On Sunday, after the main event at the Digital Hub – the beautiful old Digital Church in Aachen – a few of us from the Hive Summit group decided to do something special. We went to the German-Belgian border, just a short drive away from the city. The reason? A small but meaningful cleanup activity, combined with a unique history walk, guided by @kreklow.
The weather was perfect. The sun was shining, the sky was clear, and the mood was relaxed and friendly. We met at the old customs house, a place with a lot of historical meaning. There, @kreklow welcomed us and started sharing some fascinating facts and stories about World War Two in Aachen and the surrounding area. He spoke in German, and even though the topic was serious, he told the stories in a way that was easy to follow and really interesting. I enjoyed listening to him a lot.
While we listened, we also took action. Armed with trash pickers and plastic bags, we walked along the paths and roads near the border and cleaned up everything we found. It was a nice mix of learning and doing something good for the environment.
I think this activity was one of the hidden highlights of the weekend. It showed the spirit of the Hive community – not just about technology or blockchain, but also about real-world action, connection, and care for history and nature.
After spending some time right at the border crossing, walking near the old tank traps and listening to @kreklow share more stories and knowledge, we had a few small snacks to keep us going. It was a nice break in the middle of nature, with a mix of history, learning, and laughter.
Then we crossed the road and continued our little adventure into a forest area on the other side. The mood was light and relaxed. People were chatting, enjoying the sunshine, and picking up some more trash along the way.
At one point, I stayed a few steps behind and took a photo of the whole group from the back. It was one of those spontaneous moments – and of course, the one and only @detlev always knows exactly when the photographer is in action! He turned around with his classic smile, as if he felt the camera behind him. That little moment made me smile too.
When we arrived in the forest, we reached a very special place called the Cyclops Stones. These are huge natural rock formations hidden in the woods, surrounded by trees and old paths. They are not only interesting to look at but also connected with local history and legends.
During World War Two, the German soldiers avoided this place. According to old stories, people believed that the area was haunted. The stones had a reputation for being mysterious, and there were tales about strange noises and shadows around them. Because of that, the soldiers stayed away from the site, even though it was close to important border positions.
Walking there with the group was quite unique. On one side we had the deep history of the border region and the war, and on the other side we felt the quiet atmosphere of the forest with this impressive natural formation. It was easy to imagine why people connected so many stories with the Cyclops Stones.
After that, we continued deeper into the forest – and all along the way, people were still collecting trash. It was nice to see how everyone stayed active and focused, even while walking and talking. The area we entered was not just a regular forest. We were now walking along some deep trenches, which were built during World War Two. These trenches were part of the defensive lines created by the German military to protect the western border from enemy attacks.
Some of these trenches are still well preserved today and can be several meters deep. In fact, a few of us climbed down into one of the deeper ones – around five meters deep – to get a closer look. It felt a bit like stepping back in time. While we stood there, surrounded by earth walls and old tree roots, @kreklow continued to share more historical facts and stories about the region, the battles that took place, and how people lived during those difficult times.
Listening to him in that setting made the stories feel even more real. It was not like reading a book or watching a documentary. We were standing right in the middle of the history. I think that mix of physical activity, nature, and storytelling made the experience very powerful.
After around two hours, our little trip came to an end. We slowly made our way back to the cars. Luckily, @detlev took care of the collected trash and brought it with him, so the rest of us did not have to worry about disposal. That was really helpful – thank you again for that!
This whole experience was honestly very special. It was a completely different way of spending a Sunday and doing something good for the environment at the same time. Even though I was not picking up trash myself, I tried to capture as many moments as possible with my camera. I hope the photos give you a good impression of what our Sunday at the German-Belgian border looked like and how much energy and positivity was in the air.
It really showed me again how easy it can be to take action – even small things like joining a cleanup walk or writing a post about it can help. So if you care about the planet, do not just think about it – write about your own movements, share your actions, and inspire others! A perfect example of this was the talk given by @masterswatch the day before at the Hive Summit. His presentation was all about the CleanPlanet project – a Hive-based initiative to clean up the world, one small step at a time. You can watch his full talk here: 👉 https://peakd.com/hivesummit/@hivesummitaachen/presentation-michael-masterswatch-clean-planet-a-hive-initiative-to-clean-up
Thanks again to everyone who joined – and I cannot wait for the next CleanPlanet action! Of course, with the whole @worldmappin team on board as well!