Brown bear Jette

Bear Jette was born on January 15, 1988 in Torgau and, as was customary at the time, was hand-reared together with her siblings. The bear cubs were kept for hours in an enclosure in the castle courtyard, where they could be admired and even stroked by visitors.

For many years, Jette lived in a group of seven female bears in the bear pit. After her sister Quistel passed away in 2015 and Jette was the last of the group to remain, she was joined by two-year-old siblings Bea and Benno. This was too temperamental for the aging bear, which is why she preferred to live alone in her own enclosure - not an unusual decision, as bears are also loners in the wild. Jette died on 26.10.2023 at the age of 35.

The exhibition not only shows Jette's life at Hartenfels Castle - but also how much the keeping of bears and the concept of animal welfare have changed in recent decades. Since 1993, bear cubs have no longer been reared and the keeping of many animals in a confined space has been gradually adapted to keeping fewer animals in a varied outdoor enclosure. The bears are cared for according to the same standards as in zoos: species-appropriate feeding, activities and weekly training sessions with a qualified animal trainer - so that simple medical examinations can be carried out without anesthesia.

As Torgau's landmark, the bears have been a popular attraction for visitors since the enclosure was rebuilt in 1953.However, the tradition of keeping bears at Hartenfels Castle goes back much further: the castle moat was already being used to keep bears 500 years ago.However, these were not used for the entertainment of visitors, but for the elector's hunting pleasure and as culinary delicacies.