diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index a3047e0a..9d90f9d1 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -185,13 +185,6 @@ test_build_ngsolve:
 #   when: always
 #   allow_failure: true
 
-# check if it compiles without spdlog
-test_noSpdlog:
-  <<: *ubuntu
-  stage: test
-  script:
-    - docker run -e CCACHE_DIR=/ccache -v /mnt/ccache:/ccache netgen_${CI_PIPELINE_ID}:${UBUNTU_VERSION} bash /root/src/netgen/tests/build_nospdlog.sh
-
 cleanup_ubuntu:
   stage: cleanup
   tags:
diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index bde4fef4..21edc576 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -32,7 +32,6 @@ option( USE_CCACHE       "use ccache")
 option( USE_INTERNAL_TCL "Compile tcl files into the code and don't install them" ON)
 option( ENABLE_UNIT_TESTS "Enable Catch unit tests")
 option( ENABLE_CPP_CORE_GUIDELINES_CHECK "Enable cpp core guideline checks on ngcore" OFF)
-option( USE_SPDLOG "Enable spd log logging" OFF)
 option( DEBUG_LOG "Enable more debug output (may increase computation time) - only works with USE_SPDLOG=ON" OFF)
 option( CHECK_RANGE "Check array range access, automatically enabled if built in debug mode" OFF)
 option( BUILD_STUB_FILES "Build stub files for better autocompletion" ON)
diff --git a/libsrc/core/CMakeLists.txt b/libsrc/core/CMakeLists.txt
index 3c1ca8ea..da84a9d6 100644
--- a/libsrc/core/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/libsrc/core/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -55,19 +55,6 @@ if(TRACE_MEMORY)
   target_compile_definitions(ngcore PUBLIC NETGEN_TRACE_MEMORY)
 endif(TRACE_MEMORY)
 
-
-if(USE_SPDLOG)
-  include_directories(${SPDLOG_INCLUDE_DIR})
-  install(DIRECTORY ${SPDLOG_INCLUDE_DIR}
-    DESTINATION ${NG_INSTALL_DIR_INCLUDE}
-    )
-  add_dependencies(ngcore project_spdlog)
-  target_compile_definitions(ngcore PUBLIC NETGEN_USE_SPDLOG)
-  if(DEBUG_LOG)
-    target_compile_definitions(ngcore PUBLIC NETGEN_LOG_DEBUG)
-  endif(DEBUG_LOG)
-endif(USE_SPDLOG)
-
 if(USE_NUMA)
     find_library(NUMA_LIBRARY libnuma.so)
     target_compile_definitions(ngcore PUBLIC USE_NUMA)
diff --git a/libsrc/core/archive.hpp b/libsrc/core/archive.hpp
index 415cad75..52fdf961 100644
--- a/libsrc/core/archive.hpp
+++ b/libsrc/core/archive.hpp
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@
 #include <vector>               // for vector
 
 #include "exception.hpp"        // for UnreachableCodeException, Exception
-#include "logging.hpp"          // for logger
 #include "ngcore_api.hpp"       // for NGCORE_API
 #include "type_traits.hpp"      // for all_of_tmpl
 #include "utils.hpp"            // for Demangle, unlikely
@@ -133,7 +132,6 @@ namespace ngcore
   protected:
     bool shallow_to_python = false;
     std::map<std::string, VersionInfo> version_map = GetLibraryVersions();
-    std::shared_ptr<Logger> logger = GetLogger("Archive");
   public:
     template<typename T>
       static constexpr bool is_archivable = detail::is_Archivable_struct<T>::value;
@@ -254,7 +252,6 @@ namespace ngcore
     // don't use it that often anyway)
     Archive& operator& (std::vector<bool>& v)
     {
-      logger->debug("In special archive for std::vector<bool>");
       size_t size;
       if(Output())
         size = v.size();
@@ -409,22 +406,15 @@ namespace ngcore
     {
       if(Output())
         {
-          logger->debug("Store shared ptr of type {}", Demangle(typeid(T).name()));
           // save -2 for nullptr
           if(!ptr)
-            {
-              logger->debug("Storing nullptr");
-              return (*this) << -2;
-            }
+            return (*this) << -2;
 
