List of mills on the Weismain and Krassach rivers

In the area of ​​today's city of Weismain and the municipality of Altenkunstadt , the mill was an important branch of the economy for centuries. Most of the mills were located on the two rivers Weismain and Krassach , which flow together at Woffendorf . The following table provides information about the mills and their state of preservation in the Weismainer and Altenkunstadter municipal districts. It is arranged according to the location of the mills from the source to the mouth of the two rivers. If the mills are still preserved today, they mostly serve as private houses, in the case of the Schrepfersmühle they also serve as an inn and beer garden.

background

The five Altenkunstadter mills on a map around 1600

Water-powered mills for grinding grain were already known in the 1st century BC and since 754 at the latest in the area of ​​today's Bavaria. The oldest mill in the vicinity of Weismain, in Franconian Switzerland , is located in Pottenstein and dates from 970. However, the construction of mills on Upper Franconian streams and rivers did not emerge until the Archdiocese of Bamberg was founded in 1007. From the year 1400, a strong increase in milling operations in Upper Franconia is documented again.

In Weismain, the first mill names from the year 1323 or 1328 are known from a land register of a Bamberg bishop. At that time there were three mills in the city: the city mill , the box mill and the middle mill, some of which have existed since the city was founded. At that time the pipe mill also belonged to the town of Weißmain, which was added to Altenkunstadt in the 19th century.

The "Rohrmuel" was documented as early as 1180, a good 140 years before the first Weismainer mill, a mill in the Altenkunstadter area. The total of five Altenkunstadter mills were all built along the 4 km long Altenkunstadter Mühlbach . This artificial river arm, also known as box water , was created in the High and Late Middle Ages on behalf of the Langheim Monastery to counteract the risk of flooding from the Kapellenbach stream coming from the west .

In the records of the old community Kleinziegenfeld , three grain mills (Stoffelsmühle, Schwarzmühle and Bienleinsmühle), a grinding, a cutting and a paper mill were documented for the year 1822. In total there were 18 mills in the area of ​​today's city of Weismain, each with one to five grinding cycles and working as grain , cutting , paper, malt , fulling , tan , oil and grinding mills . A special feature was the hammer mill, which was by far the only mill in which an armorer worked.

