Rottaler Hafner
Hafner is the southern German term for potter . In the Rottal, i.e. mainly in today's Rottal-Inn district , there was the second important pottery area in Lower Bavaria alongside the Kröning near Vilsbiburg . The handicraft tradition of the Rottaler Hafner dates back to the Middle Ages - as with Kröninger Hafnerkeramik - and does not end until around 1920.
Geographical limitation
The landscape between Danube and Inn forms a wedge with Passau at its tip . This includes the rivers Vils and Rott . This area consists mainly of Tertiary hill country and has offered work opportunities for numerous potters since ancient times. In Pocking , a Roman civilian settlement from the middle imperial period was excavated from 1990 to 1994, in which four pottery kilns were also found (the settlement existed from the end of the 1st century to approx. 260 AD). The town of Gschaid became known for an extensive find of high-quality Renaissance ceramics and the town of Peterskirchen for its stoneware, which was used from the 18th century and was widespread in the 19th century. These two places are in our study area. Otherwise there is only little detailed information about the fact that, in addition to the Kröning in the middle Vilstal and the Passau area with Obernzell in Lower Bavaria, there was another important potter center south and especially north of the Rottal , although this has long been suspected. A more recent study of the "Rottaler Hafner" closes this gap at least in part by examining the history of pottery in a part of the Rottal-Inn district, namely along the upper Sulzbach valley (north of Pfarrkirchen ) and in the parishes of Neuhofen and Postmünster ( and south of the Rott). In the appendix, a conspicuous find from the village of Hausbach, which lies west of the Sulzbach, is included. From Schönau , the study area extends over 11 or 13 kilometers as the crow flies in a west-east direction to Waldhof, Baumgarten or Priel (east of Peterskirchen). The largest north-south extension from Johanniskirchen to Postmünster is also 13 kilometers.
The two cities of Pfarrkirchen and Eggenfelden are not taken into account here, as it is known that there were at least two potter's workshops there. The sequence of owners can be compiled from the documents in the city archives without difficulty.
Social and cultural history: overview
“Cultural and social history” means that two sources are intertwined: For social history, one has to rely on the archives in Pfarrkirchen, Passau, Landshut and Munich, from which the living conditions of this profession are clear. In contrast, cultural history is based on field research; H. on what is still available in the population in the form of pottery products; But excavations and reading findings are also important.
Social history
First of all, some information on social history should be given here, which not only affects the Hafner, but also a large part of the rural population well into the 19th century:
Religious and social conditions
The life of the lower social classes in earlier times consisted mainly of restrictions. This also applies to the most important events in the life of people at that time, namely birth, marriage and death. In contrast to today, the profession was often fixed in advance or did not offer much choice: A craftsman's son remained a craftsman, servant or “day worker” (handyman) throughout his life; often the eldest son took over the business of the father with the permission of the landlord. Social advancement was only possible for craftsmen from 1804 or 1868 (modernization or complete abolition of compulsory guilds) and 1848 (replacement of the manorial rule of the nobility). Before that, farmers could neither buy nor sell land - the size of the farm was permanently fixed by the landlord until 1848.
The various duties to the landlord (above all laudemium = entry fee, the annual pen = basic interest, Gilt = in kind, large and small ten, Scharwerk = unpaid work for the feudal lord) and the strict rules of the "craft", i.e. the guild, that prevented the masters' creative activities.
Hafner were usually mercenaries in the Rottal area. H. Owners of eighth yards (also known as Bausölden, "where you can grow something and maintain Vich": Schmeller), more often of Sechzehntelhöfen (empty Sölde, "because nothing but a Gärtl or so much nothing is": Schmeller) and thirty-second farms (common or mere Sölde). Depending on the quality of the soil, the property was around 15-25 (eighth yard) or less than 15 days (sixteenth yard); the mere Sölde consisted only of a small house ("Leerhäusl"), u. U. with a tiny garden. The stonemasons mostly lived in the neighboring house of a larger property; in some places we also know the names of their owners. Although the "Häusl" were not spacious anyway, one or more rooms were often still rented to so-called residents. In rare cases, Hafner also practiced their craft in houses they did not own. Hafner as "Inmane" (sub-tenant) were usually journeymen who worked in a master's business at the same place.
The opening of a new workshop or the relocation of an existing one to another location, which was further away from the original house, was usually forbidden by “the craft” (the guild). The colleagues feared that this would lead to "bread crumbling". H. a decrease in their income if an additional competitor sold in their area. A drastic example is Adam Kainzhofer from Höhenberg, who was forced to reverse his move. Only the relocation of the company to a nearby location could be undertaken without any problems. The sale of pottery was only allowed in certain markets assigned to the individual potter. Sold z. For example, if a master sold more than just individual pieces of his goods directly to the surrounding farmers or if he supplied a shop, he was first warned by the guild and then, if he did not react, punished by the secular authorities. There are two cases in the documents.
