The Totenkopf is a

hill A hill is a landform that extends above the surrounding terrain. It often has a distinct Summit (topography), summit. Terminology The distinction between a hill and a mountain is unclear and largely subjective, but a hill is universally con ...

Baden-Württemberg Baden-Württemberg (; ), commonly shortened to BW or BaWü, is a German state () in Southwest Germany, east of the Rhine, which forms the southern part of Germany's western border with France. With more than 11.07 million inhabitants across a ...

Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...

, forming the highest point in the Kaiserstuhl region. The hill is topped by an

observation tower An observation tower is a structure used to view events from a long distance and to create a full 360 degree range of vision to conduct long distance observations. Observation towers are usually at least tall and are made from stone, iron, an ...

and a 120-m (394-ft)

Deutsche Telekom Deutsche Telekom AG (; short form often just Telekom, DTAG or DT; stylised as ·T·) is a German telecommunications company that is headquartered in Bonn and is the largest telecommunications provider in Europe by revenue. Deutsche Telekom was ...

communications tower Radio masts and towers are typically tall structures designed to support antennas for telecommunications and broadcasting, including television. There are two main types: guyed and self-supporting structures. They are among the tallest human-made ...

. Wine and fruit are cultivated on its slopes.

Etymology

The name of the hill ''Totenkopf'', meaning ''Deathshead'' / ''Skull'', dates back to the Middle Ages, at which time skulls were frequently to be found upon it, since the German King Otto III, (who would later be crowned Holy Roman Emperor

Otto III Otto III (June/July 980 – 23 January 1002) was Holy Roman Emperor from 996 until his death in 1002. A member of the Ottonian dynasty, Otto III was the only son of the Emperor Otto II and his wife Theophanu. Otto III was crowned as King of ...

) chose this hill to be the place of execution for those condemned to death at the hearings conducted at nearby

Sasbach am Kaiserstuhl Sasbach is a town in the district of Emmendingen in Baden-Württemberg in Germany. Sasbach is adjacent to the river Rhine ), Surselva, Graubünden, Switzerland , source1_coordinates= , source1_elevation = , source2 = R ...

, those so condemned suffering death by decapitation according to the judgement of the king.Hans Jürgen Kugler:
Südwest: Die Totenköpfe auf dem Kaiserstuhl
'(i.e. The Skulls on the Kaiserstuhl), Badische Zeitung, 6. September 2011

References

* {{Authority control Mountains and hills of Baden-Württemberg Otto III, Holy Roman Emperor