German Brothers Keep Ancient Charcoal-Making Tradition Alive

Kathmandu. In Germany's Harz mountain region, two brothers are keeping alive the tradition of making charcoal using a centuries-old traditional method.

Imo Feldmer began the charcoal production process by placing glowing embers inside a tall mound made of clay. Inside the mound, 'beech' wood is packed, which burns slowly for weeks and eventually turns into charcoal.

This tradition has been ongoing in the eastern German Harz region for hundreds of years. "We are making charcoal in the traditional clay kiln, just as it was done in the Harz mountains a thousand years ago," Feldmer recently told the Associated Press (AP).

Feldmer and his brother Sasha have taken over the charcoal production business 'Harzköhlerei Stemmerhaus' from their father. They have also hired a few workers as the burning wood inside the mound requires round-the-clock monitoring. If not monitored properly, the wood can completely burn and turn into ash instead of charcoal.

After being covered with clay, the 'beech' wood slowly combusts from top to bottom through small air holes. Once combustion is complete, the clay is removed from the charcoal, and after cooling, it is packed into 10 kg bags for sale.

Charcoal was once essential for mining in the Harz region. To extract silver, lead, copper, and zinc, minerals had to be smelted in furnaces at high temperatures, for which the high heat generated by charcoal was necessary.

For centuries, hundreds of families in the Harz region earned their livelihood by making charcoal. However, mining is no longer carried out in the region, and there are very few businesses in Germany that produce charcoal using traditional methods.

The charcoal produced by the Feldmer brothers is mainly sold to customers who use it for barbecues at home. They produce about 40 tons of charcoal annually.

According to Feldmer, their charcoal is made from pure beech wood. He claims that most of the charcoal sold in hardware stores in Germany is imported and produced using various types of wood and other materials.

As the annual production alone is not enough to sustain the business, the brothers have also opened a museum showcasing the history of charcoal production, a small shop, and a restaurant. The restaurant serves local dishes as well as food like grilled steaks using their own beech charcoal.

Although the art of traditional charcoal production in Germany is on the verge of extinction, Feldmer expressed hope that his family will continue it for future generations.

"We hope that our children will also take over this business, its operation will continue, and the traditional charcoal-making craft here will be preserved," he said.