The above-mentioned main events in the life of our ancestors were firmly integrated into church rites and thus had a different orientation than we are used to today. This begins with baptism: in the church registers no distinction is made between the day of birth and the day of baptism until around the beginning of the 19th century. Not the physical birth - which was dangerous at the time - but the acceptance into the community of the church, so to speak the spiritual birth, was decisive. Therefore, until the first third of the 20th century, in the rural areas of Bavaria, insofar as they were Catholic, the name day was far more important than the birthday ; this was often not celebrated at all. As a rule, the first name of the person to be baptized was that of the godparent (of course, provided they had not already sponsored other children in this family). The godfather felt responsible for the development of the godchild throughout his life, which usually also meant a strong emotional bond. Not infrequently - unlike today - a married couple took over the sponsorship of all children of a friendly family.
The marriage had to be approved by the feudal lord. Because u. U. one of the partners (mostly the bride) changed the feudal lord, so that he gave a workforce to another nobleman. With every marriage - with the exception of the independent farms - taxes had to be paid for the issuance of the fiefdom letter, as well as for the death of each of the spouses. Because the maternal mortality rate was high and the man who was left behind could not look after his house and children in addition to his already difficult job, he was forced to remarry quickly, which created a double financial burden. The same applied to the wives after the death of their husbands: Since there was no social security, they had to remarry within about six months; otherwise “the craft” (the guild) would have withdrawn their license to operate the pottery, which was only allowed to be operated by a master. This was the chance for newly qualified master craftsmen to take over their own workshop by marrying in - the occasional large age difference to the widow or even love played no role.
The women had to take on a double task: bringing up the mostly numerous offspring (whereby the older siblings had to look after the younger ones during the day) and, in addition to the household, also helping in the man's profession. “The woman usually does the same job as her husband and continues to run the business independently in his absence. Historical research has coined the term 'working couple' for this. The woman's ability to work is often indispensable for the family income. ”Just as important were the unmarried family members who worked in the company and saved journeymen. They received little pocket money, usually clothes and shoes every year (or every two years) without a formal contract with them. Without them, many a pottery would not have been able to survive.
We mentioned above that the name day was more important than the birthday. One consequence of this was that (e.g. in the case of entries in the church registers) for ordinary people up to the beginning of the 18th century, the first name and the specification of the profession and / or place of residence were often sufficient. Since there were numerous hamlets and wastelands, it became common practice to use the traditional farm name and not the family name. These farm names have remained independent of the current owner for generations - the custom is only slowly disappearing today. Often the handcraft practiced in the house determines the name of the farm. So even larger farms are often called "at the Hafner" after the pottery in the "Häusl" (neighboring house). These terms are a valuable help for local historians: Even if pottery was given up a hundred or more years ago, they give a clear indication to a corresponding workshop. (If, however, another trade was practiced after the last potter, e.g. there was a shoemaker's workshop, the name of the farm changed.)
Financial situation of the Hafner
But how did the stoners live? They were mostly poor suckers. Only very few came to prosperity. In 1665 it is mentioned that the Hafner in the hamlet of Winkl owns "two Sölden". After the middle of the 18th century, some potter from the well-known town of Peterskirchen got rich through immigration from the Westerwald and through marriage. Because the Gelhards and the Mack / Mock brothers take over the new technology of manufacturing the waterproof stoneware that is in demand. You adapt to the needs of the new era and are successful with it.
In contrast, traditional potters have always lived very modestly. In our study area 13 masters lived and worked in 1/32 yards, 6 in 1/16 yards and, in contrast, only three in a 1/8 yard and one in a ¼ yard. Almost three quarters were therefore dependent on pottery as their main source of income. The houses were Zuhäusl, i. H. Outbuildings of farms. Since Hafner and the smithy needed space (and as they were not allowed to live in the village due to the risk of fire), they definitely needed their own house, which was tight. The kitchen-living room and workshop always formed a single room. In order to supplement the meager earnings, a room on the upper floor was rented to craftsmen such as shoemakers or tailors who did not need much space.
