Tobacco drying shed
A tobacco drying shed (short: tobacco shed or shed ) is a building that is used to dry tobacco leaves .
term
In the 17th century, "Tabac houses" were mentioned for the first time. In the 19th century the words “tobacco shed” and occasionally “tobacco shed” are found (Metzger, 1836). In the period that followed, "tobacco shed" became the name of the building used to dry tobacco leaves. Tobacco sheds are called "tobacco barn" in English, "séchoir du tabac" or "séchoir à tabac" in French, "tabakschuur" in Dutch, "Duwakschopp" or "Schopp" in Palatinate.
task
A tobacco drying shed is used to dry the harvested tobacco leaves. Immediately after harvest, the leaves contain around 90% water. Drying should reduce this content to around 15%. Further goals are the brown color of the leaves and the initiation of chemical degradation processes, which give the tobacco a more pleasant taste and smell.
The method of air drying is used in a tobacco shed : dry air flows into the shed and absorbs the moisture given off by the leaves. The moist air leaves the shed, dry air flows in. Air drying - and thus the use of tobacco scales - usually takes place where alternative drying methods, e.g. B. Sun or oven drying, due to the climate or insufficient fuel resources are out of the question. In order to ensure adequate ventilation, the tobacco scales are provided with closable flaps or with ventilation gaps. The ventilation openings also allow the incidence of sunlight, which is necessary for the brown coloration.
A tobacco shed is only used for a short period of time in the course of the year, which begins with the harvest in late summer and - depending on the weather, the number of harvest passes and the drying ability of the shed - lasts for several weeks. After drying, the tobacco is removed, prepared for sale and transported to the tobacco weighing hall . The rest of the time the shed is empty and can be used as a storage room. Modern foil sheds are also used as a greenhouse in which the tobacco seedlings grow.
The monofunctionality, ie the suitability for a single task, makes it difficult to convert the existing tobacco scales. Since tobacco growing in Germany and other EU countries has not been subsidized since 2010, the sheds are hardly used anymore. They are being dismantled, torn down or left to decay.
Occurrence
The tobacco drying shed is a type of building that can be found around the world. Tobacco sheds are built where tobacco is grown and where tobacco drying is done by air - and not by sun or with the help of ovens. Tobacco scales are found particularly in North America and Europe, but also in South America, Asia and Africa. In Europe there are tobacco sheds in France (especially in Alsace), in the Netherlands (especially near Amersfoort and Amerongen) and in Austria. In Germany, most of the tobacco sheds are located in the Upper Rhine Rift, as the climatic and geological prerequisites for tobacco cultivation were there: sufficient heat and precipitation as well as sandy soils. On the left bank of the Rhine, the southern Palatinate is a center of tobacco growing. Tobacco scales can be found from the German-French border in the south to about Speyer in the north; from the Rhine in the east to the wine-growing villages in the west. Most of the tobacco drying sheds have been preserved in the municipalities of Erlenbach , Hatzenbühl (oldest German tobacco growing community), Hayna , Herxheim (largest German tobacco growing community), Herxheimweyher , Rheinzabern and Rülzheim . On the right bank of the Rhine, where the formerly largest tobacco growing area in Germany stretched, there were also tobacco drying sheds, most of which have been demolished.
The tobacco drying sheds can be in different places within the Palatinate communities. The earliest sheds were usually built within the village. “In addition to drying sheds ... that were built on the back of the courtyard property, there were also sheds that were housed in the courtyard. In some cases, the existing farm buildings on the side were built over. ”As the tobacco growing area increased, the inner-city building site was no longer sufficient. The newer tobacco sheds were built on the outskirts or in the field. In some places special shed streets were laid out where sheds bordered sheds. Such ensembles have been preserved in Herxheim am Bruchweg (development on both sides) and on Panzergraben (development on one side), in Hatzenbühl west of the K10 (only partially realized).
