENFORSCHER

The aim is to publish speleological literature, as well as to save documents and research reports for posterity.

	You can get following publications here:
	The saxon speleological newsletter DER HÖHLENFORSCHER (The Caver) has been continuously published since 1962 now yearly in 3 issues (96 pp.) 10,00 EUR All issues are available.
	Roland H. WINKELHÖFER Die Höhlen Sachsens (without Saxon Switzerland) (2004) 140 pp, ring binder, 69 coloured and b/w-pictures, surveys and maps ISBN 3-00-013063-2 20,00 EUR The caves of Saxony are described (without the Saxon Switzerland) in thisbook.
	Roland H. WINKELHÖFER Durch Höhlen der Sächsischen Schweiz (Caves of Saxon Switzerland) actual print, 170 pp numerous surveys, ring binder ISBN 3-00-002609-6 20,00 EUR Through the caves of Saxon Switzerland is a very detailed guide book to a historical caving area just south of Dresden in the state of Saxony, near the Czech border. This is an area of contrasts: where the Elbe flows through a deep gorge, surrounded by fields and forests. Above, is a high sandstone plateau, eroded into a tower karst landscape in miniature. This was the country of the "Robber Barons" and caves have been cunningly integrated into castles and other defence systems. The earliest record dates from 1474, whilest many l6th century maps showed the location of caves. The oldest inscription is in the Diebskeller [or Thieves Cellar] and dates from 1574 also there is an account of a tourist visit there in 1692. From 180l onwards numerous guide books was gave accounts of some caves in this area. For example in 1912 Griebens ”Book for Travellers” recalled 18 caves in Saxony and 3 in Bohemia. 1920 saw the formation of the Saxony Caving Federation, one of the oldest caving clubs in Central Europe. Cave exploration and research continued. Later highlights included the publication in 1962 of a list of 100 caves. In 1969 there appeared the first issue of a Dresden newsletter called DER HÖHLENFORSCHER (The Caver) which is still being published today. All the usual topics are covered: Cave Conservation. Equipment, Safety precautions. Biology, both Flora and Fauna and use of a Visitors Book. This current guide book lists over 300 sandstone caves and describes the numerous (sandstone-)karst features: bedding planes, rifts or joints which are caused by either corrosion (solution), erosion (mechanical activity), or tectonics (collapse). A very detailed guide, a must for any visitor to this area. (by Tony Oldham, Wales in: THE BRITISH CAVER Vol 122 Spring 1999)
	Roland H. WINKELHÖFER Speläologische Exkursionen in der Sächsischen Schweiz (2003/2012) 45 pp, ring-binder 12 pictures, surveys and maps 7,00 EUR A guidebook for walkers und cavers through the landscape of sandstone.
	Roland H. WINKELHÖFER: Durch Höhlen der Böhmischen Schweiz (Caves of Bohemian Switzerland) Cave guide and documentaion of register (1997 / 2006) actual print 154 pp, 38 pictures, 50 surveys and maps, ring-binder ISBN 3-00-002317-8 20,00 EUR For the first time – a speleological monography of more than 80 Bohemian sandstone-caves. The exploration started 1911. There is the biggest fissure-cave of Europe. The guide is the most detailed publication of this area, interesting for cavers as well as climbers, friends of nature and walkers.
	Roland H. WINKELHÖFER: Der Quirl. Ohne Zweiffel... (The „Table-Mountain-Book“) Local studies of the 20 table-mountains in Saxon Switzerland, Dresden (2010) 154 pp, many maps, 9 coloured and 64 b/w-pictures, ring-binder ISBN 3-00-004380-2 23,00 EUR This is a monography of the table mountains of the Saxon sandstone-landscape, one of the finest in Europe. The region has been a popular tourist attraction for many years and this thorough description contains all points of view, geology, historic and touristic development as well as 90 caves, which are in these mountains, for the first time. The book tells many "stories", based on well investigated documents from more than 400 years. The handbook is written for friends of nature and walking, tourists, cavers, geologists and botanists.
	SPELÄO – SIGNATUREN 14 pp, 2nd edition (1992) 1,50 EUR A detailed table of the required signatures in German, English and Russian.
	Register DDR – Höhlen 58 pp. (1982) 7,50 EUR Declared as a list of content of the saxon speleological newsletter DER HÖHLENFORSCHER it was print under communistic dictatorship and supervision, to print this complete overview for all caves of Eastern Germany.
	Die Historie der Syrauer Tropfsteinhöhlen (The history of the Syrau Showcave) 25 pp. (1993) 2,00 EUR is a reprint of an old poem (with humorous pictures), concerning the opening of the showcave Drachenhöhle Syrau 1928.
	Höhlenforschers Fröhliches Gesangbuch ("HFG") 2nd edition (2013) 5,00 EUR Around the camp fire: 66 songs for German and international cavers.
	Die Höhlen im Sighistel-Tal, Bihor / Rumänien Dresden (2004/2006/2012) 6,00 EUR This pamphlet in your hand – you will find all these hidden caves in the wonderfull valley above the village Sighistel.
	Roland H. WINKELHÖFER SCHERZRATGEBER – Witze für 1001 Tag (App.: Political jokes in the GDR) 78 pp 6,00 EUR You need any help for your social life? This book contains 1001 jokes, and an index of 1400 words, to find the jokes. Supplementary 20 pages with political jokes, maintained from the time of German Dem. Rep..
	Ordering adress:
	Here also you can get further information about guided tours and something special about events of Roland Winkelhöfer and his group.