In addition, there were - as mentioned - the oppressive taxes to the landlord and the strict rules of the “handicrafts”, ie the guild. In the 18th century, the economic situation of the stove worsened. Several factors were decisive for this: The numerous noble residences with discerning clients in the Middle Ages and early modern times disappeared in the course of the 17th and 18th centuries (e.g. Unterhausbach, Unterhöhenberg, Nöham) or are concentrated in the hands of a few noble families ( Edelbeck , Imsland, Baumgarten zu Ering; later Rheinstein and Tattenbach - from the 19th century Arco-Valley, Closen). These are less and less supplied by stoners; because they have extensive estates, to which many pottery companies belong and can afford to buy more valuable household items (iron pots, china or silver dishes based on the Duke's model). As a result, the local stoners lacked samples and incentives for the production of higher quality dishes; they are limited to traditional forms and manufacturing methods. In the 18th century, this led to complaints about poor quality and the penetration of non-resident stoners, especially from the Kröning. In addition, the second mainstay, the traditional setting of tiled stoves, is also breaking away: the factory-made iron stoves are unrivaled because of their lower price and convenience in use. In the 19th century, new materials became affordable even for less well-off citizens (pots made of iron and aluminum, crockery made of enamel, glass vessels). This will presumably make deliveries to the Austrian cities of Linz and Vienna unnecessary. Only companies that adapted to the changed situation, such as the Peterskirchner Kannenbäcker, could z. B. claim with their water bottles and storage vessels made of earthenware and even z. T. achieve considerable profits.
Our observations on the potter thus fit into the picture that the craft in Bavaria generally gives: “The small-business organization was characteristic of the craft in the Old Reich. With the exception of the construction industry, the sole masters or small businesses with one or two journeymen dominated, most of whom lived with the master family. ”However, pottery alone usually did not yield enough for a family to make a living from. "By far the largest part of the tradesmen do agriculture and only occupy themselves part-time and usually only for a part of the year with a trade." Show best man at individual stoners.
After the rigid yard sizes were abolished in 1848, everyone who was able to buy additional land, as the original cadastre already shows. From 1830, forests were cleared on a large scale and converted into fields (initially not very productive). This also benefited the poorer strata of the population: According to the church records, numerous "settlers" came, i. H. New settlers (probably mostly later sons) were added as small-scale farmers, who laboriously tilled the newly developed arable land. The Hafner in particular also acquired cheaper forest areas (sometimes even far away), from which they obtained the wood required for firing the ceramics.
It was not until 1848 and finally in 1872 that the taxes on the landlord were replaced by the moderate land interest rate to the state, and in 1804 and then in 1825 trade was liberalized by the Bavarian Trade Regulations and the Trade Act. Now, however, the Hafner had to fight against competition from other materials and the associated decline in sales, so that the vast majority of them gave up in the second half of the 19th century.
A photo that was taken around 1920 in Schönau shows one of the few stove makers who still practiced his profession at the beginning of the 20th century. On the left is the last stoner Josef Enggruber, next to him you can see his wife Anna, daughter Mathilde and his son Josef. On the wall of the house, which was still wooden at the time, there are sample tiles that can be seen above the people.
It was more difficult for journeymen than the established masters. If they could not take over a pottery workshop after the master craftsman's examination or at least got a permanent job in a company, marriage was made very difficult for them by the strict laws of the time. It is therefore not surprising that in the 19th century there were about as many illegitimate children as legitimate children. It is very rare for girls to have children from more than one man - most of the time the relationships are “decent” with the intention of marrying as soon as possible. These children (often several) were then legitimized after the wedding, as the pastors' comments in the baptismal registers show. It should be expressly stated that even the sons of Hafnern, who were to inherit their father's workshop, were no exception (even if they had already passed the master craftsman's examination): They could only marry after their father had handed over. Before 1848, the consent of the Lord to marry was necessary - in addition to the hard taxes, this also meant a massive impediment to personal development. This was true until 1868, when new laws made marriage much easier.
Apparently, soon after the introduction of compulsory schooling (ducal decree of December 23, 1802) , the craftsmen tried to learn to read and write. This is supported by the certificates in the main state archive in Munich, which were issued by pastors as the school supervisory board at the request of those affected for the “hard-working” visit to the “trivial school” or the “Feyertagsschul” (introduced in 1799). In the original cadastre from the early forties of the 19th century, considerably more stoners were able to sign their names than farmers. Under certain circumstances, the strict craft training influenced the pursuit of education, but more likely the fierce competition in which additional qualifications were useful.
Cultural history
The material legacy of previous stoners is no less interesting than their living conditions. It is astonishing how many products of earlier potters in private ownership have been preserved, how many pottery companies could just be precisely located. Because some workshops have been demolished in recent years (they could be documented before). And less and less of the contemporary witnesses who remember the workshop operation are living. In addition, as already mentioned, there are excavations and reading finds.
The oldest vessels date from around 1400 (the first jugs cannot be dated more precisely), the oldest concrete documentary evidence of pottery makers date from around 1460. The last branches of pottery in the Rottal can be found around 1920. Overall, a long period of time, However, as expected, it fans out into very different social and artistic manifestations.
Today we associate the word pottery with the extraordinary: You buy a vase or a fruit bowl in a boutique or from the potter himself - pieces of jewelery for the living room. The situation was completely different in the larger cities up to the beginning of the 19th century, in the countryside until around 1850: the stoneware was indispensable for everyday life. Iron pots were expensive, most of the population put earthen pots on the stove and on the table. Porcelain bowls and plates could only be afforded by wealthy aristocrats, so people ate from dishes that were obtained from the potter. Hafner didn't just make tableware. During the master craftsman's examination, they also had to be able to set a stove and make stove tiles.
