Centuries of stories reside within these aged stones of the Rekumer Mühle. The Rekumer Mühle stands proudly in Rekum a district of Bremen Blumenthal. Unlike some of Bremen’s other windmills the Rekumer Mühle isn’t part of the Lower Saxon Mill Road.
Let’s delve into the history of the Rekumer Mühle. A mill stood in Rekum as far back as 1430. It was likely a post mill. The Dutch windmill that you see today was built in 1873. Changes were made to it in 1925.
After World War I the mill switched to a motor drive. A storm in February 1962 destroyed the cap. The mill’s head and sails were torn off. The Rekumer Mühle was restored by 1967 or 1968. But it was not used for production again. The thatched roof was renewed in 1989 and 1990. The sails were replaced in 2001.
The Rekumer Mühle is a smock mill. It is a special type called a “Durchfahrt-Holländer”. The octagonal base is made of clinker bricks. The mill’s body and cap are covered with reed.
Originally the four wooden lattice sails were turned into the wind by hand. This was done using a tail pole called a “Steert”. In 1925 a wind rose and sails with metal louvres replaced the original design. After the storm damage the original design was restored.
Did you know that the position of the unsailed mill wings signals “Feierabend”? Or “out of service” in mill language. This is communicated from afar.
Inside the Rekumer Mühle are two gristmills. There is also one mill for making fine flour. The largest of the six millstones is 1.80 meters in diameter. It weighs almost three tons.
The Rekumer Mühle has been under Bremen’s monument protection since 1973. The “Contract” from December 1 1872 is between the miller J. H. Meier and the Vollhöfnern Diedrich Bischoff and Friedrich Töllner. It concerns the mill construction. There is also the approval from the Royal Prussian Landdrostei in Stade. It is dated March 13 1873. This approves the construction of the mill. These documents are in the archive of the “Heimatverein Farge-Rekum”.
The Rekumer Mühle stands as a proud reminder of Bremen’s industrial past. It is a testament to the skill and ingenuity of its builders. Take a moment to appreciate its beauty. Reflect on the many stories it could tell.