Imagine a time when water powered industry. The Kleinweidenmühle stands as a testament to that era. It’s more than just a building. It’s a story etched in stone and timber.
In 1234, King Heinrich VII gifted Kleinweidenmühle to the Deutschordenskommende. This included Himpfelshof and Deutschherrnbleiche. By 1431, the city of Nuremberg acquired it. The Kleinweidenmühle became a hub of activity.
For a time, the Kleinweidenmühle housed a grain mill. There was also a grinding shop for shear knives. A brass and a drawn-wire hammer added to the industrial cacophony. Despite fierce competition and repeated flood damage, the site persevered. Paper production continued until 1839.
Let’s step back to 1541. Endres Örtel took over. He ingeniously converted a grinding wheel into a paper wheel. The Kleinweidenmühle soon became known as the Örtelsche Weidenmühle. This strategic move proved invaluable. Nuremberg had previously relied on Ravensburg for its writing paper. Örtel changed that. The Kleinweidenmühle began supplying the city’s authorities.
Endres Volkmair managed the mill. He produced high-quality paper. By 1556, the city council granted him a special privilege. He could use the city’s coat of arms as a watermark. Unlike other Nuremberg mills, Kleinweidenmühle could operate its paper wheel day and night in winter. This prevented icing.
In 1558, Eberhard Pecht, Volkmair’s son-in-law, inherited the paper mill. He secured the “Lumpenprivileg”. This allowed him to collect white rags in Nuremberg, Wöhrd, and Gostenhof. These rags were vital for paper production. This ensured a supply of quality material. Other paper mills in Tullnau were restricted to making wrapping paper. Kleinweidenmühle enjoyed a monopoly.
The severe flood of 1595 caused extensive damage. Pecht received a loan of 1,000 guilders and support from Nuremberg merchants. In return, he was obliged to sell his paper exclusively to the supporting merchants, with the exception of paper for the Nuremberg authorities.
By 1645, Ägide Paulus Mörls took over Kleinweidenmühle. He already operated paper mills in Röthenbach and Mögeldorf. Mörls had a good reputation. He was Nuremberg’s most distinguished papermaker. He employed twelve journeymen at Kleinweidenmühle.
In the late 18th century, Bertram Scherer introduced a “Hollander”. This machine sped up rag processing. In May 1784, millers Paul Reinhard and Johann Behringer wrote to the city council about flood damage. They said the flood had washed away their footbridge. It also carried away the weir. The flow of the Pegnitz river was obstructed by debris. Their livelihood was threatened.
The Kleinweidenmühle faced further setbacks in the 19th century. Raw material shortages became apparent. Production declined under Johann Georg Loschge in 1807. By 1818, only six workers remained. His son, Johann Jakob, took over in 1832. He ceased paper production. He converted the Kleinweidenmühle into a sawmill.
In 1940, the L. Chr. Lauer minting company purchased the mill. They had operated a tin foil and iron hammer there since the mid-19th century. World War II brought significant damage. In the 1980s, most of the complex was demolished. Only the former paper mill remains.
Today, Kleinweidenmühle refers to the Nuremberg district. It lies between Gostenhof and St. Johannis. The surviving buildings remind us of its rich past. It is a story of ingenuity, resilience, and the enduring power of water.