Utensils
(The abbreviations used below mean: H = height, DB = diameter at the bottom of the vessel, Dmax = largest diameter, HDmax = height of the vessel at which the maximum diameter was determined, DÖ = diameter of the upper vessel opening)
The two oldest finds in our region should be briefly mentioned: First, a bulbous, handle-less pot from a private collection, which is very well preserved. It is thin-walled, has a wide flared collar and wavy lines all over the body. Its dimensions: H 42 cm, DB 15 cm, HDmax 30 cm, Dmax 26.5 cm, DÖ 31 cm. It can be dated to the period from 1380–1450. During restoration work in the Posthalterstadel in Schönau, a reduced-burned, shattered jug (or a jug, if there was a spout) was found, dating from 1400–1460 resp. Is to be dated around or after 1500 (according to another expert's judgment). Its dimensions: H: 23.5 cm (neck broken off at the top), Dmax: 14 cm, DB: 11 cm. The pitcher was found during excavation work at a depth of about two meters. Because it is high-quality, thin-walled and therefore difficult to transport, it was probably produced by the "old hafner" in the village (directly adjacent to the castle park and belonging to the local manor).
Two objects from the complex of finds from Gschaid mentioned below are about a century younger : A pot with handle, largely reassembled from the broken pieces, with straight walls and a rim (H 22 cm, DB 12.5 cm, DÖ = Dmax 18 cm). It is glazed fir green only on the inside and on the upper edge. Two saucepans could also be reconstructed. They have straight, horizontally protruding handles and three legs, inside they are glazed green. While cooking they stood in the fire of the open hearth. They have different sizes: DO 14 or 13 cm, depth of the pot 6 or 5.5 cm, length of handle 9.5 cm, H 11.5 or 10.5 cm.
Even later, utensils of various kinds can be found: Large double-handle pots made of clay or stoneware are often used as storage vessels that were available in every household. They are often decorated with ribbon-like patterns. Examples can be found e.g. B. in Heimathaus Pfarrkirchen and in the National Museum in Munich.
As an example from the second half of the 19th century, some family-owned products from Gstockert are mentioned: A large bowl with spray decoration on the inside, unglazed on the outside. DO 39.5 cm. DB 21 cm depth 10 cm, rim width 2 cm - A deep bowl with brown glaze on the outside. Inside it is mottled white with two black-brown and blue-brown rings. The floor was left unglazed. DO 26.5 cm, DB 15.5 cm, H 10.5 cm. The folded edge is 2 cm high on the outside - A brown glazed Weidling on the outside, which is mottled white on the inside and has a brown-black decorative ring on top. The floor is unglazed. DO 14.5 cm, DB 8 cm, H 5.8 cm, rim height outside 1.4 cm. - A brown glazed Weidling outside, white glazed inside with a blue border on top and a blue flower pattern on the bottom. Bottom unglazed on the underside. DO 15.8 cm, DB 9.2 cm, H 7 cm, rim height outside 1.7 cm - Guglhupfform (?) With raised inner opening, yellow outside, brown over yellow glazed inside, with handle. The rim is drawn outwards. Bottom not glazed. DÖ 17.8 cm, DB 13 cm, H 6.3 cm, D of the opening 3.8 cm.
Presumably from the same pottery comes a jug that is glazed on the inside and outside and has a 2 cm wide blue polka dot pattern on the top and three flowers on the front of the belly. H 28 cm, DO 12.5 cm, Dmax 16 cm, DB 10 cm, top edge 2 cm. A "Reindl" with handle shows clear signs of use, which is why the floor is sooty. Glazed yellow inside. Outside it has a 1.5 cm high, grooved edge that is glazed yellow. The wall below is glazed dark brown. D 21.5 × 19.5 cm, H 4.5 cm - A Guglhupf tin glazed yellow inside and out. Next to the handle there is a crack from top to bottom. DO 26 cm, DB 16.5 cm, H 11 cm. In the center, the stepped cone ends in a point; its opening is 5.4 cm in diameter on the underside.
A variety of products are known from the well-known pottery village Peterskirchen , e.g. B. Different sizes of stoneware water bottles. The pictures shown have a brown surface and are each provided with a round manufacturer's stamp ("Michl Gelhard"). H 33 or 23 cm, DB 10 or 7 cm.
A 3 is incised on the bulging handle of a jug (Rhenish shape). A faint zigzag pattern, which was grooved with a roller wheel, covers the entire brown body of the vessel. H 32 cm, D 9 cm, DB 12 cm.
