Only three years later, in 1914, the Hubers sold the SPA.įrom 1914 until 1918, Bad Antogast was the property of the Mannheim Health Fund. After some additions had been made to the buildings, a 150-year jubilee celebration of "Bad Antogast in possession of the Huber family" was held in 1911. During his stay at the health SPA in Bad Peterstal in 1871, even the Russian tzar Alexander II and his cortege visited Bad Antogast. Guests from the Netherlands, France, England, Russia and America came to the noblemen and royalty of that time, to have their hot chocolate in the dining hall of the exclusive SPA Bad Antogast. The Huber family enlarged the property, and from 1850-1914 Bad Antogast blossomed to become a fashionable SPA with wide recognition. From 1761 until the first World War, the "acidulous spring" belonged to the Huber family from Maisach, a small village close to Bad Antogast. Between 16, Bad Antogast changed ownership five times, selling for ever-increasing sums. Just four years later, the property was sold again. The estate was sold on the 23 rd of June 1642 for 700 gulden (pieces of gold), then in 16 gulden. of Strassburgstarted promoting the region's healing springs, especially the one known as Antogast.ĭetailed records from the Generallandesarchiv in Karlsruhe note many changes in ownership of the spring and adjacent buildings over the centuries. Phriess in 1519 and praising the good qualities of the water: "healing and widely famous acidulous mineral ed internally and externally for drinking and bathing". Bad Antogast is mentioned in a treatise about healing springs, written by Dr. The Antonius spring was dicovered around 1250, and isthe oldest of five natural springs in this area. It could also simply refer to "guest" ("Gast" in German), giving the whole name the meaning: "Guest of Antonius". The last syllable "gast" (from German "Gischt" = froth) may refer to carbonic acid in the water of the natural spring, which makes the water sparkle. This might indicate that a small harborage for people seeking recovery already existed when the chapel was built. Saint Antonius is known as the patron saint of cattle breeders and medieval hospitals. The factthat a chapel was constructed so long ago in such a remote valley prompts historians to believe that, even in ancient times, people came to the area for the healing water.
The names "Antegast" and "Antengast" can be found in records dating from as early as 1316. According to the historian Josef Boersig, a chapel dedicated to Saint Antonius was constructed in this same valley in the Black Forest around 1300.
The first two syllables, "Anto," refer to Saint Antonius, a hermit who is said to have lived before 1300 AD. The word "Antogast" is comprised of two parts. "Bad" simply refers to a place wherea natural spring with medicinal water can be found. The name "Bad Antogast" intrigues many visitors. It consists of less than a dozen houses and farms, all nestled into a narrow valley and surrounded by lush forest. Bad Antogast is a small village located in the Black Forest in southwestern Germany, close to the French border and the city of Strasbourg.