Where does the Black Forest, which is known for its evergreen forests, get its name? And what do the Brothers Grimm have to do with the mountain region that borders France? Many of the stories collected by the Brothers Grimm take place in the Black Forest. Its dense forest cover and picturesque villages make the Black Forest seem magical and mystical. It was given its name by the Romans, however. They called the huge uninhabited forest region silva nigra – forest black. In those days, people settled only along the edge of the forest, nobody dared to clear the dense woodland. Later, with its spruce forests, the forest did indeed appear very dark and almost black. Unfortunately, the bark beetle also feels at home in dense black spruce forest.