Harz Mountains

Harz Mountains, a mountain-range of Germany, extending between the rivers Weser and Elbe, south of Brunswick, with a length of 57 miles, a breadth of 20, and a superficial area of 784 sq. m. It forms an elevated plateau, rising on most sides somewhat steeply from the plains, and ridged with irregular and in some parts forest-clad mountains. The range, which is divided into Upper and Lower Harz, the average elevations of which are 2100 and 1000 feet respectively, is composed for the most part of rocks belonging to the Devonian and Lower Carboniferous formations, and broken through in a few places by granite, as in the Brocken (q.v.), the highest peak (3740 feet) of central Germany. The Harz are exceedingly rich in metals and minerals, as silver, iron, lead, copper, zinc, marble, alabaster, and granite. These mountains form a natural line of division between the Low German and the High German races. Industries connected with the mines and the forests, as well as some cattle-breeding and agriculture, afford employment to the inhabitants. The rearing of singing-birds is also a source of profit. The Harz Mountains are the scenes of many of the weird legendary tales of German literature.