First, a caveat: Most Germans grill over hibachis or small, electric grills (to minimize smoke). Sometimes they grill on their balconies, but when this is not allowed, parks are used, where open fires are not often permitted.
If you are lucky enough to own a "Schraebergarten" (a small community of gardens), however, or be in a forested area where "Schwenkers" are allowed, you may enjoy the fun of an open beech wood fire and a grill suspended from a tripod set up.
Originating in Saarland (southwest Germany, borders France) and adopted all over Germany, the "Schwenker" is a fun and delicious outdoor past time. My research has not clarified who first came up with the idea of a grill and tripod, but it does make sense. After all, a tripod is very stable on uneven terrain and can be put together and taken down with few tools. This grilling set up is truly low - tech, and yields great results.
The photo shows our "Schwenker" set up in Colorado, where we made do with American materials. Read on for more details.
