Köhlerei im Vichttal – Holzkohle als Energiequelle
Stolberg
Long before hard coal and later lignite dominated energy supply, charcoal was the most important fuel - produced through hard work by so-called charcoal burners deep in the forest.
Numerous charcoal kiln sites also emerged around Zweifall from the 16th century, where wood was carbonized into charcoal over weeks. Under a dense layer of soil and clay, the wood smoldered slowly. Only with experience and a delicate touch could the fire be controlled so that glowing coal was produced from the logs.
The charcoal burners lived secluded in the forest, day and night near their kilns. Smoke, embers, and patience determined their everyday life – a hard but vital job. Smithies, glassworks, and hammer mills relied on their charcoal.
Even today, traces of this time are visible: dark, round depressions in the forest floor, where the kilns once stood.
Tip: Keep an eye out for such spots while walking. They tell of an old craft that has shaped the forests around Zweifall for centuries.
mehr lesen Numerous charcoal kiln sites also emerged around Zweifall from the 16th century, where wood was carbonized into charcoal over weeks. Under a dense layer of soil and clay, the wood smoldered slowly. Only with experience and a delicate touch could the fire be controlled so that glowing coal was produced from the logs.
The charcoal burners lived secluded in the forest, day and night near their kilns. Smoke, embers, and patience determined their everyday life – a hard but vital job. Smithies, glassworks, and hammer mills relied on their charcoal.
Even today, traces of this time are visible: dark, round depressions in the forest floor, where the kilns once stood.
Tip: Keep an eye out for such spots while walking. They tell of an old craft that has shaped the forests around Zweifall for centuries.
