Turmwindmühle Dittrichshütte

About the museum

For centuries, the farmers of Dittrichshütte had to have their grain ground in Schwarzburg because of the princely milling obligation – a long, arduous journey with waits that often lasted days. A first petition by the municipal council for its own windmill failed in 1836 because of resistance from the Schwarzburg millers. Only in 1865 did the Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt government grant approval; the builder was a specially founded joint-stock company of 25 residents of Dittrichshütte and Braunsdorf. As early as December 1865 the mill was inaugurated with a procession, and in 1866 a residence for the miller was added.

In the following decades the owners changed several times. In 1902 the miller family Wohlfahrt took over the business, and in 1912 they placed a wind rose on the cap so that the sails no longer had to be turned into the wind by hand. Storm damage to the sails in both world wars and family tragedies meant that the mill stood idle and fell into disrepair in the mid-1950s.

Committed residents persuaded the municipality to buy it. From 1974 the mill was restored largely true to the original through volunteer work and was inaugurated again in 1981; since then it has housed a small local history museum. Since 2019, the Heimatverein der Höhendörfler (local history association) has looked after the monument. Because the sails, head bearing and windshaft were rotten, the sails stood still again from 2022; with funding from the state, support from the town of Saalfeld and donations, the sail system was renewed for around 50,000 euros and has been turning again since Open Monument Day 2024.

Highlights

• Tower mill windmill from 1865 with preserved milling technology
• Tour across several floors up to under the cap
• Sail system with wind rose restored in 2024
• Small local history museum on the history of the mill and the village
• Open for German Mill Day and Open Monument Day

Permanent exhibitions

• Heimatmuseum in der Windmühle – Small exhibition on the history of the mill and the village with documents on the reconstruction as well as the preserved grinding mechanism, which can be viewed across several floors.

Operated by

Heimatverein der Höhendörfler e. V.

Admission & discounts

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Kids & families

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Getting there & parking

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Amenities & dining

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Events & venue rental

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