Particularly noteworthy is a cylindrical jug with a lid, which is now in a private collection (H 15.8 cm). It is “without a fill mark (approx. 0.6 l); frontally an incised circle with the incised inscription 'Michl Gelhard'; flanked on both sides by incised / cut leaf and flower ornament; yellow-brown surface of the body; (...) Lid insert: six-pointed star cut from a clay plate; hardly before 1860/66 and hardly after 1870? Tin mark: line stamp 'BLEISTEIN' ”(text from: Endres, Werner / Grasmann, Lambert and others: stoneware from Lower Bavaria: Peterskirchen im Rottal, Vilsbiburg 2005). As a last example from the abundance of shapes, we mention the clay bottles for ointments (so-called "ointment jars"). There were two types: the so-called egg shape and the widespread cylindrical vessels. The egg-shaped vessel shown here with a matching plug-in lid has a brown surface (oxidation burn). H 10 cm, D 4 cm, DB 3 cm.
Several specimens are known of the Sphinx, glazed green over a bluish layer of paint, which served as a stove top; they were probably all made in Peterskirchen. The figure is 41 cm long, 28 cm high, hollow on the inside, made with a model, weighs 4.4 kilograms. Originated around the middle of the 19th century in the wake of the then widespread enthusiasm for Egypt.
But the earlier stoners also made completely different things, such as tiles for suspended ceilings. In the Pfarrkirchner Heimatmuseum there is a house altar that was modeled from clay and then fired and glazed. And even a small roof turret made of clay was attached to the church in Unterhausbach near Falkenberg. As a castle church with direct access to the church gallery, it belonged to a noble residence that had long since disappeared. 93 cm high, the turret consists of two parts. The design is original: three feet unite to form a shaft that is closed at the top by a wide brim and a narrow tube that holds the upper part in place and is not visible from the outside. The upper part forms a broad, projecting ball on a small shaft, which is decorated at the widest point with a band of oval rings. At the top it ends in a tip that was broken off today. The piece was made in the second half of the 18th century.
Exceptional goods
In addition to all these everyday products, there are also surprising pieces with z. T. unusual find circumstances.
First of all, there is a massive clay head from Ortprechting ; d. H. it is not hollowed out on the inside and has the very unusual weight of 6.6 kilograms. The fact that there were no cracks or cracks during the firing process testifies to the high level of skill of the potter. Its dimensions: height 25 cm, depth between the back of the head and nose 17 cm. He looks very expressive and individual. The story of the discovery is also unusual: on a farm near Nöham, the previous house was demolished and a new one was built next to it. When the former residential building was partially demolished, an intermediate wall suddenly overturned, behind which a second (previously unknown) wall became visible, in which there was a niche with the life-size head. This was not built with care, whereas the artistic quality of the work is far above average, which can be seen in the lively eyes set in pebbles or in the artistically worked hair, eyebrows, eyelashes and mustache.
The question remains who is represented. Obviously a nobleman - but why is he found in a farm far from a castle? There were also different opinions about the time: It makes sense to only consider the Renaissance and not the 19th century, which was also mentioned. Since the demolished house was built in 1882 and the hidden wall was considerably older, it would have to be at least 50 years or more older. However, to date it around 1800 seems improbable in terms of style. The double secret about his origin (was it burned in Ortprechting or did it come from outside?) And about the sitter is still waiting for a solution - the riddle will probably never be solved.
A sensational find was also made during the construction of a new residential building in Gschaid (very close to the well-known pottery village of Peterskirchen). The excavator hit the large garbage pit of the former ironworks and unearthed large quantities of broken glass, which are now stored in 97 large boxes and 14 large bags. Among the finds was a matrix that bears the year 1546 - a stroke of luck for the dating. A heavily built angel in a short skirt holds his hands in a broad band that runs over his back and bears the year.
A few specimens from this huge number are presented here:
Religious motifs show Christ and all the apostles with their attributes. We limit ourselves to two examples: A shard with Christ on the cross (several copies exist) and the medallion, which is applied to a brown or purple, white and green striped jug; it shows where the medallions mentioned below were placed. Because the picture of the apostle has blurred colors (which is why the jug ended up in the garbage pit), it cannot be determined who it is.
The coats of arms surprisingly show Saxon motifs - why has not been conclusively clarified. The large, splendid coat of arms on the right is a fantasy coat of arms, because it combines motifs from various emblems of the Saxon region - The real coat of arms of the Electorate of Saxony can be found on other shards like the one shown on the left.
The diverse representations of nobles range from German emperors to (well-typed) country nobles. A similar representation of a nobleman can be found on a partially reassembled jug (dimensions: H 17.5 cm, DB 7 cm, Dmax 11 cm, HDmax 8 cm, DO 7 cm) - here it becomes clear that this motif is on the neck of the jugs was appropriate.