There was a safety check in a kaolin-mine, in which every day two miners only worked. I missed a stretcher among the gear. After my question I looked into two surprised faces and heared the answer: "Who should carry at the other side?" (rhw)

Safety Instructions

The Cave Research Group of Dresden created its own safety instruction in September 1965, perhaps the oldest one in Germany. These rules had been used since 1978 for all the other 10 caves research groups in GDR.

The main points of these rules are never to go alone into caves, to use the appropriate gear, and to leave destinations and return time with another person outside the cave

"The greatest and most important rule involves comradeship and mutual aid. You must follow the leaders instructions strictly." "The members of a group in a cave must maintain a distance that allows voice contact."


(an old German inscription:) To build a mine is not a thing for one or two. It gives activity to the whole community, that´s true. (Bergkwerck bawen vermögen nit zween oder drey alein. Es gibt zu schaffen einer gantzen gemain! Spruch in St. Joachimsthal 1521, transl. rhw 2001)

Cave register

We keep a cave register, in which we collect all information concerning caves of Saxony, the Bohemian Switzerland, Thuringia, Harz – mountains, und Kyffhauser. These documents include all fields of knowledge of speleology. Every cave has a special number. (Topographic map / two letters for the area – Number of the cave).

Each description of cave follows this form (including a plan of the cave):

NAME of the cave	Register-No.	Region
1. Name	List of all names of this cave, origin and explanation of the main name.
2. Location	Genetic type of these cave; clear description of the topographic location including the best access way, if necessary a sketch, and useable means of transport
3. Shape	Morphological description of the cave (shape of entrance(s), form of rooms, passages, and walkways)
4. Circumstances of descent	Essential gear, frequency of visits, seasonal special features, partitition of the parts of cave concerning difficulties (very easy, easy, difficult, very difficult), bivouacs, and reports of visits
5. Kind of Development	First mention in literature
6. Geology	Situation of the cave in the rock, petrographic character (Bedding planes and systemes of clefts), separate weathering and -intensity, history of origin of the cave, cavewaters, cave minerals, and cave sediments
7. Biology	Fauna and flora of the cave, present and finished studies, and references for later works
8. Climatology	Situations of ventilation, ice, humidity, and temperatures
9. Discoveries	Excavations, reports concerning archeological findings, literature and documents, situations and text of inscriptions, and store-ground of findings
10. Specialities	Further special remarks, references for later revisers and following studies, and particularities of this cave
11. References and Literature	Note down all documents and publications with regard to this cave, photos and surveys (type and date of survey)
A very good description of each cave is the best basic for further programmes and for the prompt settling down of all speleological yields and documents.

The public has a insatiable inquisitiveness to know everything, but not for what is worth knowing. (Oscar Wilde 1856-1900)

Bibliography

The foundation member of the Cave Research Group of Dresden (HFG), Roland H. Winkelhöfer, has been compiling an archive of literature for more than 40 years. It contains thousends of reports and documents. In its "Central Review Speleology (ZERKS)" there are publicatons with summaries and positions to find using electronical programmes. Many speleological journals are sent to the publisher DER HÖHLENFORSCHER from all over the world.