history
The first tobacco sheds, none of which have survived today, “were round wood structures with approximately 3 meter high pine posts that were nailed together to form approximately 5 meter wide frames [supporting structure]…. The trestles were placed on half-meter high sandstones or masonry so that they were protected from moisture in the ground and from splashing water when it rained. As a rule, three such trestles were connected to each other over a length of 3 meters by spruce poles. Such a closet was 5 meters wide and 8 to 9 meters long. ”The walls consisted of vertically nailed wooden slabs, with ventilation slits between them. In the course of time, the materials used changed on the one hand: the straw and pipe coverings were replaced by bricks from the end of the 19th century; instead of cheap slabs of wood, sawn timber was used for the walls; After the Second World War , Eternit (panels made of asbestos cement ) found its way into wall and roofing material. The decisive changes, however, concerned the design of the wall, the “part that has to fulfill the main task: to let air through, to let the wind through, to keep out the rain, damp air, fog, and sunshine.” The uncontrollable ventilation through the crevices was replaced by a controllable ventilation system , in which the wall openings could be closed by flaps or blinds to protect the tobacco leaves from fog. One flap consisted of a board attached to the wall with hinges that could close a long vertical ventilation slot.
The switch to horizontally mounted blinds brought about a further improvement in ventilation. They "are characterized above all by the fact that you can artificially create a draft in them when the outside air seems completely motionless, and that the mist is prevented from entering the shed." The inner structure of a shed has changed over time changed little over time.
The foil shed represents a radical break with the decades-long tradition of the wooden tobacco shed. A foil shed resembles a greenhouse: a 3 to 4 m high wooden or metal frame carries the transparent foil. “On the long sides, the film is stretched between two parallel Perlon cords. So the slide can be moved from bottom to top. This makes it possible to regulate the supply of air and moisture, to influence the leaf color and the drying process. ”Unlike the monofunctional flakes, which were only used for drying, a film flake was suitable for drying and growing the tobacco plants. However, these foil flakes proved to be susceptible to storm and hail damage.
In the 1970s a new type of wooden shed was introduced, the “Rülzheimer Schopp” or “Flachschuppen”. They are long, 3 to 4 m high wooden sheds with a flat gable roof. Due to their length, these sheds can usually be found on the outskirts or in the field. One of the largest flat sheds, a field shed west of Herxheim, is around 70 m long.
inner space
The interior of a tobacco shed usually consists of two zones lying one above the other: a work zone on the ground floor and the storage zone above, which extends over several compartments to under the roof.
On the one hand, the work zone is used for traffic, ie driving in and out with wheelbarrows, carts or trailers. The ground floor is also the starting point for hanging the shelves above. On the other hand, the work zone is used to ventilate the tobacco hanging over it. So that the work zone can fulfill both functions, traffic and ventilation, it is as barrier-free as possible and is not draped with tobacco.
The storage zone is used to store the tobacco leaves that are to dry there. Traffic areas within the storage zone, e.g. B. stairs or walkways are uncommon because they consume valuable storage space. The vertical movement within the storage zone is usually done with the help of ladders. The tobacco leaves are first either strung on strings (" tobacco bandoliers ") with the aid of a large needle or a threading machine or impaled on sticks. In Germany the bandage hanging is common, in the Netherlands rods were used. The drying sheds in the storage zone are equipped with a frame made of long wooden poles (so-called "frame legs") to hold the cords or the sticks. In the case of bandage drying, the legs of the frame are provided with tobacco nails, which are nails without an obstructive nail head. The bandels have a loop at both ends. The bandolier is hung between two adjacent frame legs by slipping a loop over a nail. In the case of rod drying, the rods are placed on the frame legs. The distance between the frame legs and the length of the bandels or bars must be coordinated with one another. Despite all the external differences, the interior of the tobacco shed is almost always structured in the same way: the horizontal distance between two adjacent frame legs is around 90 to 120 cm (previously three to four feet), the vertical distance is also around 90 cm. The frame legs in turn rest on the frame leg supports, these are strong wooden beams. The frame leg supports run transversely to the ridge direction, the frame legs lying on them at right angles run along the ridge direction. The tobacco bandeliere thus hang across the ridge direction. This ensures good ventilation: The air gets into the shed through flaps or ventilation slots on one side of the eaves of a shed (usually the west side), brushes between the transversely hanging bandels and flows out again on the opposite side of the eaves. In several modern shed types, e.g. B. the film scales, ventilation takes place in a different way. The interior is therefore structured differently with them.
