Some very cool history of a beer style that doesn't get much discussion, dug up here by Jeff Alworth.
The Making of a Classic: Köstritzer Schwarzbier — Beervana
Schwarzbiers aren’t the most popular lagers on American taplists, but they’re fairly common. If it hadn’t been for one brewery, there might be none at all. This is the 500-year story of the most famous black lager brewery, Köstritzer.
beervanablog.com