           void* reg_ptr = ptr.get();
           bool neededDowncast = false;
           // Downcasting is only possible for our registered classes
           if(typeid(T) != typeid(*ptr))
             {
-              logger->debug("Typids are different: {} vs {}",
-                            Demangle(typeid(T).name()),
-                            Demangle(typeid(*ptr).name()));
               if(!IsRegistered(Demangle(typeid(*ptr).name())))
                   throw Exception(std::string("Archive error: Polymorphic type ")
                                   + Demangle(typeid(*ptr).name())
@@ -432,17 +422,12 @@ namespace ngcore
               reg_ptr = GetArchiveRegister(Demangle(typeid(*ptr).name())).downcaster(typeid(T), ptr.get());
               // if there was a true downcast we have to store more information
               if(reg_ptr != static_cast<void*>(ptr.get()))
-                {
-                  logger->debug("Multiple/Virtual inheritance involved, need to cast pointer");
-                  neededDowncast = true;
-                }
+                neededDowncast = true;
             }
           auto pos = shared_ptr2nr.find(reg_ptr);
           // if not found store -1 and the pointer
           if(pos == shared_ptr2nr.end())
             {
-              logger->debug("Didn't find the shared_ptr, create new registry entry at {}",
-                            shared_ptr_count);
               auto p = ptr.get();
               (*this) << -1;
               (*this) & neededDowncast & p;
@@ -453,27 +438,23 @@ namespace ngcore
               return *this;
             }
           // if found store the position and if it has to be downcasted and how
-          logger->debug("Found shared_ptr at position {}", pos->second);
           (*this) << pos->second << neededDowncast;
           if(neededDowncast)
             (*this) << Demangle(typeid(*ptr).name());
         }
       else // Input
         {
-          logger->debug("Reading shared_ptr of type {}", Demangle(typeid(T).name()));
           int nr;
           (*this) & nr;
           // -2 restores a nullptr
           if(nr == -2)
             {
-              logger->debug("Reading a nullptr");
               ptr = nullptr;
               return *this;
             }
           // -1 restores a new shared ptr by restoring the inner pointer and creating a shared_ptr to it
           if (nr == -1)
             {
-              logger->debug("Creating new shared_ptr");
               T* p = nullptr;
               bool neededDowncast;
               (*this) & neededDowncast & p;
@@ -481,7 +462,6 @@ namespace ngcore
               // if we did downcast we need to store a shared_ptr<void> to the true object
               if(neededDowncast)
                 {
-                  logger->debug("Shared pointer needed downcasting");
                   std::string name;
                   (*this) & name;
                   auto info = GetArchiveRegister(name);
@@ -492,20 +472,15 @@ namespace ngcore
                                                                                 ptr.get())));
                 }
               else
-                {
-                  logger->debug("Shared pointer didn't need downcasting");
                   nr2shared_ptr.push_back(ptr);
-                }
             }
           else
             {
-              logger->debug("Reading already existing pointer at entry {}", nr);
               auto other = nr2shared_ptr[nr];
               bool neededDowncast;
               (*this) & neededDowncast;
               if(neededDowncast)
                 {
-                  logger->debug("Shared pointer needed pointer downcast");
                   // if there was a downcast we can expect the class to be registered (since archiving
                   // wouldn't have worked else)
                   std::string name;
@@ -519,7 +494,6 @@ namespace ngcore
                 }
               else
                 {
-                  logger->debug("Shared pointer didn't need pointer casts");
                   ptr = std::static_pointer_cast<T>(other);
                 }
             }
@@ -533,42 +507,26 @@ namespace ngcore
     {
       if (Output())
         {
-          logger->debug("Store pointer of type {}",Demangle(typeid(T).name()));
           // if the pointer is null store -2
           if (!p)
-            {
-              logger->debug("Storing nullptr");
               return (*this) << -2;
-            }
           auto reg_ptr = static_cast<void*>(p);
           if(typeid(T) != typeid(*p))
             {
-              logger->debug("Typeids are different: {} vs {}",
