Hocketse Neufra (Fire Department)

Hocketse Neufra — Community Life in the Danube Valley

The Hocketse of the Neufra Volunteer Fire Department is one of the finest examples of what Swabian community life is all about: a day in September when an entire village comes together, takes a seat at wooden tables, eats, drinks, talks — and incidentally supports the important work of the volunteer fire department. Hocketse is not just a festival. It is also a source of funding for equipment, youth work, courses, and the sense of community that a volunteer fire department needs to function.

Neufra — Hohenzollern Village in the Danube Valley

Neufra (around 1,200 inhabitants, Sigmaringen district 08437) is located in the Hohenzollern Danube Valley, about 15 kilometers west of Sigmaringen. The municipality is small but culturally rich: Romanesque St. Martin's Church, a small Baroque chapel, picturesque location at the foot of the Swabian Jura. Village life is supported by a handful of associations — fire department, music association, shooting club, sports club. The fire department's Hocketse is one of the most important community events in the annual calendar.

What is a Swabian Hocketse?

The Swabian word Hocketse literally means "seat" — derived from hocken (to sit, to linger). In the Swabian-Alemannic dialect regions of Baden-Württemberg (Swabia, Black Forest, Hohenzollern, Upper Swabia), the Hocketse is a typical summer festival: no grand staging, no admission fee, no stage show — but an open-air beer garden under trees or umbrellas, with local food and a relaxed, almost familiar atmosphere. It is often organized by an association — fire department, music association, sports club — to fill its own coffers and at the same time give something back to the village.

Program and Catering

On September 13, 2026, the Neufra fire department will set up from the morning: wooden tables and benches, a long barbecue area, the bar with draft beer, a long cake stand for coffee time. Typical lunch specialties: Schäufele with potato salad, bratwurst, steaks from the grill, Swabian Maultaschen. In the afternoon, coffee time is the highlight for many — homemade cakes from the kitchens of the firefighters' wives and befriended families, served with coffee from large pots. In the evening, drinks are served longer, and a brass band or a small band often plays from the afternoon onwards.

Organizer

The organizer is the Neufra Volunteer Fire Department, one of the oldest and most active associations in the municipality. The proceeds go to the association's work, especially the Youth Fire Department, which plays an important role in promoting young talent in rural areas. The date is officially registered in the event calendar of the Municipality of Neufra.