HARZ MOUNTAINS, the most northerly mountain-system of Germany, situated between the rivers Weser and Elbe, occupy an area of 784 sq.m. Their greatest length extends in a south east and north-west direction for 57 m. and their maximum breadth is about 20 m. An irregular series of terraced plateaus rises here and there into rounded summits, and is intersected by narrow, deep valleys. The north-western and higher part is Ober or Upper Harz ; the south-eastern and more extensive part, Unter or Lower Harz; while the north-west and south-west slopes of the Upper Harz form the Vorharz. The Brocken group, dividing the Upper and Lower Harz, is generally classed with the Upper. The Upper Harz includes the Brocken (3,806 ft.), the Heinrichshohe ft.), the Konigsberg (3,376 ft.) and the Wurmberg (3,176 ft.) the Lower Harz, the Josephshohe in the Auerberg group and the Viktorshohe in the Ramberg, each 1,887 ft. The Brocken (q.v.) is celebrated in legends immortalized in Goethe's Faust. While useful in working the numerous mines of the district, at other parts of their course the many streams present most picturesque scenery. The finest valley is the rocky Bodethal, with the Ross trappe, the Hexentanzplatz, the Eaumannshohle and the Biels hohle.
The Harz is a mass of Palaeozoic rock rising through the Meso zoic strata of north Germany, and bounded on all sides by faults. Slates, schists, quartzites and limestones form the greater part but the Brocken and Viktorshohe are intrusive granite, and dia bases and diabase tuffs are interstratified with sediments. Silurian, Devonian and Carboniferous are represented—the Silurian and Devonian forming the greater part of the hills south-east of a line drawn from Lauterberg to Wernigerode, while north-west of this line the Lower Carboniferous predominates. A few patches of Upper Carboniferous on the borders of the hills near Ilfeld, Ballen stedt, etc., are unconformable upon the Devonian. The general strike of the folds, especially in Oberharz is about north-east. The mass belongs to the Hercynian chain of Europe (which de rives its name from the Harz), and continues north-eastwards the Ardennes and Eifel. The folding took place at the close of the Palaeozoic ; but the faulting to which they owe their present position was probably Tertiary. Metalliferous veins are common, amongst the best-known being the silver-bearing lead veins of Klausthal, which occur in the Culm or Lower Carboniferous.
Owing to its position as the first range which the northerly winds strike after crossing the north German plain, the climate on the summit of the Harz is generally raw and damp, even in summer. In 1895 an observatory was opened on the top of the Brocken, and the results of the first five years (1896-190o) showed a July mean of 5o° Fahr., a February mean of 24.7°, and a yearly mean of 36.6°. During the same five years the rainfall averaged 644 in. annually. But while the hill-top summer is thus ungenial, the summer heat of the lower-lying valleys is greatly tempered and cooled ; so that, adding this to the scenery, forests and legend ary and romantic associations, the Harz is a favourite summer resort. Among the more popular places of resort are Harzburg, Thale and the Bodethal; Blankenburg, with the Teufelsmauer and the Hermannshohle ; Wernigerode, Ilsenburg, Grund, Lauterberg, Hubertusbad, Alexisbad and Suderode. Some places also have mineral springs and baths, pine-needle baths, whey cures, etc. The Harz is penetrated by several railways, among them a moun tain railway up the Brocken, opened in 1898.
The northern summits are bare, but the lower slopes of the Upper Harz are rich in pines and firs. Between the forests stretch numerous peat-mosses, the spongy reservoirs of which are sources of many small streams. On the Brocken are found one or two arctic and several alpine plants. In the Lower Harz the forests contain a great variety of timber. The beech attains unusual size and beauty, and the walnut-tree grows in the eastern districts. The last bear was killed in the Harz in 17os, and the last lynx in 1817, and since then the wolf has become extinct; but deer, foxes, wild cats and badgers are still found.
Mining has been carried on since the middle of the loth century, especially for rich argentiferous lead, but gold in small quantities, copper, iron, sulphur, alum and arsenic are also found. Klausthal and St. Andreasberg in the Upper Harz are the chief centres. Near the latter the Samson shaft goes down 2,790 ft. or 7 so ft. below sea-level. For obviating flooding of deep workings, large drainage works have been built. In 17 7 the Georgsstollen was cut through the mountains from the east of Klausthal westward to Grund, a distance of 4 m. ; the Ernst-Auguststollen, no less than 14 m. in length, was made from the same neighbourhood to Git telde, at the west side of the Harz, in 1851-1864. Marble, granite and gypsum are worked; and vitriol is manufactured. Much wood is exported for building and other purposes, and it is used locally as fuel. The sawdust of numerous mills is collected for use in paper-making. Turf-cutting, coarse lace-making and the breeding of canaries and native song-birds also occupy many of the people. Agriculture is carried on chiefly on the plateaus of the Lower Harz; but there is excellent pasturage both in the north and in the south. In the Lower Harz, as in Switzerland, the cows, which carry bells are driven up into the heights in early summer, re turning to the sheltered regions in late autumn.
Upper and Lower Saxon, Thuringian and Frankish stocks have all contributed to form the present people, and their respective influences are still to be traced in the varieties of dialect. The boundary line between High and Low German passes through the Harz. The Harz was the last stronghold of paganism in Germany, and to that fact are due its legends and fanciful names.
See G. Braun, Deutschland (Berlin, 1926).