What whispers do these old sails hold? The Mahnkesche Mühle stands before us a testament to time and tradition. It is the last historic mill in Stralsund. Originally, it stood on the Mahnkesche Wiese. Today, it graces the Stralsund Zoo after its reconstruction.
Imagine this mill in its prime. It is a sight to behold. A Galerieholländer, a type of Dutch windmill dating back to the late 18th century, dominates the landscape. Sail-gatter wings catch the wind. A simple wind rose guides its direction.
The Mahnkesche Mühle has seen many changes. In 1958, it transitioned to electric power. Yet, it continued grinding grain until 1968. The Mahnke family history is intertwined with the mill’s own. Several family members were mill masters in Vorpommern. Franz Friedrich Mahnke was a mill master in Zanseburg.
The mill faced adversity in 1980. Fire damaged parts of it including a storage building, engine house and mill house. The mill stood 16.10 meters tall on Mahnkesche Wiesen. Its base measured 13 meters in diameter. The diameter at the lower edge of the roof hood was 5.30 meters. The cast iron wave weighed 3.4 tons. It was made by Otto Hübner’s Stralsund mill construction factory.
The mill was dismantled in May 2006 for 20000 Euro. Reconstruction began in the Stralsund Zoo in November 2009. It was officially handed over on May 26, 2011. Windmill wings were added in June 2012. The Mahnkesche Mühle now houses exhibits.
Today, the Mahnkesche Mühle is more than just a structure. It is a landmark visible from afar. It is nestled in a pasture landscape. Donkeys and horses graze nearby. Close to the old millstream, it is a popular attraction. Visitors see it as a historical witness to the region’s agricultural development.
The zoo brings the mill to life. Six times a year, it is mill day. At three of these days the mill path comes to life. The mill demonstrates a craft threatened with extinction.
The Zoo team uses the mill actively. The zoo offers a mill path. It is one of the zoo’s wild paths.
During mill day, farmer Dörte takes charge. She ensures her donkey Tinka is well-packed. Together with zoo guests, they explore tools that once facilitated grain processing.
Visitors can experience live how rye is processed into wholemeal flour. Baker Krüger organizes the grain from the Aurel Hagen farm in Wendorf. The Mahnkesche Mühle processes it into wholemeal flour. The baker uses it for his popular brick bread. The bakery and the Zoo tinkered together for a year. They finally found a grinding setting. They use almost all of the rye grains. It makes the bread even more authentic. It is now 100% regionally produced.
Even hobby bakers can try the zoo flour. Interested people can take home samples of the flour on mill days.
The Mahnkesche Mühle stands as a symbol of Stralsund’s history. It links the past with the present. It reminds us of the hard work and ingenuity of those who came before us. The Mahnkesche Mühle is a living piece of history in the heart of the Stralsund Zoo.