Mills on the Weismain

Surname	Type	State of preservation	description	location	image
Stoffelsmühle	Flour mill	Received completely	The Stoffelsmühle probably dates from the 16th century, but the first reliable evidence is based on the year "1793" in its door frame. After a downpour in 1887, which destroyed the mill system with its enormous amounts of water, operations were stopped. Until the 1970s the mill served as a wagon and carpentry shop . Today it is privately owned. In addition to an apartment, there are also holiday apartments in the mill.	50 ° 1 '19.9 "  N , 11 ° 11' 57.7"  E	more pictures
Ehrhardsmühle	Grain and Cutting Mill	Foundation walls as well as parts of the ground floor and parts of the drive system are still preserved	The Ehrhardsmühle was first mentioned in 1593 and rebuilt for the first time in 1894 at the latest. The grain mill was shut down in the middle of the 20th century, the sawmill in 1970. The dilapidated mill was demolished in 1976. Today, the Ehrhardsmühle sawmill, built in the 1990s, is located around the mill ruins.	50 ° 1 ′ 34.7 "  N , 11 ° 11 ′ 46.5"  E	more pictures
Schwarzmühle	Grain and Cutting Mill	Complete with the exception of an outbuilding	The Schwarzmühle was built in 1728 and operated until 1930. Several outbuildings were attached to it, only that of the granulator was demolished. Today it is privately owned and serves as a residential building.	50 ° 1 '35.4 "  N , 11 ° 11' 56.3"  E	more pictures
Bienleinsmühle	Flour mill	Only weir and brick mill canal with waterfall have been preserved	The Bienleinsmühle was probably built in the middle of the 18th century, the exact year and therefore the age of the mill are unknown. It was first mentioned in 1769. It had numerous outbuildings and was closed at the beginning of the 20th century. Because of the continuing decline, it was demolished in 1961/1962. The last building was demolished in 1997.	50 ° 1 '40.1 "  N , 11 ° 12' 1.9"  E	more pictures
Hammer forge	Gun hammer	Only the weir and the remains of the foundation wall have been preserved	The hammer mill was located southeast of the Heideknocks between Bienleinsmühle and Schrepfersmühle. It is not known when it was built. The epithet weapon in the name means not only war equipment, but also “(small) iron tools” . In the property tax register of the municipality of Kleinziegenfeld from 1853, the mill was referred to as a "weapon hammer", consisting of a "weapons forge with a house, Hofraith , Kohlplatz, oven and a garden". In legal terms, it belonged to the Freiherr von Schaumberg Patrimonial Court in Kleinziegenfeld and had arms and blacksmith justice from the Freiherren von Schaumberg , i.e. the right to run an armory. The hammer forge was equipped with two undershot water wheels that drove the two hammer mills . One of the few millers of the mill that has been handed down in writing was Michael Voit, born in 1782 in the beginning of the 19th century, "the so-called gunsmith von Geierberg near Fichtelberg ", who was mentioned in a document in 1808. The tower cross of the Mariahilf Chapel in Kleinziegenfeld was forged by him or his successors (including Adam Teuzer around 1826 and Anton Deuzer / Tewzer by August 1834 at the latest) . After a six-year lease, the property was auctioned on March 17, 1841. In January 1856 the property was leased again. In 1877 the property consisted of a residential building with farm buildings, inhabited by seven Catholic people who belonged to the parish of Stadelhofen (in 1864 8 people, from 1871 7 people). The mill was demolished in 1887 by its last owner, a baker .	50 ° 1 '59.1 "  N , 11 ° 12' 9.4"  E
Schrepfersmühle	Paper mill and waterworks	Mill building no longer preserved, only the waterworks erected as an auxiliary building	The Schrepfersmühle was built in 1736/1737. Owners changed frequently until 1813, when the mill was taken over by Johann Schrepfer. In 1832 he had a new mill built directly opposite the mill on the other bank of the stream. The mill was stopped when Johann's son Georg Schrepfer died in 1879. In 1907 a waterworks was built on the site of the first mill, which is now a restaurant and beer garden and is known nationwide.	50 ° 2 '19.4 "  N , 11 ° 12' 30.8"  E	more pictures
Weihersmühle	Grain and Cutting Mill	Mill building with several outbuildings and a water wheel preserved	The Weihersmühle was first mentioned in 1336 and was used as a grain mill after a renovation in 1448 at the latest. In the late Middle Ages and the early modern period, the mill was involved several times in disputes over brewing and licensing rights in the area, although both rights had been officially granted to the mill. The Gasthof Zur Forelle was built in 1798 and operated until 2011; the mill building serves as a private residence with holiday apartments.	50 ° 2 '30.9 "  N , 11 ° 13' 0.4"  E	more pictures
Wassmannsmühle	Paper and flour mill	Paper mill building no longer preserved, only the annex built as a country inn (former grain mill)	The Waßmannsmühle was probably built before 1600, it has been documented beyond doubt since 1624. First known as Untere Papiermühle, it received its current name when the Würzburg paper-making family Waßmann took over the business . The mill was known nationwide for its high-quality paper until it closed in the second half of the 19th century. After the mill building burned down in 1930, an outbuilding, which was used as a country inn for a long time and which also housed a grain grinding alley, is the last major remainder of the mill.	50 ° 3 '5.2 "  N , 11 ° 13' 46.4"  E	more pictures
Schammendorfer mill	Flour mill	Mill building with working grinder and grinding room, but without water wheel	The Schammendorfer Mühle was built in 1733 at the latest and belonged to the Langheim monastery until 1803 . In the 1970s the operation was stopped and from then on the mill was only used as a private residence.	50 ° 3 ′ 36.6 ″  N , 11 ° 13 ′ 9 ″  E	more pictures
Biebermühle (town mill)	Flour mill	Went completely	The former Bieber or Stadtmühle was considered the oldest mill in the city of Weismain until it was demolished in 1962. Presumably it is identical to the “mill on the market” mentioned in 1328. The water from the mill came through a mill ditch specially made for it, which was led under the city wall into the city center. The location within the city walls ensured that the citizens were supplied with flour even in times of siege. Mid-16th century, the mill was rebuilt and decreed in 1588 about "five water wheels for two crops courses , a malt , a walkman and Lohgang and an oil mill [...]". In 1769 only the grain tunnels and the whale tread were still active, in 1864 four water wheels of unknown function were again active. In 1923 three water wheels were in use, but they were replaced by a turbine the following year. The mill was demolished in the middle of the 20th century. There is a private residence at their location. The mill building was a two-story saddle roof building from the 18th century, placed on a solid medieval core. To the north was a two-story hipped roof building.	50 ° 5 ′ 2 "  N , 11 ° 14 ′ 16.4"  E
Neumühle	Flour mill and wool mill	The mill building from the 18th century is completely preserved with a water wheel	The Neumühle was built in the 17th century and is considered to be the mill with the oldest preserved building structure in Weismain. Originally built as a flour mill, it was used as a wool spinning mill in the mid-19th century until milling was resumed at the turn of the century. Today it is privately owned as a residential building.	50 ° 5 '5 "  N , 11 ° 14' 15.6"  E	Image wanted
Förstmühle	Flour mill	Mill building preserved except for the water wheel	The Förstmühle was first mentioned in 1595. It was destroyed in the Thirty Years War and then rebuilt. Until the end of operations in 1990, it was expanded and rebuilt several times. In the middle of the 20th century it was fitted with a turbine for generating electricity . The mill building is now a residential building.	50 ° 5 '7.6 "  N , 11 ° 14" 19.4 "  E
Hundschich Mill	Initially probably a grain mill, later an oil, fulling and grinding mill	Went completely	When and by whom the mill was built is unknown. In 1537 Moritz Neydecker, the wealthy citizen of Weismain, received the former mill, which had been destroyed as a result of flood damage, as a fief and had it rebuilt in the following years as an oil, fulling and grinding mill. It is unclear whether the grinding step is for cutting or grinding stones, such as B. for whetstones , or for grinding iron tools. The exact year the mill was founded and the year it disappeared can no longer be determined.	50 ° 5 '10.7 "  N , 11 ° 14' 20.7"  O
Tube mill	Grain and Cutting Mill	Went completely	The mill was first mentioned in a document when it was acquired by Langheim Abbey in 1180. After a fire, the mill was rebuilt in 1729. After another fire in 1973, it was demolished. A few years later the Altenkunstadter school and sports center was built there.	50 ° 7 '5.2 "  N , 11 ° 13" 59.9 "  E
Kienmühle	Grain and Cutting Mill	Received completely	The mill was first mentioned as "Kienmuel" in 1414. At times also used as a grain threshing facility , an outbuilding of the mill is now owned by the family as a sawmill.	50 ° 7 '19.1 "  N , 11 ° 14" 20.2 "  E
Steffelmühle	Grain and Cutting Mill	Received completely	The mill was first mentioned as "Stevelmuel" in the oldest Langheim land register from 1390. The owner was temporarily entrusted with looking after the local gallows. Due to economic problems, the mill had to file for bankruptcy in March 1852. The buyer used the mill as a spinning and cloth factory , which started industrialization in Altenkunstadt. In 1883 the company was renamed the wool spinning mill and dyeing workshop and was continued by the heirs until 1909. From 1913 to 1919 a wood wool factory was housed in the mill . The heir of the wood wool manufacturer set up a porcelain factory on the site, which will continue to operate in 1930 after the interim bankruptcy and change of ownership.	50 ° 7 '22.8 "  N , 11 ° 14' 32.8"  E	Image wanted
Neumühle	Grain, tote , fulling and cutting mill	Received completely	It was first mentioned in the oldest Langheim land register from 1390 as "Muenchmuel". The mill burned down in the Thirty Years War and was rebuilt in the 18th century. To this day there is a large wooden water wheel that is fed by the Altenkunstadter Mühlbach.	50 ° 7 '25.6 "  N , 11 ° 14' 40.2"  E	more pictures
Bath mill	Flour mill	Received completely	The oldest record of the Badmühle, as "muel bey der badstuben", is in the Langheimer Urbar from the year 1390. For a long time it was equipped with three water wheels and three grinding courses, but around 1900 the mill only had an undershot Zuppinger wheel , the 1934 was replaced by a more powerful Francis turbine . The mill operation was maintained until the 1970s. Since then, the turbine has been used to generate electricity and the mill as a residential building. Some outbuildings were destroyed in a fire in 2008.	50 ° 7 '22.8 "  N , 11 ° 14' 32.8"  E	more pictures