The fragment of a double-headed eagle can be clearly seen; Then as now, this motif is not limited to Austria, Russia and Albania - e.g. B. also shows the coat of arms of the city of Deggendorf on this motif. This probably means the coat of arms of the German Empire. This fits the depiction of Emperor Charles V (1519 - 1556), who is shown with a beard, a flat cap, a ruff (or a high embroidered ribbon) and a heavy, half-open coat. The Order of the Golden Fleece, awarded by the Pope, hangs around his neck. And here is an interesting reference: The Gschaider Hafner took works of art by well-known contemporary artists as models. Charles V is a woodcut by Christoph Amberger, a copy of which is still preserved in the Erlangen University Library.
Because the German Empire saw itself as the successor to the Roman Empire, it is not surprising that images of Roman emperors and their wives also appear. The depicted round medallion of a ruler refers to Roman coins from the 3rd century AD. The right-facing bust with toga culminates in a crown of rays - the emperor appears as an earthly personification of the sun god Sol. On the other hand, the woman with a crown turned to the left, a wreath of hair around her ears and the rectangular cut of the dress (which is framed by a border) does not correspond to the Roman empress coins, so Gaschaider Hafner designed it freely analogous to the male counterpart. Inside diameter of the two medallions each 5.5 cm, with setting 7 cm.
The isolated portraits of women are mainly preserved on fragments with colored glaze, i. H. these missing pieces give an approximate impression of the appearance of the finished goods. A left-facing image of a noble lady can be seen on a green glazed plate - almost half preserved. She wears a golden hairnet under a flat blue hat. Unfortunately, little was left of the clothes.
The Gschaid finds also contain a large number of legend motifs from antiquity: Lucretia, who, according to Roman legend, throws herself into the sword to avoid rape, was considered a symbol of purity in the Renaissance. It was portrayed accordingly often. Our mug with a handle (H 14.5 cm) is based on a painting by Lucas Cranach the Elder, who painted this motif several times in the 30s and 40s of the 16th century. The tragic love story of Pyramus and Thisbe, the z. B. Hans Sachs took up this medallion is designed independently after an engraving by Lucas van Leyden. The original is unmistakable, the differences are detailed in the book about the "Rottaler Hafner". In addition to a complete copy, there are also several broken fragments of this motif in the finds. Medallion diameter 9.5 cm, shard 12.5 × 10.5 cm.
The most astonishing thing is the representation on a stove tile (height 16 cm, width 24 cm). It shows an acanthus frieze in the upper, slightly arched third . A Roman-style egg stick arches between two grooves . The flat surface below contains a bucranion (i.e. a bull's skull with tendrils), a motif that is common in classical Roman art. The model for this tile is obviously the Ara Pacis , the peace altar of Augustus , of which important parts were excavated in 1568, including the bull skull motif.
For all these acquisitions of foreign works of art, the question arises as to how the potter from Gschaid learned of such motifs far away from big cities. I suspect that the landlords, the Counts of Tattenbach, with their connections to the Herzoghof, collected such copies and made them available to the potter as templates. On the one hand, it should be noted that these woodcuts, prints or drawings ended up in Lower Bavaria soon after the originals were made, which is particularly astonishing with the peace altar of Augustus found in Rome (this raises the question of the communication options at that time, which were obviously much better than we usually assume). And then the sovereignty and mastery with which the potter from Gschaid processed the templates into small, independent works of art is astonishing.
Decorative elements such as little girls' heads with fruit garlands, grotesque faces or grotesques form a separate group in the finds.
Five fragments of a square tile were picked up in a field in Höhenberg near Nöham . The “Turkish tile” with a round arch made of floral elements shows a bearded man with a turban and fine clothes. It resembles the Grand Vizier Kara Mustafa (1634 - 1683, commander in chief of the second siege of Vienna at the beginning of the Great Turkish War) depicted on a copper engraving by the Dutchman J. Gole from 1683. The copper engraving may have been the template for the tile; this can then be dated to the second half of the 17th century. The names of those shown are often added to such picture tiles. Since our tile is unfortunately incomplete, such a note is missing. Therefore it is also possible that the turban wearer personifies the continent Asia (in the series of the four parts of the world known at the time).
The fact that there were artistic and state-of-the-art products later in the Rottal region is proven by the matrices (i.e. negatives / models) from St. Georgen , which are now in the Heimathaus in Pfarrkirchen. A few selected pictures are intended to show that high-quality pottery was created there in the Biedermeier period in the first half of the 19th century. The frontal representation of the standing woman with outspread arms holds a staff or a scroll in each hand. She is wreathed, her curls fall to her shoulders, the apron dress has half-length sleeves and elegant folds. Dimensions of the plaster model: 20 × 13 × 2 cm. - On a groin tile we see two children playing, sitting opposite each other, each with a dog in front of him. A tuft of grass grows in between, and a garland is attached over it. Dimensions: 8 × 17.5 × 3 cm. - A plaster model from the 19th century depicts a lively trotting deer. Dimensions: 16 × 18.5 × 4 cm.
