The Ancient Art of Charcoal Burning

In the heart of Germany’s Harz Mountains, a family has been keeping alive an ancient tradition that dates back over 1,000 years. Immo Feldmer, along with his brother Sascha, is one of the last charcoal burners in the region, and they are determined to preserve this craft for generations to come.

A Time-Tested Process

The process of charcoal burning is a labor-intensive one. It begins with carefully selecting the right type of wood, beech, which is known for its high density and the high temperatures it creates once it’s been turned into charcoal. The wood is then stacked into tall mounds, with the inside of the mound tightly packed with beech wood.

The mounds are then covered in earth, and the beech wood burns from top to bottom with the help of air holes. This process can take several weeks, during which time the charcoal burners must carefully monitor the temperature and ensure that the wood does not catch fire and burn down to useless ashes.

Once the charcoal has cooled down, it’s swept clean of soil and packed into 10-kilogram bags for sale. The Feldmers mostly sell their charcoal to people using it for barbecues at home, as most of the charcoal sold at hardware stores in the country is imported and made of ‘mixed woods, scrap wood, and waste wood so it can be produced cheaply.’

A Family Legacy

Immo and Sascha took over the Harzköhlerei Stemberghaus business of producing charcoal from their father. They have a handful of workers who help them with the smoldering wood inside the mounds, which needs to be attended to and carefully watched day and night. The brothers hope that their business will be taken over by their children, and that the traditional craft of charcoal burning will be preserved.

The Feldmers have also opened a museum about the history of coal burning, a small store, and a restaurant where guests can get local specialties including steaks grilled over homemade birch charcoal. Though the craft of char burning has essentially died out in Germany, Immo hopes that his family will keep the tradition alive.

‘We are making charcoal in traditional earthen kilns, just as it was done here in the Harz Mountains over 1,000 years ago,’ Immo said in an interview with The Associated Press. ‘Our charcoal is, first and foremost, made from pure beech wood.’

Preserving a Tradition

The importance of charcoal burning cannot be overstated. In the past, it was essential for mining ore in the Harz Mountains. To extract valuable metals such as silver, lead, copper, and zinc from the hard rock, the ore was crushed and then smelted in a furnace using intense heat. The extremely high temperatures required could only be achieved using charcoal.

Over the centuries, hundreds of families in the Harz region earned their living as charcoal burners. These days ore is no longer mined there, and only a few coal burners are left in Germany. The Feldmers produce around 40 tons of charcoal annually, which is a small fraction of what was produced in the past.

However, Immo and Sascha are determined to keep the tradition alive. They are proud of their heritage and are working hard to preserve the craft of charcoal burning for future generations.