Mills on the Krassach

Surname	Type	State of preservation	description	location	image
Autumn mill	Grain and oil mill	Complete with outbuildings, but without the water wheel	When the autumn mill was built is unclear. The first reliable evidence comes from the year 1801, but a significantly older age is assumed. In 1914, the three water wheels were replaced by a turbine, with which the mill could be operated until 1974. At the same time, at the beginning of the 20th century, it enabled electricity to be generated for personal use. Nowadays the mill houses a small mill and technology museum and an adjoining building houses accommodation for the Kulmbach mountain rescue section . The mill is privately owned and serves as a residential building.	50 ° 3 '24.2 "  N , 11 ° 15' 26.4"  E	more pictures
Krassacher mill	Grain, oil and cutting mill	Grain / oil mill buildings and various outbuildings have been preserved; the granulator went off	The Krassacher mill was first mentioned in 1286. Until the new building in 1799, however, hardly any historical facts have survived. From this point in time at the latest, the mill had numerous outbuildings. The sawmill was demolished at the beginning of the 20th century, and the water wheels were replaced by a turbine in 1925. After that, the mill was stopped and only electricity was produced for the own needs of the mill, which was then used as a residential building.	50 ° 3 ′ 50.6 "  N , 11 ° 15 ′ 7"  E	more pictures
Niestener mill	Flour mill	Received completely	The Niestener Mühle was built in the 16th century and sold to a secular gentleman in 1593 by the Bamberg prince-bishop for 600 guilders . The property also included small lands and some outbuildings. Milling was stopped in 1920. From 1925, the mill served as a hiker's pension for several decades; it is used today as a private residence.	50 ° 4 ′ 27.5 "  N , 11 ° 15 ′ 27"  E	more pictures
Box mill	Grain and Cutting Mill	Received completely	The box mill was built in 1445 at the latest and rebuilt in 1615, with the number of mill wheels increased to five. The mill was operated until 1989 and today has a turbine to generate electricity for the own needs of the mill used as a residential building. From 1989 to 2000 there was a sawmill on the mill site.	50 ° 5 '8.7 "  N , 11 ° 14" 34.9 "  E