Tobacco flake types
In Central Europe several types of tobacco flakes can be distinguished. As a rule, they are named after the region in which they mainly occur or where they were first established.
Dutch scale type
In the Netherlands there are two types of shed, the Amersfoorter shed, which is typical for the region around the city of Amersfoort . The Ameronger shed type can be found in an area around the municipality of Amerongen . In both cases the tobacco scales are mostly made of wood. Both shed types have in common that the walls are provided with flaps that allow controlled ventilation. In addition, the flaps can be closed in the event of fog, which is common in the Netherlands, thus protecting the tobacco from moisture. The sheds are often in the middle of the tobacco fields, which are protected from the wind by high hedges.
Characteristic of the Amersfoort tobacco shed are the high side walls, which are provided with long vertical ventilation flaps. The roof is covered with tiles. The air usually flows in on one long side, passes through the interior and the tobacco leaves and exits again on the opposite long side. The oldest tobacco sheds in Amersfoort were built around 1650.
The Amerronger shed has very low side walls, which allow air to flow in through long horizontal ventilation flaps. The air heats up, rises and exits through roof openings or erected bricks. The gable walls can be made of wood or bricks. The roof is often - even today - covered with straw.
Alsatian scale type
In many Alsatian tobacco sheds, the entire wall consists of vertical flaps, while in the Amersfoort sheds only every second or third board is designed as a flap. The flaps do not extend over most of the height of the side wall, as in the Amersfoorter shed, but are only as high as a compartment, ie the distance between two horizontal bars. Such a wall construction allowed a more precise control of the ventilation of individual areas of the shed, in addition, the proportion of openings was larger and thus stronger ventilation was possible. Fog was often to be expected in Alsace as a result of the damp Ill lowlands, from which the tobacco had to be protected. The lockable flaps provided this protection. The sheds were mostly built on the farmers' estate. The first Alsatian tobacco sheds were built in the early 19th century.
Palatine scale type
Characteristic of the Palatinate tobacco shed is the wall, which consists of boards nailed to gaps. Controlled ventilation is therefore not possible. Since fog does not occur as frequently in the Palatinate as in the Netherlands and Alsace, the protective function of lockable flaps is not necessary. The Palatine sheds are mostly on the property in the village and not, like the Dutch sheds, on the field. Most of the sheds on the property were built behind the barn. If there was no space there, the sheds were also built over the stable building or the courtyard was built over. The oldest tobacco sheds were built in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Mixed types also occur in the Palatinate, i.e. scales that have elements of Dutch or Alsatian scales. The vertical flaps typical of the Amersfoorter Schuppen are particularly common. In the course of the decades various sub-forms developed, e.g. For example, the sheds that were built before the Second World War are often very high, whereas the Rülzheim tobacco shed designed in the 1970s is significantly flatter.
Selected tobacco sheds and ensembles
Harthausen: old tobacco shed from 1851
The shed, which today serves as a community center, was built in 1851 according to the plans of the Hockenheimer Mayor Philipp David Schwab and is one of the oldest surviving tobacco sheds in the Palatinate. When planning, Schwab took the Alsatian tobacco shed as a model. The building is considered a gift from the future Bavarian Prince Regent Luitpold to the Harthausen community, whose citizens were loyal to the king during the revolution of 1848. According to Kermann, however, there is no evidence for this thesis; instead, the District President of Hohe was the initiator of the shed construction. The cost of building the shed of around 2000 guilders was financed from the police penalty fund. "Due to the numerous possible variations when opening the upright ventilation flaps, the drying process of this model shed could be controlled according to the weather, and must have meant a huge step forward for the Palatinate of that time ..."
