Fichtelgebirge Museum
Encyclopedia
The Fichtelgebirge Museum is a regional museum in Wunsiedel
, formerly the 'capital' of the Sechsämterland and the county town
(Kreisstadt) in the Fichtelgebirge mountains of central Germany.
Formerly important trades, such as those of the whitesmith
and the potter
, were superseded during the 19th century by new industries. This generated a desire in the Fichtelgebirge region in 1907 to protect old trade skills and a museum was founded by the Fichtelgebirge Club
. Since 1964 it has been located in a wing of the Sigmund Wann Hospital (Spital), founded in the 15th century and which acted as a nursing home
. In the 1980s other hospital buildings were converted and the museum attached. In 2004 the last two houses were opened. In the first new building a 'Blue Dyeworks/Blue Printers', 'Children's World/Play World' and museum warehouse accessible to the public have been created. In the second new building is the museum library and workshops and offices. In a further nine houses the museum has well over 2500 m² of exhibition area.
The north wing houses the Prehistoric, Geology
, Mineralogy
and Mining
Departments. Its centrepiece is a mineral collection of about 2000 individual rocks and crystals, that come mainly from the Fichtelgebirge
, the northern Upper Palatine Forest, the Münchberg Gneiss Massif and the Franconian Forest. In the south wing are the Regional and Cultural History departments. Of particular note is the collection of painted furniture from the 18th and 19th centuries from the Fichtelgebirge. There is also information about the author Jean Paul
(1763–1825) and the political assassin Karl Ludwig Sand
(1795–1820) – both born in Wunsiedel.
s: a smithy
, a pottery
and a whitesmith
's to give visitors an insight into these formerly important trades.
The blacksmith and whitesmith offer demonstrations on request or for special events, often e.g. at the Wunsiedler Brunnenfest.
In the pottery by contrast, ceramics artist, Fred Zimmermann, makes pottery ware based on historic designs every Tuesday to Friday morning. He also runs a pottery in Höchstädt im Fichtelgebirge
.
Wunsiedel
Wunsiedel is the county town of the Upper Franconian district of Wunsiedel in northeast Bavaria, Germany. The town became well known for its annual Luisenburg Festival and the Rudolf Hess Memorial March held by the Neo-Nazis here until 2005.- Geography :...
, formerly the 'capital' of the Sechsämterland and the county town
County town
A county town is a county's administrative centre in the United Kingdom or Ireland. County towns are usually the location of administrative or judicial functions, or established over time as the de facto main town of a county. The concept of a county town eventually became detached from its...
(Kreisstadt) in the Fichtelgebirge mountains of central Germany.
Whitesmith
A whitesmith is a person who works with "white" or light-coloured metals such as tin and pewter. While blacksmiths work mostly with hot metal, whitesmiths do the majority of their work on cold metal .The term is also applied to metalworkers who do only finishing work – such as filing or polishing –...
and the potter
Pottery
Pottery is the material from which the potteryware is made, of which major types include earthenware, stoneware and porcelain. The place where such wares are made is also called a pottery . Pottery also refers to the art or craft of the potter or the manufacture of pottery...
, were superseded during the 19th century by new industries. This generated a desire in the Fichtelgebirge region in 1907 to protect old trade skills and a museum was founded by the Fichtelgebirge Club
Fichtelgebirge Club
The Fichtelgebirge Club is a large walking club and local heritage society in Bavaria and recognised conservation group with 20,000 members in 55 local groups. As the name says, its main sphere of activity is in the Fichtelgebirge mountains in north Bavaria...
. Since 1964 it has been located in a wing of the Sigmund Wann Hospital (Spital), founded in the 15th century and which acted as a nursing home
Nursing home
A nursing home, convalescent home, skilled nursing unit , care home, rest home, or old people's home provides a type of care of residents: it is a place of residence for people who require constant nursing care and have significant deficiencies with activities of daily living...
