File:Walpurgisnacht, 1990. Wernigerode, DDR Sludgeulper 3292983821 aaed11e5a5 o.jpg

English: It is evening. We are returning late back to the HO Hotel zur Post after a cycle bash across the Harz to Stollberg and back and there is clearly something very abnormal going on at the station. A double headed train, complete with purple witch with broom is letting off steam deafeningly in the station. And hardly a rail enthusiastt in sight, excepting the chap in light coloured raincoat. By chance we have encountered the very first Walpurgisnacht express to Brocken after the opening up of the inner German border in late 1989. Until then, Brocken had been off limits since 1961 as it housed a Soviet military base. Interestingly, goods trains for DDR and Soviet troops did reach the summit until 1988. Two elaborately decorated 2-10-2 tank engines were about to depart on the inaugural trip to celebrate the start of May on the summit. Certainly this train did not travel further than Schierke (which in any case had also been off-limits without an internal visa until 1990 although there were many trade union holiday hotels there and a few Harzquerbahn journeys terminated there).The first normal services to Brocken summit (1142 m) were conducted in July 1992. However a DR steam loco first reached the summit on 27 May 1991 in conjunction with cleaning up operations. On 19 September 1991, the very first passenger trains reached the summit - two special excursions amid much jubilation. A third loco is hiding in the shed at the far left. A fine signal box and a ubiquitous Ikarus 280 articulated bus complete the scene. The uniquitous Ikarus bus and fine signal box complete the scene.