Bread and Wine along the Camino de Santiago
Please note: This page was machine-translated. If anything is unclear, the German version is authoritative.
General information about the development of mills
After hunters and gatherers abandoned their nomadic lifestyle and became settled farmers, they began to grow and process grain and other crops. They ground and crushed the grain with stones, a principle that was to remain in use for a very long time.
Gradually, the grinding process, which was characterized by heavy physical labor, was replaced by mills that used heavy millstones. Initially, these were still powered by human or animal muscle power, e.g., hand-turned, treadmill, and horse mills. Later, depending on local conditions, people began to use the forces of nature (water and wind), and windmills, watermills, and ship mills were developed.
In our area with its fertile soils, which is characterized by the Elbe River, ship mills were used on the river and windmills were used on the flat land. The ship mills on the riverbed of the Elbe disappeared completely around 1890, having to make way for the emerging shipping traffic.
Windmills could still be found in many places around 1900 (Gohlis, Zschepa, Kreinitz, Jacobsthal, etc.), but they were under enormous pressure from the emergence of industrial mills, such as the Hübler-Mühle and the Gebr.-Schönherr-Mühlel in Riesa.
The post mill in Zschepa
Built in 1852, the post mill (Bockwindmühle) on Weinbergstraße in Zschepa is one of the last windmills in the area. The history of the site and the post mill:
In 1819, Johann Gottlieb Hoffmann was mentioned in documents as the miller of a windmill in Zschepa.
In 1853, on June 8, the dilapidated old Dutch mill (owned by a Mr. Rudoph) burned down and was rebuilt in the same year.
In 1890, Franz Karl Richter acquired the windmill. This marked the beginning of the Zschepa miller family's tradition, which has lasted for over 100 years.
In 1927, ownership of the mill passed to his son, miller Karl Otto Richter.
In 1936, an additional diesel engine was purchased so that the mill could operate independently of the wind.
In 1945, during the fighting at the end of World War II, the mill was severely damaged by Wehrmacht shelling from the other side of the Elbe.
In 1946, the mill was again severely damaged during a stormy night, with the sails tearing off and being hurled onto the neighboring field. (The Lorenzkirch mill burned down that night.)
1946/47 While repairing the damage, the shaft neck and breast piece of the sails were also replaced. These parts came from the Lorenzkirch mill and were purchased as usable remains and installed.
In 1955, Karl Richter, the third generation of the family, took over the windmill after successfully completing his master's examination (Meisterprüfung).
In 1955, a high-voltage power line with a transformer was installed at the windmill to ensure that the mill could be operated with an electric motor. To implement this project, the master miller (Meistermüller) wrote personally to the state government and was successful.
1971 Nationalization in the GDR also affected the windmill and the master miller. From this point on, no more flour was milled; only animal feed was ground as a sideline in contract milling for small farmers and livestock owners. Karl Richter took up a position as a machinist at VEB Getreidewirtschaft Riesa.
1980-85 The outer shell of the post mill was renewed and renovated, the sails were repaired and given their final coat of paint. (All carried out by family and friends.) As one sail could no longer be replaced, the two house rods were removed. When the wind was good, the miller still enjoyed turning the mill, even if it was only with two sails.
1991 Miller Karl Richter retired and also gave up his sideline.
1996 Holm Richter took over the mill property and with it the post mill.
2000 After several attempts at repair, the last two blades (field rods) were removed.
2013-15 The wooden wall above the weather beam was renovated. The wave neck and breast pieces as well as the outer skin of the storm side were repaired and painted.
Technical data of the Zschepa post mill
Year of construction: 1853
Height: 16 m
Diameter of the sail cross: approx. 20 m
Empty weight (without machinery): approx. 50 t
Power of the mill (wind power): approx. 13 hp
(electric motor): 10 kWh
Grinding capacity: approx. 1 t/day
Mill machinery in the mill:
- one grinding mill (stone pair)
- two roller mills (for grinding and milling)
- one husking machine
- two centrifugal sifting machines
- three elevators
- one brush screw conveyor
- one flour mixing machine (standing)
- two bag lifts.
Author: Holm Richter, Zschepa
Pictures: Holm Richter, Zschepa
Note: To visit the wine terrace rows (Weinzeilen) and the post mill on Elbstraße, follow the road towards the town center (Zschepa), then turn left onto Weinbergstraße.