The Bollenhut is considered the symbol of the Black Forest par excellence: a white-painted straw hat with red wool balls, which is familiar from postcards, souvenirs, and even the logo of the holiday region. In fact, the Bollenhut is the traditional costume of only three communities in the Kinzig and Gutachtal valley. This article explains its origin, the meaning of red and black, and tells where you can see Bollenhutes.

Bollenhut: Origin and homeland

Photo: Baden de /Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0

The Bollenhut is part of the dress code for evangelical women in Gutach, Wolfach-Kirnbach and Hornberg-Reichenbach – three places in the Kinzig and Gutachtal valley. Gutach is the largest of these places and gave the hat its name. According to one interpretation, the hat represented the evangelical affiliation of the women in the Catholic-dominated Kinzig valley.

Its roots lie in straw hats. An instruction from the Württemberg Chancery of 1797 ordered that straw hats be adorned with the „usual decoration of black and red colors.“ Initially, these were painted black and red circles; later, they were sewn together into knitted rosebuds, which grew larger in the 19th century.

What a bowling cap looks like

The hat is a straw hat that is reinforced with white plaster. It has eleven large wool balls („bollen“) arranged in a crisscross pattern, and three more that are only faintly visible at the edge – a total of 14 balls. The hat weighs about 1.5 to 2 kilograms.

Among these is a black silk hat. The costume also includes a black velour skirt, a velvet bodice with embroidered flowers and a white blouse with puff sleeves. The men wear a black, red-lined overcoat.

The hat is made by hand. As Schwarzwald Tourismus reports in a portrait of a straw hat maker from Kirnbach, it takes around a week and about a kilogram of wool to make one hat.

Red or black: What the colors mean

Unmarried women wear the red ball hat, from confirmation to marriage. Married women wear a hat with black balls. According to Wikipedia, little girls and older women only wear the black silk hat.

What the beads themselves and their number mean is not known. The often cited interpretation of the Fourteen Holy Helpers is considered unlikely by experts: The hats come from evangelical congregations and have only been documented since the late 18th century, long after the Reformation.

How the Bollenhut became a symbol of the Black Forest

Artist colony: After Gutach was annexed to the Schwarzwaldbahn in 1873, painters settled there, including Wilhelm Hasemann, Curt Liebich and Fritz Reiss (Gutach Artists„ Colony). Hasemann’s painting “After the Church Entrance” was reproduced many times around 1900.
Royal sponsorship: Grand Duchess Luise of Baden wore the hat in the 1860s; that made it more famous.
Advertising and Film: From the 1920s onwards, the Bollenhut appears in tourism advertisements. The operetta „Schwarzwaldmädel“ (1917) and its 1950 film adaptation made it a lasting symbol.
Brand: Since 1993, the stylized ball cap above the inscription „Schwarzwald“ has been the official trademark of the holiday region.
Souvenir: According to the Evangelical Press Service (June 2026), a Playmobil figure of „Black Forest Marie“ with a red ball hat was sold more than 225,000 times.

Is the ball head typical of the entire Black Forest?

No – even though it looks that way. The Bollenhut is only worn in a small area. In other parts of the Black Forest, there were separate costumes. For example, the „Schühut“ was a straw hat with a visor, which the women wore while working in the fields; unmarried women wore the „Schäppel“, a crown-like head ornament, on festive days. The first mention of this costume comes from Wikipedia in 1717. For more information about the region, read the article Hotzenwald: Excursions and hikes.

When is the ball cap worn today?

According to Schwarzwald Tourismus, the costume is worn on Easter Sunday during the service, at the harvest festival on the first Sunday in October, and at community festivals. It is also seen at tourism events throughout the Black Forest. The costume is considered a „worthy cultural asset.“.

Where to see the ball cap

Black Forest Open-Air Museum Vogtsbauernhof, Gutach: Approximately 98 km from the hotel, by car about 100 minutes. The 2026 season runs from March 22 to November 1, daily from 9 am to 6 pm (last admission at 5 pm). The times for 2027 are listed on the museum website.
Black Forest Trachten Museum, Haslach in the Kinzigtal: about 101 km, about 105 minutes. The museum is located in the former Capuchin monastery on the edge of the old town. Schwarzwald Tourismus describes it as a small but beautiful museum; a visit takes about half an hour. Opening hours can be found on the museum's website.
Black Forest Museum, Triberg: about 74 km, about 80 minutes. Black Forest Tourism also lists this museum as a place where you can see the Bollenhut.
Closer to the hotel: The Resenhof local history museum in Innerlehen near Bernau (about 33 km, about 35 minutes) they offer guided tours in Black Forest costume.

Anyone who wants to experience the Bollenhut in its original location should plan a longer day in the Kinzigtal. Gutach is located about 98 km from the hotel – the return journey takes more than three hours in total. With a visit to the Triberger waterfalls the excursion can be combined.

Bollenhut and the Southern Black Forest: our hotel as a starting point

Photo: Wellnesshotel Sonnenhof & Sonnhalde

The wellness hotel Sonnenhof & Sonnhalde is located in Birkendorf in the Southern Black Forest, at 800 meters above sea level. The Bollenhut is not from the Southern Black Forest – instead, you will experience a region with its own history and traditions. Questions such as „Why is the Black Forest actually called Schwarzwald?“ are answered in the article. Why is the Black Forest called the Black Forest?. Further suggestions can be found under Excursion destinations in the Black Forest.

After a day of travel, our wellness area is open daily from 9 am to 8 pm: with a panoramic sauna (12 pm to 8 pm), a textile garden sauna (14 pm to 8 pm), an organic steam sauna (16 pm to 8 pm) and an indoor pool measuring 84 m². In the Sonnenhof restaurant, chef and hotelier Uli Blatter cooks creative Badisch cuisine using regional ingredients (Culinary delights in the Black Forest). The arrangement Enjoy the Black Forest includes a brewery tour in Rothaus. Rooms and arrangements Book directly with us.

Frequently asked questions

What does the ball cap mean?

The red hat indicates that the bearer is unmarried; married women wear black balls. The meaning of the balls themselves is not known.

Why does the ball hat have 14 balls?

The reason is unknown. Eleven large balls are visible, and three others sit weakly visible at the edge.

How heavy is a bowling cap?

Approximately 1.5 to 2 kilograms.

From which places does the ball cap originate?

From Gutach, Wolfach-Kirnbach and Hornberg-Reichenbach in the Kinzig and Gutach valleys.

Who wears a red hat, and who a black one?

Unmarried women wear red from confirmation until marriage, married women wear black.

Where can I see a ball cap?

For example, at the Vogtsbauernhof open-air museum in Gutach, at the Black Forest Trachtenmuseum in Haslach and at the Black Forest Museum in Triberg.

Bollenhut: Origin, meaning and where to see it