Köhler from the Mostviertel: The mysterious craftsmanship of the charcoal!

Köhler from the Mostviertel: The mysterious craftsmanship of the charcoal!

in the fascinating world of the Köhlerei, one of the oldest cultural techniques of mankind, is about much more than just smoke and embers. While this art form threatens to dry up in modern times, there are still courageous craftsmen who maintain the legacy of coal production. The Hochecker family in Michelbach, Austria, has been living from this tradition for generations and uses the wood sustainably from their own forests to produce charcoal. Their method, which is known as a circular person, was recognized by UNESCO in 2011 as an intangible cultural heritage. The Köhlern has a physically exhausting work that requires a lot of skill because they transform wood into embers-a process that is deeply anchored in culture, such as ots.at reported.

tradition in hidden

Markus Wicki, a farmer and Köhler from the remote Romoos in Switzerland, also fights for the preservation of this tradition. In a 4 meter high Meiler, it stacks different types of wood and lights the fire, which he monitors for two weeks. Wicki and a handful of his colleagues are the last of their kind that maintain the craft of charcoal creation. This arduous work gives him over half of his income, although the demand for his handmade charcoal, which is characterized by great heat and special taste, is continuously increasing. Nevertheless, the offspring in this area is rare, such as Swissinfo.ch

In the middle of the 20th century, the cooling company experienced a dramatic decline when industry and electronic alternatives displaced traditional charcoal production. But thanks to innovative approaches such as the production of grill coal, the craft experienced a comeback. While around 10,000 tons of charcoal are produced annually in Switzerland, only 1 percent of them come from the Napf region, where Wicki works. He is aware of the challenges, but his passion for the cooling company makes him a central player in the preservation of this craft.