Activities

Postcard from former Marktoberdorf

Until the middle of the 19th century the landscape of the Allgäu was dominated by flax fields, blooming in bright blue colour. Not a single household was without a weaving loom or a special looming space. Income was scarce for weavers, but it helped the families to prevent great hardship.

 

With the arrival of cheaper cotton during the 19th century the Allgäu-linen vanished. This resulted in poverty and bitter hardship. Many families emigrated to America – to the new world. Karl Hirnbein and Johannes Althaus enforced the switch to dairy farming. As a consequence the dominating color of the Allgäu switched from blue to green. 

 

Even as the Blue Allgäu with its flax fields and weaving industry switched to the green Allgäu with dairy farming and cattle breeding, the farming life remained a great part of Marktoberdorf. The original farming village became an important market place, city and at last count seat.

 

Where once massive farm horses ploughed the fields, the Fendt-Dieselross brought the technical revolution. Today AGCO-Fendt with its high-tech farming machines is the biggest employer in town. It is best, not to deny ones origin or to forget ones past.

 

The beautifull building in which the homeland museum is located was already used as a “Sölde” during the 16th century. The difference of a “Sölde” to a classic farm is, that there was an integrated craftsman’s establishment besides the farm.

 

The texture of the woods, dark stains next to the door handle. It awakes the memories. The memories of all those, opening the door and entering or leaving the old house during all those centuries. This door could tell so many stories, the entrance to a proud farming-house, which luckily did not end up on the scrapyard.

 

The Hartmannhaus in the old town was home to many generations from the middle of the 17th centuries and for more than 200 years just to be used as a Sölde again. This time as a shoemakers establishment. During the early 20th century the house was completely renovated. And was used as a “Pfründehaus” until 1935 – a classic farmstead for the old and retired. Lasteron it came into the ownership of Kreszentia Hartmann. The name of this house with its gorgeous gardens derives from her.

 

Homeland stands for comfortable feelings and and a place to feel so. Homeland is complex and complicated. It is not easy to understand and not easy to describe. As a fact homeland requires respect and sure instinct. Degradation needs to be avoided.

 

Old cities, churches, castles, hay barns, taverns, all the things that were learned, explored and understood during the childhood, all this is homeland. And all those things are fixed like boundary posts, posts of memorization. Cordiality. Vesture of the soul. The conciousness of the humanity is built upon those memories. Homeland is also the sum of all personal experiences.  

 

The city administration acquired the Hartmannhaus in 1980 and entrusted the Homeland Association to transform it into a Homeland museum. Scales, tools, farming tools, dishes. Everything can be found. Everything like in the early ages.