. In the 1980s other hospital buildings were converted and the museum attached. In 2004 the last two houses were opened. In the first new building a 'Blue Dyeworks/Blue Printers', 'Children's World/Play World' and museum warehouse accessible to the public have been created. In the second new building is the museum library and workshops and offices. In a further nine houses the museum has well over 2500 m² of exhibition area.
The north wing houses the Prehistoric, Geology
Geology
Geology is the science comprising the study of solid Earth, the rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which it evolves. Geology gives insight into the history of the Earth, as it provides the primary evidence for plate tectonics, the evolutionary history of life, and past climates...
, Mineralogy
Mineralogy
Mineralogy is the study of chemistry, crystal structure, and physical properties of minerals. Specific studies within mineralogy include the processes of mineral origin and formation, classification of minerals, their geographical distribution, as well as their utilization.-History:Early writing...
and Mining
Mining
Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, from an ore body, vein or seam. The term also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock...
Departments. Its centrepiece is a mineral collection of about 2000 individual rocks and crystals, that come mainly from the Fichtelgebirge
Fichtelgebirge
The Fichtelgebirge is a mountain range in northeastern Bavaria, Germany. It extends from the valley of the Red Main River to the Czech border, a few foothills spilling over into the Czech Republic. It continues in a northeastern direction as the Ore Mountains, and in a southeastern direction as...
, the northern Upper Palatine Forest, the Münchberg Gneiss Massif and the Franconian Forest. In the south wing are the Regional and Cultural History departments. Of particular note is the collection of painted furniture from the 18th and 19th centuries from the Fichtelgebirge. There is also information about the author Jean Paul
Jean Paul
Jean Paul , born Johann Paul Friedrich Richter, was a German Romantic writer, best known for his humorous novels and stories.-Life and work:...
(1763–1825) and the political assassin Karl Ludwig Sand
Karl Ludwig Sand
Karl Ludwig Sand was a German university student and member of a liberal Burschenschaft . He was executed in 1820 for the murder of the conservative dramatist August von Kotzebue the previous year in Mannheim...
(1795–1820) – both born in Wunsiedel.
Workshops
On the ground floor of the north wing are three workshopWorkshop
A workshop is a room or building which provides both the area and tools that may be required for the manufacture or repair of manufactured goods...
s: a smithy
Forge
A forge is a hearth used for forging. The term "forge" can also refer to the workplace of a smith or a blacksmith, although the term smithy is then more commonly used.The basic smithy contains a forge, also known as a hearth, for heating metals...
, a pottery
Pottery
Pottery is the material from which the potteryware is made, of which major types include earthenware, stoneware and porcelain. The place where such wares are made is also called a pottery . Pottery also refers to the art or craft of the potter or the manufacture of pottery...
and a whitesmith
Whitesmith
A whitesmith is a person who works with "white" or light-coloured metals such as tin and pewter. While blacksmiths work mostly with hot metal, whitesmiths do the majority of their work on cold metal .The term is also applied to metalworkers who do only finishing work – such as filing or polishing –...
's to give visitors an insight into these formerly important trades.
The blacksmith and whitesmith offer demonstrations on request or for special events, often e.g. at the Wunsiedler Brunnenfest.
In the pottery by contrast, ceramics artist, Fred Zimmermann, makes pottery ware based on historic designs every Tuesday to Friday morning. He also runs a pottery in Höchstädt im Fichtelgebirge
Höchstädt im Fichtelgebirge
Höchstädt im Fichtelgebirge is a municipality in the district of Wunsiedel in Bavaria in Germany.-References:...
.
Sources
- Oswald A. Erich: Die deutschen Museen mit besonderer Berücksichtigung der Heimatmuseen. Bd. 1: Die Museen in Bayern. Berlin 1939
- Josef Maria Ritz: Das Fichtelgebirgsmuseum in Wunsiedel, in: Der Siebenstern 2 (1928), S. 1-12
- Zweckverband Fichtelgebirgsmuseum (Hrsg.): Begleitbuch zu den Abteilungen. Wunsiedel 1998
- Dietmar Herrmann: Aus der 100-jährigen Geschichte des Fichtelgebirgsmuseums; in: Der Siebensteern 2008, S. 3