-                            Demangle(typeid(T).name()),
-                            Demangle(typeid(*p).name()));
               if(!IsRegistered(Demangle(typeid(*p).name())))
                 throw Exception(std::string("Archive error: Polymorphic type ")
                                 + Demangle(typeid(*p).name())
                                 + " not registered for archive");
               reg_ptr = GetArchiveRegister(Demangle(typeid(*p).name())).downcaster(typeid(T), static_cast<void*>(p));
-              if(reg_ptr != static_cast<void*>(p))
-                {
-                  logger->debug("Multiple/Virtual inheritance involved, need to cast pointer");
-                }
             }
           auto pos = ptr2nr.find(reg_ptr);
           // if the pointer is not found in the map create a new entry
           if (pos == ptr2nr.end())
             {
-              logger->debug("Didn't find pointer, create new registry entry at {}",
-                            ptr_count);
               ptr2nr[reg_ptr] = ptr_count++;
               if(typeid(*p) == typeid(T))
                 if (std::is_constructible<T>::value)
-                               {
-                                 logger->debug("Store standard class pointer (no virt. inh,...)");
-                                 return (*this) << -1 & (*p);
-                               }
+                  return (*this) << -1 & (*p);
                 else
                   throw Exception(std::string("Archive error: Class ") +
                                   Demangle(typeid(*p).name()) + " does not provide a default constructor!");
@@ -582,7 +540,6 @@ namespace ngcore
                     throw Exception(std::string("Archive error: Polymorphic type ")
                                     + Demangle(typeid(*p).name())
                                     + " not registered for archive");
-                  logger->debug("Store a possibly more complicated pointer");
                   return (*this) << -3 << Demangle(typeid(*p).name()) & (*p);
                 }
             }
@@ -590,37 +547,27 @@ namespace ngcore
             {
               (*this) & pos->second;
               bool downcasted = !(reg_ptr == static_cast<void*>(p) );
-              logger->debug("Store a the existing position in registry at {}", pos->second);
-              logger->debug("Pointer {} downcasting", downcasted ? "needs" : "doesn't need");
               // store if the class has been downcasted and the name
               (*this) << downcasted << Demangle(typeid(*p).name());
             }
         }
       else
         {
-          logger->debug("Reading pointer of type {}", Demangle(typeid(T).name()));
           int nr;
           (*this) & nr;
           if (nr == -2) // restore a nullptr
-            {
-              logger->debug("Loading a nullptr");
               p = nullptr;
-            }
           else if (nr == -1) // create a new pointer of standard type (no virtual or multiple inheritance,...)
             {
-              logger->debug("Load a new pointer to a simple class");
               p = detail::constructIfPossible<T>();
               nr2ptr.push_back(p);
               (*this) & *p;
             }
           else if(nr == -3) // restore one of our registered classes that can have multiple inheritance,...
             {
-              logger->debug("Load a new pointer to a potentially more complicated class "
-                            "(allows for multiple/virtual inheritance,...)");
               // As stated above, we want this special behaviour only for our classes that implement DoArchive
               std::string name;
               (*this) & name;
-              logger->debug("Name = {}", name);
               auto info = GetArchiveRegister(name);
               // the creator creates a new object of type name, and returns a void* pointing
               // to T (which may have an offset)
@@ -632,11 +579,9 @@ namespace ngcore
             }
           else
             {
-              logger->debug("Restoring pointer to already existing object at registry position {}", nr);
               bool downcasted;
               std::string name;
               (*this) & downcasted & name;
-              logger->debug("{} object of type {}", downcasted ? "Downcasted" : "Not downcasted", name);
               if(downcasted)
                 {
                   // if the class has been downcasted we can assume it is in the register
diff --git a/libsrc/core/logging.cpp b/libsrc/core/logging.cpp
index b5056406..105515bd 100644
--- a/libsrc/core/logging.cpp
+++ b/libsrc/core/logging.cpp
@@ -1,15 +1,6 @@
 #include "logging.hpp"
 
