Count Frederic II of Ferette constructed the Engelbourg Castle to guard the entrance to the Thur Valley. Completed in 1224, the castle stood for centuries. Its towers were crucial in defending the valley and protecting the people of Thann. In 1618, a massive religious war erupted between the Protestant and Catholic states of Europe. It became known historical as the Thirty Years’ War (1618 – 1648). Over the three decades of conflict, chaos, destruction, and famine, 8 million people including 20% of the German population had perished. The conflict didn’t…