Häckel (mining)
A hackle , also known as a driving stick or climbing stick , is a hand stick that is usually carried by supervisors in mining on festive occasions or mountain parades . The handle (crutch) is made of brass , bronze or silver and is modeled on a mining tool. In contrast, the mountain beard is a parade weapon.
Similar to frog lamps, the hackle looks individually different in each mining region according to the respective tradition.
At least for the Ruhr mining industry , Steiger's use of the chopper is also known underground. The chop was used as a walking stick and as a tool to check the stability of mountains and pit work by knocking it off. These "utility crochets" were less artistically designed.
Häckel are popular gifts of honor to executives from the mining industry ( Ehrenhäckel ) or guests on special occasions. In the salt mine, the chop of honor is passed on upon retirement.
Origin and appearance
The hackle probably originated from the wedge hoe, although some regional variants have edges parallel to the handle and thus elements of a mountain ax. The crutch is asymmetrical and, depending on the region, has one or two sides. The stem, including the handle, is usually a meter long and could be used as a measuring stick. Often rivets or notches are also set in at the side at a distance of 5 to 10 cm.
Modern replicas have divisible stems, some of which have drinking bottles hidden in internal cavities.
In addition to the rather simple Westphalian or the Upper Harz Häckel , the Mansfeld or Erzgebirge variants have abundant decorations.
| designation | description |
|---|---|
| Erzgebirge , Mansfeld and Silesian Häckel . | They are similar in the design of the head, which is based on a beard and is richly decorated with images of mining. The Erzgebirge and Silesian Häckel have mallet-and-iron motifs in the lower front corner. The Chursächsische Häckel is a simpler version . |
| Upper Harz Häckel | Simple, one-sided crochet with a slight curve towards the handle. A cutting edge is indicated at the tip. |
| Siegerländer Häckel | The handle of this chopper resembles a so-called claw hammer without the fin being split into a claw. Between the head and the handle there is a metal intermediate piece with embedded mallets and irons. |
| Westphalian chop | The Westphalian Häckel has a two-sided handle. One side is flat with a cutting edge parallel to the handle similar to a very narrow ax. The other side is hammer-like, has a square cross-section and becomes thicker conically from the inside out. Variants of use have simple pimple-like tips . The latter chop also appears as a German moving stick or Ruhr area chop as a decorative version . |
literature
- Walter Bischoff : The little mining dictionary . 4th edition. Glückauf, Essen 1983, ISBN 3-7739-0402-9 .
- Torsten Schröpfer: Treasure trove: Interesting facts about the West Harz mining and metallurgy . 1st edition. Pieper, Clausthal-Zellerfeld 2000, ISBN 3-923605-08-0 .