In the heart of Germany's Harz forest, brothers Immo and Sascha Feldmer are keeping a thousand-year-old tradition alive: charcoal burning in ancient earthen kilns. The craft, which was once essential for mining ore in the region, now sees the brothers produce around 40 tons of charcoal annually, primarily selling it for home barbecues.
The process involves tightly stacking beech wood inside earthen mounds. The wood smolders for weeks, with the help of carefully managed air holes, until it transforms into charcoal. Beech wood is chosen for its density and the high temperatures it generates.
Historically, the intense heat produced by charcoal was crucial for smelting ore to extract valuable metals like silver, lead, copper, and zinc from the hard rock in the Harz Mountains. Hundreds of families in the region historically relied on charcoal burning for their livelihood.
Today, with ore mining largely ceased in the area, the Feldmer brothers are among the few charcoal burners left in Germany. They differentiate their product, emphasizing that their charcoal is made from pure beech wood, unlike much of the imported charcoal sold in hardware stores, which often consists of mixed, scrap, or waste woods for cheaper production.
To supplement their income and share their heritage, the Feldmers have also established a museum dedicated to the history of charcoal burning, a small shop, and a restaurant. Guests at the restaurant can enjoy local specialties, including steaks grilled over charcoal produced on-site.
Immo Feldmer expressed hope that the family business will continue, with the tradition being passed down to his children, thereby preserving this ancient craft for future generations.