Herxheim: Schuppenstrasse on Bruchweg
A completely preserved ensemble of old sheds extends along Bruchweg: several sheds form what is probably the oldest shed street in Herxheim. The special features of this complex include the development on both sides and the clever arrangement of the sheds. They are staggered so that air and light can pass between the sheds on the western side to the sheds on the east side. Some of the scales have rare structural features such as: B. a shed with a canopy, which is normally used in residential buildings. There are several modern sheds next to the shed road. The ensemble conveys in a very small space how diverse a single type of building can be.
Hayna: monument zone
The old town center with the shed is a monument zone. Hayna is a very well-preserved example of a tobacco village in the south of the Palatinate. On the eastern - and formerly also on the western - side of the street village there is one shed after the other. “The large number of these partly huge wooden buildings - well over 100 - is a clear testimony to tobacco cultivation from a rural economy that was of great importance in the Rhine valley. But nowhere has a village silhouette been so impressively shaped as in Hayna. "
Hatzenbühl: north side of the village
There are a large number of tobacco sheds in Hatzenbühl, the oldest tobacco growing community in Germany. In 1573, tobacco was grown there for the first time on German soil, by Pastor Anselm Anselmann. Just like Hayna, the silhouette of Hatzenbühl was and is characterized by a row of tobacco scales that is becoming lighter. Especially on the north side of the village you have an unobstructed view of the sheds that close off the plots north of the main road to the field. There are more tobacco sheds south of the main road.
meaning
Economical meaning
A crucial phase in the tobacco production process takes place in the tobacco shed. The drying of the leaves made possible by the tobacco scales leads to a significant increase in the quality and value of the tobacco leaves. The income from tobacco cultivation was so great that even small areas of cultivation provided the farmers with a livelihood. Many growing regions owe tobacco growing and tobacco drying decades of prosperity. This increase in quality and value was one reason why the construction and development of the tobacco sheds was funded by the state: the higher the quality, the higher the tax revenue. Tobacco sheds are also an expression of the management systems: While every farmer in the Palatinate had his own tobacco shed, which was small in size and made of inexpensive materials (wood) according to the small area under cultivation. B. in shrub , built much larger sheds that were owned by LPGs . The sheds are made of reinforced concrete and were equipped with an elaborate flap system and ventilation fans. The tobacco sheds are currently gaining new economic importance as tourist attractions.
Sociocultural meaning
Tobacco scales are the unmistakable hallmark of tobacco growing regions. They shape the place and landscape. Tobacco flakes thus have an identity-creating and expressive function. The decision to build a tobacco shed was seen at the beginning of the tobacco shed era as an expression of progressiveness and prosperity. With the end of this era a change in meaning goes hand in hand: The tobacco shed is now on the one hand a useless relic of a bygone era characterized by agriculture. On the other hand, individual communities have recognized the importance of the tobacco shed as a unique selling point that can promote tourism and the community. The municipality of Gemmingen advertises the Stebbacher tobacco shed on its website “Wirtschaft & Touristik”. Harthausen uses the historic tobacco shed as a village community center.
