Well master (historical profession)

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House book of the Mendelschen Twelve Brothers Foundation: The well master

Well master ( Latin Aquilex ) is a historical job title for an appointed and sworn foreman who oversaw the public fountains , water pipes and water arts of a place or city. He was thus responsible for the drinking water supply for the population living there.

Well masters were commonly referred to as well sweepers or well diggers because of their duties . In fact, the well master was more of a superordinate role. The fountain master is often mistakenly equated with the pipe master and the art master . The pipe master's area of ​​responsibility was limited to water pipes and master craftsmen were solely responsible for the function of the water arts.

development

With the beginning of the early modern period in the 15th century, responsibility for the supply of drinking water in various European cities was placed in the hands of the well master. The technical systems for this consisted mainly of wood, so that the office of well master was usually carried out by carpenters who specialized in water technology. Some of the fountain masters also dealt with the general further development of the water arts, such as Caspar Walter (1701–1769) from Augsburg . The Office was sometimes with overseeing bridges combined so that the Brunnenmeister in personal union could also bridge masters such as in Bolzano in the late 15th century.

With the increase in technology in water extraction and water distribution in the early 19th century, the office of well master disappeared. Often civil engineering councilors took his place .

swell

See also

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Adelung, Grammar-Critical Dictionary of High German Dialect, Volume 1. Leipzig 1793, p. 1223
  2. ↑ Adelung, Grammatical-Critical Dictionary of High German Dialect, Volume 3. Leipzig 1798, p. 1146
  3. ^ Hannes Obermair : The Bozen city book. Manuscript 140 - the official and privileges book of the city of Bolzano . Contributions to the international study conference, Bozen, Maretsch Castle, 16. – 18. October 1996. In: Bolzano from the Counts of Tyrol to the Habsburgs - Bolzano fra i Tirolo e gli Asburgo (=  research on the history of Bolzano / Studi di storia cittadina ). tape 1 . Athesia, Bozen 1999, ISBN 88-7014-986-2 , p. 399-432, here: p. 408 .