Raspberries are intensely aromatic but too low in sugar to ferment into enough alcohol to distill economically. So instead of fermenting a mash, distillers macerate fresh raspberries in high-proof neutral spirit for weeks to draw out the essence, then redistill. The result is a Geist (German for "spirit"), specifically Himbeergeist Wikipedia: Himbeergeist.
A true fermented-and-distilled raspberry brandy (Himbeerbrand) exists but is rarer and needs enormous fruit volumes. French framboise eau-de-vie may be made either way, and the prestige version uses wild raspberries Wikipedia: Geist (liquor)).
Historically, Himbeergeist emerged from the same Black Forest surplus-fruit and grain-restriction pressures as kirsch, professionalizing as neutral spirit became widely available from the 16th century onward. It's a Black Forest / Alsace digestif classic; producers cite roughly 7–8 kg of raspberries per liter.