In addition, the seven liberal arts were presented in St. Georgen (medicine, astronomy, rhetoric and dialectic = philosophy have been preserved). The R (h) etorica shows itself barefoot with a wildly billowing floor-length robe from the back. The face is turned to the left (model!). In her left hand (!) She is holding a bouquet, on the right a small tree grows out of the rocky ground.
Some images of the apostles represent the few religious motifs. The apostle Matthias "S: M:" (= Sanctus Matthias) holds an ax as a sign of his martyrdom in his right hand, in his left he has a book. He is standing in a meadow, a tree is growing at the bottom right. Dimensions: 16 × 10.5 × 1 cm.
Noticeable is a braided bust, turned to the left, on another matrix. The robe billows; a buffalo, like the pectoral cross, identifies him as a bishop in official costume. The medal on his chest could be an award from the Maltese. It depicts Prince-Bishop Leopold Ernst Graf von Firmian von Passau, who held this office from 1763 to 1783. This "last baroque prince" was an important cleric and drove u. a. the colonization of the Bavarian Forest is advancing. Because of his numerous reforms in the diocese he was elevated to cardinal. With him the grand diocese of Passau ends: After his death, the dioceses of Linz and St. Pölten were separated.
All of these models were intended as wall decorations (the holes for hanging can already be seen on top of the models). They were intended for a middle-class audience far from the Rottal. We have evidence in front of us that the stove makers in St. Georgen in the 17th to 19th centuries were quite up to date with contemporary tastes (like those in Gschaid in the 16th / 17th centuries).
Of course, the simple farmers who always made the same products predominated in the Rottal. But some craftsmen were very clever at adapting to special requirements (such as the small church tower) or to new sales opportunities over which the guild had no influence. In this way they secured a better income and, especially in difficult times, increased their workshop's chances of survival.
Distribution of stoneware
Once the dishes were ready, the stoners either stored them in their house or - if they lived in a farmer's house next door - in the courtyard of the main property, where there was a separate building for them (the so-called "dishes room"). It was even more convenient to have your own crockery shop, as existed in Waldhof and St. Georgen. However, only people from the surrounding area came there. Markets promised greater merit, such as those held on church holidays. B. in front of the pilgrimage church in Wald (south of Nöham) or on the specified market days z. B. took place in Pfarrkirchen (today there is still the Simonimarkt on October 28th). According to the guild rules, the master himself had to act as a seller and was not allowed to B. send his wife or even a journeyman there alone.
The potter was also not allowed to hire peddlers to sell his products in the neighborhood. Deliveries to general stores were also strictly forbidden. Because the Kramer did not purchase goods equally from all the potters in the area, but should have preferred some, the other workshops would have been disadvantaged; the guild wanted to prevent this.
Because crockery was needed everywhere, but could not be made enough in large towns, or because the clay needed for making was not available everywhere, pottery was sold over long distances. The Hafner in Kröning, the better known area in comparison to the Rottal, sold on the markets in the nearby Landshut and in Munich. On the other hand, the Rottalers sent their goods by ship to Linz and Vienna or by Kraxträger to Berchtesgaden, along the Inn to Gars and on to Tyrol (Imst) and even to Innichen, which had close ties to Bavaria (Innichen is in the Puster Valley in South Tyrol) . These porters, who carried the heavy rucksack with its fragile load on their backs, also walked north on the Goldener Steig to Bohemia. We find entries from the beginning of the church registers around 1660 until the end of the 18th century. Not only did the demands on goods change in the 19th century, sales were also organized differently. Pots made of iron and aluminum and crockery made of enamel are now also affordable for less well-off citizens, glass from the Bavarian Forest is also in demand in the Rottal and is imported, but no longer by people who carry children. They are replaced by other means of transport with greater capacity. This also made the laborious job of carrying a carrier a thing of the past.