-#ifdef NETGEN_USE_SPDLOG
-
-#include <spdlog/spdlog.h>
-#include <spdlog/sinks/ansicolor_sink.h>
-#include <spdlog/sinks/basic_file_sink.h>
-
-#else // NETGEN_USE_SPDLOG
 #include <iostream>
-#endif // NETGEN_USE_SPDLOG
-
 
 namespace ngcore
 {
@@ -19,94 +10,10 @@ namespace ngcore
 
   void Logger::log(level::level_enum level, std::string && s)
   {
-#ifdef NETGEN_USE_SPDLOG
-    logger->log(spdlog::level::level_enum(level), s);
-#else // NETGEN_USE_SPDLOG
     if(level>=global_level)
       std::clog << s << '\n';
-#endif // NETGEN_USE_SPDLOG
   }
 
-#ifdef NETGEN_USE_SPDLOG
-  namespace detail
-  {
-    std::vector<std::shared_ptr<spdlog::sinks::sink>>& GetDefaultSinks()
-    {
-      static std::vector<std::shared_ptr<spdlog::sinks::sink>> sinks =
-        { std::make_shared<spdlog::sinks::ansicolor_stdout_sink_mt>() };
-      return sinks;
-    }
-    std::shared_ptr<spdlog::logger> CreateDefaultLogger(const std::string& name)
-    {
-      auto& default_sinks = GetDefaultSinks();
-      auto logger = std::make_shared<spdlog::logger>(name, default_sinks.begin(), default_sinks.end());
-      spdlog::details::registry::instance().register_and_init(logger);
-      return logger;
-    }
-  } // namespace detail
-
-  std::shared_ptr<Logger> GetLogger(const std::string& name)
-  {
-    auto logger = spdlog::get(name);
-    if(!logger)
-      logger = detail::CreateDefaultLogger(name);
-    return std::make_shared<Logger>(logger);
-  }
-
-  void SetLoggingLevel(spdlog::level::level_enum level, const std::string& name)
-  {
-    if(!name.empty())
-      spdlog::get(name)->set_level(level);
-    else
-      spdlog::set_level(level);
-  }
-
-  void AddFileSink(const std::string& filename, spdlog::level::level_enum level, const std::string& logger)
-  {
-    auto sink = std::make_shared<spdlog::sinks::basic_file_sink_mt>(filename);
-    sink->set_level(level);
-    if(!logger.empty())
-      GetLogger(logger)->logger->sinks().push_back(sink);
-    else
-      {
-        detail::GetDefaultSinks().push_back(sink);
-        spdlog::details::registry::instance().apply_all([sink](auto logger) { logger->sinks().push_back(sink); });
-      }
-  }
-
-  void AddConsoleSink(spdlog::level::level_enum level, const std::string& logger)
-  {
-    auto sink = std::make_shared<spdlog::sinks::ansicolor_stdout_sink_mt>();
-    sink->set_level(level);
-    if(!logger.empty())
-      GetLogger(logger)->logger->sinks().push_back(sink);
-    else
-      {
-        detail::GetDefaultSinks().push_back(sink);
-        spdlog::details::registry::instance().apply_all([sink](auto logger) { logger->sinks().push_back(sink); });
-      }
-  }
-
-  void ClearLoggingSinks(const std::string& logger)
-  {
-    if(!logger.empty())
-      GetLogger(logger)->logger->sinks().clear();
-    else
-      {
-        detail::GetDefaultSinks().clear();
-        spdlog::details::registry::instance().apply_all([](auto logger) { logger->sinks().clear(); });
-      }
-  }
-
-  void FlushOnLoggingLevel(spdlog::level::level_enum level, const std::string& logger)
-  {
-    if(!logger.empty())
-      GetLogger(logger)->logger->flush_on(level);
-    else
-      spdlog::flush_on(level);
-  }
-
-#else // NETGEN_USE_SPDLOG
 } //namespace ngcore
 
 namespace spdlog
@@ -140,5 +47,3 @@ namespace ngcore
   void ClearLoggingSinks(const std::string& /*unused*/) {}
   void FlushOnLoggingLevel(level::level_enum /*unused*/, const std::string& /*unused*/) {}
 } //namespace ngcore
-
-#endif // NETGEN_USE_SPDLOG
diff --git a/libsrc/core/logging.hpp b/libsrc/core/logging.hpp
index adfed7ed..38993203 100644
--- a/libsrc/core/logging.hpp
+++ b/libsrc/core/logging.hpp
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 #ifndef NETGEN_CORE_LOGGING_HPP
 #define NETGEN_CORE_LOGGING_HPP
 
