In the Dodau Forest near Eutin, Germany, stands the Bridegroom’s Oak, a unique arboreal mailbox with a history of connecting lovers since 1892. Known locally as “Bräutigamseiche,” this oak tree features a knothole where love letters have been exchanged for over a century. The oak, which even has its own postal code, receives 50 to 60 letters each month, delivered by mail carriers who act as modern-day Cupids. These letters often travel from distant continents, and visitors to the tree can read them, potentially sparking new pen pal relationships that sometimes lead to marriage.
The tradition began with the love story of a forester’s daughter and a chocolate manufacturer from Leipzig. Initially forbidden by the forester, the couple exchanged letters in secret via the tree’s knothole. Eventually, they married beneath the oak in 1892 with the forester’s blessing. This historic exchange of letters continues today, inviting people worldwide to send their own messages of love to this storied tree.