literature
- Albrecht, Ludwig: Das Rottal als Hafnergebiet, an overview, in: Heimat an Rott und Inn booklet 14, Eggenfelden 1979, pp. 99–111.- Similar: ders .: Hafnerei im Rottal, in: Publications of the Lower Bavarian Open Air Museum Massing, booklet 1, Massing 1981, pp. 14-27
- Albrecht, Ludwig: Origin and genealogy of the jug bakers and pipe makers in Peterskirchen im Rottal, in: Der Storchenturm (Ed. Fritz Markmiller) Heft 31, Dingolfing 1981
- Bauer, Ingolf: Hafnerware aus Altbayern, in: Storchenturm (Ed. Fritz Markmiller) Issue 20, Dingolfing 1975, pp. 1–12.- Changed reprint in: Publications of the Lower Bavarian Open Air Museum Massing, Issue 1, Massing 1981, pp. 7– 13
- Benker, Gertrud / Hagn, Herbert: Historical tiles and models from the late Middle Ages to Art Nouveau. The collection of the State College for Ceramics Landshut, writings from the museums of the city of Landshut 13 (Ed. Franz Niehoff), Landshut 2002
- Böhmer, Herbert: The Ilzer Hafner. Black dishes from Passau from the end of the 16th to the end of the 19th century, Grafenau, 2006
- Buchner, Hans / Sendl, Johanna: pipe making as a sideline; and: The “Pfeiffenmacher” - documents of a Gütler family, in: Negotiations of the Historisches Verein für Niederbayern, 116th - 117th volume, Landshut 1990 - 1991, pp. 45–49 and pp. 51–109
- Buchner, Hans / Sendl, Johanna: Rottaler Hafnerei, in: Negotiations of the Historisches Verein für Niederbayern, 120th - 121st volume, 1994-1995, pp. 53-71
- Buchner Hans / Sendl Johanna: Rottaler Hafner. A contribution to cultural and social history, Regensburg 2015
- Endres, Werner / Grasmann, Lambert / Albrecht, Ludwig: Stoneware from Lower Bavaria: Peterskirchen im Rottal, Vilsbiburger Museumsschriften 5, Vilsbiburg 2005
- Götschmann, Dirk: Economic history of Bavaria. 19th and 20th centuries, Regensburg 2010
- Grasmann, Lambert: Kröninger Hafnerei, Regensburg 1978 (in the series Niederbayern - Land und Menschen, edited by Fritz Markmiller)
- Grasmann, Lambert: The Hafner on the Kröning and on the Bina, Straubing 2010
- Hagn, Herbert: An artistically significant ceramic find of the late Renaissance in Gschaid near Peterskirchen, in: The Archaeological Year in Bavaria 1983, pp. 176-180 and: the same, ceramics of the Renaissance from Gschaid, booklet accompanying the exhibition in the Bavarian National Museum in Munich, no . (1985)
- Hagn, Herbert / Endres, Irmgard and Werner: Old Bavarian potters. Ceramic finds from the 15th to 19th centuries, Munich 1990
- Jansson, Leonie: The magic of old tiles. Tiles, tiles, tiled stoves, Freiburg im Breisgau 1980
- Markmiller, Fritz: Transport ways of Niederbayerischer Hafner on water and on land, in: Storchenturm (Ed. Fritz Markmiller) Heft 45, Dingolfing 1988, pp. 31-40
- Slawiger, Gerhard: The manufactory in Kurbayern. The beginnings of large-scale industrial development in the transition period from mercantilism to liberalism 1740-1833, (original dissertation Munich 1966) research on social and economic history, ed. by Friedrich Lütge, Volume 8, Stuttgart 1966
- Stephan, Hans-Georg: The painted earthenware of the Renaissance in Central Europe, Munich 1987 (Research booklets / Bavarian National Museum Munich, Vol. 12)
- Stieber, Paul: Hafner dishes from Altbaiern. Special print for the exhibition in the Bavarian National Museum from June 27th - October 13th 1968, Munich and Berlin undated
- Stieber, Paul: German pottery dishes. Reprint from Keyser's art and antiques book, Volume III, Munich and Würzburg 1976
- Tille, Maria (Hrsg.): History and products of the "Kannenbäcker" (potters), pottery makers and pipe makers in the earlier Voglnirschldorf Peterskirchen (from the 18th and 19th centuries) + Renaissance ceramics from Gschaid (around 1540), accompanying book to an exhibition in Peterskirchen, Dietersburg (1998)
Individual evidence
- ↑ The Archaeological Year in Bavaria 1990, pp. 110–113.
- ↑ Buchner Hans / Sendl Johanna: Rottaler Hafner. A contribution to cultural and social history, Regensburg 2015
- ↑ Jeanette Toussaint, Between Tradition and Stubbornness, Potsdam 2009, p. 17
- ↑ Bavaria's way into the modern age. Bavarian handicrafts 1806- 2006, exhibition in the Deutsches Museum Munich 2006, p. 10
- ↑ BayernsWeg in die Moderne, p. 9, quotation from a document from the Main State Archives Munich MH 6117
- ↑ Endres, Werner / Grasmann, Lambert a. a .: Stoneware from Lower Bavaria: Peterskirchen im Rottal, Vilsbiburg 2005
- ↑ Buchner Hans / Sendl Johanna: Rottaler Hafner. A contribution to cultural and social history, Regensburg 2015, p. 147
- ↑ Buchner Hans / Sendl Johanna: Rottaler Hafner. A contribution to cultural and social history, Regensburg 2015, p. 157
- ↑ Heimathaus in Pfarrkirchen