My search for the one and only unicorn has
taken me to Schwäbisch Gmünd, a town in
southern Germany.
This is the hometown of the unicorn.
At least the say-so.
Let's find out if this is really true.
But it's not like you find one on every corner.
I was told I would see unicorns everywhere
in the streets and on the buildings.
They've been the town's heraldic animal since
the 13th century.
Local resident Markus Herrmann has agreed
to aid me on my quest.
Of course, it's a bit hidden.
It does not come right up to you like other
things.
You have to look for the unicorn.
Unicorns are really everywhere.
Almost every company that identifies with
this town has a unicorn in its logo or even
in its name.
We need some unicorn ice cream.
To the 60-thousand-plus residents, the unicorn
is a part of daily life.
One even seems to have grown up in the park.
But I have yet to see a real one.
Are there any real unicorns?
You have to look for them with your heart.
If you look with your mind and reason, you've
already lost.
That's why the unicorns tend to turn up here
in places where you have to look with your
heart.
A shy unicorn would hardly want to hide right
in the center of town, so I try my luck out
in the country.
This looks quite a bit more promising.
Maybe this horse will eventually grow a horn
– or is it merely invisible?
No,no,no!
Well, no luck.
I've examined every white horse, because,
as we know, unicorns are always white.
Now, where else can I look?
Back in town, I head for the museum.
There's an exhibition about the unicorns'
recent evolution into kitsch.
Alongside interesting facts about the unicorns
of yesteryear.
Look, maybe your grand, grand, grand, grand…
mother.
Back in the Middle Ages, artists depicted
unicorns as goat-like animals.
But over time, these mystical creatures slowly
began resembling nimble horses, symbols of
purity, innocence and magic, as museum director
Max Tillmanns explains.
Do unicorns exist?
And how do I recognize them?
That's a tricky question.
According to medieval legend, only virgins
can see unicorns.
So all I can do
is make a unicorn.
Can you make unicorns?
Yes, of course.
First off, we need some sugary white goodness.
And some cherry flavoring.
Confectioner Gaby Haberkern and I mix it all
up, until we get a tasty red goo.
We can mold the stuff into any shape we want
as long as it's still hot.
If we wait too long, the mass can turn brittle.
Finally, my very own unicorn sweets.
I even made a lollipop.
Unicorns are everywhere.
What do they mean to you?
I like them, I like their shape, I like eating
them.
And...
I've seen some!
No way!
In a movie.
And in our shop.
The last unicorn died here.
In Schwäbisch Gmünd, right?
Yes, most likely at the market square.
So it seems my search for a real unicorn is
over.
The life of a Lollipop Unicorn is dangerous
- not just because of the rain.
But if there are any real unicorns, they’re
in pretty good hands here in Schwäbisch Gmünd.
Because, people in this south German town
feel a very special connection to these mystical
creatures..
