Eisenmühle Oderwitz

About the museum

A farmers' mill had long stood on the Profener Elstermühlgraben in Oderwitz, a district of Elstertrebnitz. After fires between 1908 and 1913, Clemens Kunze, who came from the Ore Mountains, acquired the site, put the grain mill and sawmill back into operation, and from 1915 built a water-powered plant for producing iron powder. The product was largely exported; in 1939 the west wing was added, and turbines replaced the water wheels.

With World War II, exports collapsed. The family later left the GDR, the business was expropriated, and the grain mill was shut down. After 1990 the family returned, but the grinding process was no longer profitable; production ended, and most of the equipment was scrapped.

In 2007 the Mucheyer couple bought the vacant property and renovated it over the years. In summer 2015, a hundred years after production began, the Eisenmühle opened as a museum, guesthouse, and event venue. The museum in the historic production hall explains the history of the mill and the production of iron powder; one of the two surviving grinding units was reconstructed in working order. In the west wing, the owner shows his collection of mechanical musical instruments, and a small hydropower plant generates electricity. The house is currently in a phase of reorientation; visits are possible through tours by arrangement.

Highlights

• Germany's only surviving iron powder mill
• Grinding unit reconstructed in working order
• Historic hydropower plant with turbines on the mill race
• Collection of self-playing musical instruments from music boxes to orchestrions

Permanent exhibitions

• Eisenmühlenmuseum – History of the mill and the process of iron powder production in the historic production hall, with a grinding unit that works again.
• Sammlung selbstspielender Musikinstrumente – Music boxes, barrel organs, orchestrions, and other mechanical instruments, many of them made in Leipzig, with an attached restoration workshop.

Founded

2015

Operated by

Anne-Sabine & Jost W. Mucheyer GbR (privat)

Admission & discounts

The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.

Accessibility

The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.

Kids & families

The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.

Getting there & parking

Charging station for electric cars (Type 2, 22 kW) directly in front of the Eisenmühle.

Amenities & dining

• Café: not available
• Restaurant: not available

Museum café "Reiberei" temporarily closed. The Landpension Eisenmühle guesthouse (ADFC-certified) is located on the grounds.

Events & venue rental

As far as we know, the museum does not rent out spaces for external events.

During the reorientation, no events or celebrations are accepted; tours as part of external celebrations are possible.

Plan your visit