Preserving the Forest of Stories
Figurenwald is a curator's project — born from a love of Erzgebirge wooden figures and the families who make them.
How It Started
It started with a single figure — a small snowman with a silver heart in its left foot, picked up at a Christmas market in Saxony. There was something about the weight of it, the smoothness of the lacquer, the tiny painted details that made it feel less like a decoration and more like a character with a story to tell.
That curiosity led to the workshops of Grünhainichen and Seiffen, to conversations with the families who have been turning wood into art for generations. The Hoblers and their silver-hearted figures. Björn Köhler and his poetically minimal Red Noses. The Blank family and their iconic pleated angels.
Figurenwald exists to share these stories — and these figures — with people who appreciate craft that carries meaning.
What We Do
Curate
We select the most distinctive character figures from three Erzgebirge families — pieces with personality, craft, and story.
Tell Stories
Every figure has a maker, a process, and a meaning. We share the artisan stories that make each piece more than a product.
Connect
We bring Erzgebirge craft directly to collectors and enthusiasts — bridging the gap between German workshops and American homes.
The Erzgebirge
The Ore Mountains (Erzgebirge) of Saxony, Germany have been the heart of European woodcraft for over 300 years. When the region's silver mines began to decline, the miners turned to the forests around them — and began carving.
What started as a way to supplement lost mining income became a cultural tradition recognized worldwide. In March 2025, Erzgebirge woodcraft was added to Germany's nationwide list of Intangible Cultural Heritage.
Today, around 250 businesses and nearly 2,000 artisan employees continue the tradition — creating candle arches, pyramids, nutcrackers, smokers, and figurines that are exported to the USA, Japan, and across Europe. The craft carries a mandate: to keep this cultural heritage alive for the next 300 years.