Individual evidence
- ^ Karl Ludwig (Elector): Ordinance on how to behave in the time of the plague, 1650, p. 17
- ↑ Metzger, Johannes: Experiments on drying tobacco in open bowls. In: Centralstelle des agrarian society (Hrsg.): Agricultural weekly paper for the Grand Duchy of Baden, printed by the Hofbuchdruckerei by G. Braun, Karlsruhe, 1836, pp. 293-294
- ↑ Hoffmann, Philipp: Instructions for Tobacco Growing, Schweizerbart'sche Verlagbuchhandlung, Stuttgart 1918, p. 89
- ↑ a b Schüler, Christian (text) and Straeter Heinz (photos): Hayna, story of a tobacco village in the southern Palatinate. Published by the State Office for Monument Preservation Rhineland-Palatinate , Verlag Zechner, Speyer 1994, p. 67
- ^ Weigel, Albert: Tobacco cultivation and development of the tobacco drying sheds in Hatzenbühl. In: Working group for house research: Yearbook for house research, Volume 41. House research and economic history in Rhineland-Palatinate. Report on the meeting of the working group for house research in Sobernheim / Nahe from 24.-28. September 1990, Jonas Verlag für Kunst und Literatur GmbH, Marburg 1993, p. 122
- ^ Babo, August Wilhelm von ; Hoffacker, F., Tobacco and its cultivation, together with an appendix on the culture and treatment of tobacco in Holland by Oekonom Ph. Schwab, Verlag der Herder'schen Buchhandlung, Karlsruhe 1852, p. 120
- ↑ Hoffmann, Philipp: Instructions for Tobacco Growing, Schweizerbart'sche Verlagsbuchhandlung, Stuttgart 1918, p. 93
- ↑ a b Weigel, Albert: Tobacco cultivation and development of the tobacco drying sheds in Hatzenbühl. In: Working group for house research: Yearbook for house research, Volume 41. House research and economic history in Rhineland-Palatinate. Report on the meeting of the working group for house research in Sobernheim / Nahe from 24.-28. September 1990, Jonas Verlag für Kunst und Literatur GmbH, Marburg 1993, p. 129
- ^ Babo, August Wilhelm von ; Hoffacker, F., The tobacco and its cultivation, together with an appendix on the culture and treatment of tobacco in Holland by Oekonom Ph. Schwab, Verlag der Herder'schen Buchhandlung, Karlsruhe 1852, pp. 118-120
- ↑ http://www.tabaksteeltmuseum.nl/publicaties/de-teelt-van-tabak-in-amerongen-en-omgeving/ ( page no longer available , search in web archives ) Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ^ Schwab, Philipp: Tobacco growing in the Palatinate and in Holland, Verlag der Herder'schen Buchhandlung, Karlsruhe, 1852
- ↑ Kermann, Joachim: The historic tobacco shed to Harthausen (Pfalz). Background to the history of its origins in connection with the revolution of 1849 and state regional economic development, in: MHVPf 94 (1996), pp. 297–365
- ^ Brönner, Wolfgang: Foreword, in: Schüler, Christian (text) and Straeter Heinz (photos): Hayna, story of a tobacco village in the southern Palatinate. Published by the State Office for Monument Preservation Rhineland-Palatinate, Verlag Zechner, Speyer 1994, p. 7
- ↑ http://www.gemmingen.eu/de/wirtschaft-touristik/sehenswuerdheiten/stebbacher-tabakschuppen.html
- ↑ http://www.vg-dudenhofen.de/vg_dudenhofen/Gemeinden/OG%20Harthausen/Geschichte/
literature
- August Wilhelm von Babo, F. Hoffacker: Tobacco and its cultivation, together with an appendix on the culture and treatment of tobacco in Holland by the economist Ph. Schwab. Herder'schen Buchhandlung publishing house, Karlsruhe 1852.
- Philipp Hoffmann: Instructions for growing tobacco. Schweizerbart'sche Verlagbuchhandlung, Stuttgart 1918.
- Rainer Laun: The tobacco shed in Bretten-Neibsheim, Heidelsheimer Strasse 28, Karlsruhe district. In: Preservation of monuments in Baden-Württemberg , 38th year 2009, issue 4, p. 243 f. ( PDF ).
- Melanie Mertens: Tobacco shed in North Baden. Building type and stock. In: Denkmalpflege in Baden-Württemberg , 38th year 2009, issue 4, pp. 238–242 ( PDF ).
- Christian Schüler (text) and Heinz Straeter (photos): Hayna. History of a tobacco village in the southern Palatinate. Published by the State Office for Monument Preservation Rhineland-Palatinate. Zechner publishing house, Speyer 1994.
- Albert Weigel: Tobacco cultivation and development of the tobacco drying sheds in Hatzenbühl. In: Working group for house research: Yearbook for house research. Volume 41. House research and economic history in Rhineland-Palatinate. Report on the meeting of the working group for house research in Sobernheim / Nahe from 24.-28. September 1990. Jonas Verlag für Kunst und Literatur GmbH, Marburg 1993, pp. 115–130.