literature

• Jutta Böhm: Mill bike tour. Routes: Kleinziegenfelder Tal and Bärental , Weismain environmental station in the Lichtenfels district, Weismain / Lichtenfels (Lichtenfels district), 2000, 52 pages (numerous illustrations, canton)
• Jutta Böhm, Joachim Pander: Mill bike hike. Main-Rodach. Weismain environmental station of the Lichtenfels district, Weismain / Lichtenfels (Lichtenfels district), 2002, 58 p. (Numerous illustrations, canton)
• Günter Dippold: From the economic history of Weismain . In: Günter Dippold (ed.): Weismain - A Franconian city on the northern Jura 1 . Dechant Bau GmbH, Weismain 2011, ISBN 978-3-9814302-0-2
• Dieter George: Lichtenfels - the Altlandkreis . Volume 6 of the historical book of place names of Bavaria, Commission for Bavarian State History, Munich 2008, ISBN 978-3-7696-6862-9
• Josef Motschmann: Altenkunstadt - home between Kordigast and Main . Altenkunstadt community, Altenkunstadt, 2006 #
• Peter Ruderich: Weismain's history of art and architecture from the 13th to the 20th century . In: Günter Dippold (Ed.): Weismain , Volume 2, Weismain 1996, ISBN 3-9804106-0-9
• Josef Urban: Small goat field . In: Heimatgeschichtliche Zeitschrift für der Landkreis Lichtenfels , Volume 10, Verlag Vom Main zum Jura, Eggolsheim 2001, pp. 24–51

Web links

• Mills in the urban area of ​​Weismain on stadt-weismain.de

Individual evidence

1. ↑ ^{a b c d e f g} Böhm (2000), p. 4
2. ↑ ^{a b c} Dippold (2011), pp. 307-309
3. ↑ ^{a b c d e f g h i j k} Ruderich (1996), p. 113f.
4. ↑ ^{a b c} Motschmann (2006), p. 15f.
5. ↑ ^{a b c d e f} Böhm (2000), p. 28
6. ↑ ^{a b c d} George (2008), p. 160
7. ↑ ^{a b c d} Urban (2001), p. 37
8. ^ Meisner: Notice. In: General Gazette for the Kingdom of Bavaria: judicial and police announcements, Volume 2 . Kleinziegenfeld 23 August 1834 ( full text in the Google book search).
9. ^ Meisner: Notice. In: Royal Bavarian Intelligence Journal for the Upper Main District: to the year ... 1834 . Kleinziegenfeld 1834 ( full text in the Google book search).
10. ↑ Werner: Notice. In: General Gazette for the Kingdom of Bavaria: judicial and police notices, Volume 9 . Kleinziegenfeld 1841 ( full text in the Google book search).
11. ^ Reindl: Tagblatt der Stadt Bamberg (No. 12/1856) . Small goat field 1856, p. 51 ( full text in Google Book Search).
12. ^ Joseph Heyberger, Chr. Schmitt, v. Wachter: Topographical-statistical manual of the Kingdom of Bavaria with an alphabetical local dictionary . In: K. Bayer. Statistical Bureau (Ed.): Bavaria. Regional and folklore of the Kingdom of Bavaria . tape 5 . Literary and artistic establishment of the JG Cotta'schen Buchhandlung, Munich 1867, Sp. 907–908 , urn : nbn: de: bvb: 12-bsb10374496-4 ( digitized version ).
13. ↑ Kgl. Statistical Bureau (ed.): Complete list of localities of the Kingdom of Bavaria. According to districts, administrative districts, court districts and municipalities, including parish, school and post office affiliation ... with an alphabetical general register containing the population according to the results of the census of December 1, 1875 . Adolf Ackermann, Munich 1877, 2nd section (population figures from 1871, cattle figures from 1873), Sp. 1081 , urn : nbn: de: bvb: 12-bsb00052489-4 ( digitized version ).
14. ↑ ^{a b c d e f g h i j k l m n} Böhm (2000), p. 15
15. ↑ Mühlen 2012 , Tourist Information Oberes Maintal-Coburger Land, Lichtenfels 2012, PDF (131 kB), p. 2
16. ↑ Böhm (2000), p. 14
17. ↑ Dippold (1996), p. 290
18. ↑ Ruderich (1996), p. 167