-#undef NETGEN_USE_SPDLOG
 #include <iostream>
 #include <memory>
 #include <string>
@@ -11,15 +10,6 @@
 #include "ngcore_api.hpp"
 #include "utils.hpp"
 
-#ifdef NETGEN_USE_SPDLOG
-#include <spdlog/fmt/fmt.h>
-#include <spdlog/fmt/ostr.h> // to be able to parse anything to logger that implements operator << ostream
-#ifdef NETGEN_LOG_DEBUG
-#define SPDLOG_DEBUG_ON
-#define NETGEN_DEBUG_LOG(logger, ...) SPDLOG_DEBUG(logger, __VA_ARGS__)
-#endif // NETGEN_LOG_DEBUG
-#endif // NETGEN_USE_SPDLOG
-
 #ifndef NETGEN_DEBUG_LOG
 #define NETGEN_DEBUG_LOG(logger, ...)
 #endif  // NETGEN_DEBUG_LOG
@@ -60,13 +50,6 @@ namespace ngcore
 
     void NGCORE_API log( level::level_enum level, std::string && s);
 
-#ifdef NETGEN_USE_SPDLOG
-    template<typename ... Args>
-    void log( level::level_enum level, const char* str, Args ... args)
-    {
-      log(level, fmt::format(str, args...));
-    }
-#else // NETGEN_USE_SPDLOG
     template<typename T>
     std::string replace(std::string s, const T & t)
     {
@@ -100,7 +83,6 @@ namespace ngcore
     {
       log(level, log_helper(std::string(str), args...));
     }
-#endif // NETGEN_USE_SPDLOG
 
     template<typename ... Args>
     void trace( const char* str, Args ... args) { log(level::level_enum::trace, str, args...); }
diff --git a/libsrc/core/python_ngcore.hpp b/libsrc/core/python_ngcore.hpp
index f333071b..6c195eca 100644
--- a/libsrc/core/python_ngcore.hpp
+++ b/libsrc/core/python_ngcore.hpp
@@ -190,7 +190,6 @@ namespace ngcore
   protected:
     using ARCHIVE::stream;
     using ARCHIVE::version_map;
-    using ARCHIVE::logger;
   public:
     PyArchive(const pybind11::object& alst = pybind11::none()) :
       ARCHIVE(std::make_shared<std::stringstream>()),
@@ -202,7 +201,6 @@ namespace ngcore
           stream = std::make_shared<std::stringstream>
             (pybind11::cast<pybind11::bytes>(lst[pybind11::len(lst)-1]));
           *this & version_needed;
-          logger->debug("versions needed for unpickling = {}", version_needed);
           for(auto& libversion : version_needed)
             if(libversion.second > GetLibraryVersion(libversion.first))
               throw Exception("Error in unpickling data:\nLibrary " + libversion.first +
@@ -219,7 +217,6 @@ namespace ngcore
     {
       if(Output())
         {
-          logger->debug("Need version {} of library {}.", version, library);
           version_needed[library] = version_needed[library] > version ? version_needed[library] : version;
         }
     }
@@ -243,7 +240,6 @@ namespace ngcore
       FlushBuffer();
       lst.append(pybind11::bytes(std::static_pointer_cast<std::stringstream>(stream)->str()));
       stream = std::make_shared<std::stringstream>();
-      logger->debug("Writeout version needed = {}", version_needed);
       *this & version_needed;
       FlushBuffer();
       lst.append(pybind11::bytes(std::static_pointer_cast<std::stringstream>(stream)->str()));