Has the handmade ceramic tradition disappeared in Western Europe?

That’s what it looked like when I visited Höhr-Grenzhausen last summer. This small town is the center of the “Kannenbäckerland“. This region in Germany is known as “Pottery Country“. It grew from the 14th century into one of the most important ceramics centers of Western Europe.

From the 15th  century onwards, the “Westerwald stoneware” was developed here. Stronger (and fired much higher) than the common produced earthenware in Europe at that time. But what made it unique in the world was the “salt glaze” with which the pots were finished.

I love and make stoneware ceramics. In addition, I get a lot of inspiration from traditional pottery shapes. I like to be in woodland. In short, reasons enough to visit this region and to get to know one of my European ceramic roots.

European ceramic tradition

The “Kannenbäckerland” is a historic ceramics region in the southwest of the Westerwald. This area stretches from Wirges to the Middle Rhine valley to Bendorf and Vallendar.

Höhr-Grenzhausen is seen as the center, but surrounding places such as Grenzau, Hilgert, Ransbach-Baumbach, Mogendorf, Siershahn and Wirges all belong to this historic pottery region.

The largest clay deposits in Europe have been found in the region. It is a wooded area so the kilns could be fueled cheaply. It was also on a historic salt route.

The combination of these three factors probably led to the development of the salt glaze process in the early 15th century. Where (and by whom) exactly it was discovered is still unknown, but that the origin is in the “kannbäckersland” is undisputed. In the 17th century this technique spread across Europe (especially England and France) but also (colonial) North America and Australia.

Töpferei museum “Im Kannenofen”

Almost all the historic salt kilns have since disappeared, but one can stil be visited in Höhr-Grenzen. Bolko Peltner, the current owner of Töpferei museum ́Im Kannenofen ́ showed us around.

The kiln is as big as a house. With holes at the top to sprinkle the salt in the kiln at about 1250 ºC. This was heavy and unhealthy work due to the emergence of toxic chlorine gases. The museum also has a collection of historical Westerwalder stoneware from the13th century onwards.

In addition to his museum, Bolko also has a “Keramik-werkstatt“. Which of course we also visited also. He told us at length about his troubled family history. His father who took over the small ceramics factory just after the war. How production grew after a very difficult start until the 1980s. After that, the tide turned and at the beginning of this century production declined dramatically.

End of the ceramics tradition?

The story of the Peltner family’s “Keramik-werkstatt” is not unique. Many traditional ceramics factories in the area stopped at the end of the previous and the beginning of this century. Some are still in operation, but in slimmed-down form like Bolko Peltner’s.

But this is certainly not the end of the ceramics in the “Kannenbäckerland”. In Höhr-Grenzhausen there are several ceramics courses, including one for artistic ceramic education.

A new generation of individual ceramists create hand-shaped ceramics in the region. They no longer make the traditional salt-glazed cologne pots, but free individual shapes.

The new ceramic tradition

You must visit the Westerwald Keramik Museum in Höhr-Grenzhausen, There you can see the old and new ceramic tradition side by side. This museum is not just about the traditional Westerwald stoneware. It has a large collection of modern ceramics too. In addition, there are changing exhibitions of contemporary European individual ceramists.

Höhr-Grenzhausen is therefor still a ceramic centre in the 21st century. Not only of the historic “kannenbäckersland”, but also of Europe. Together with Delft, Stoke-on-Trent, Faenza, Limoges and Selb she is part of the European Ceramics Route (Viaceram).

The new ceramics tradition continues, across national borders. This tradition is alive and well and I like to contribute (except when I’m on vacation).

About Post Author

Daniel Bende

Designs and creates under the trade name DFB-ceramics hand-thrown stoneware figurative ceramics.

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