The story of the construction of the historic handloom in the Wendish-German Museum of Local History in Jänschwalde

The story of the construction of the historic handloom in the Wendish-German Museum of Local History in Jänschwalde

AN IDEA
On 28 May 2018, a meeting of the Lusatian Museum Land working group took place at the Forst (Lusatia) Textile Museum. There, Ms Schuster, the then representative director of the Wendish-German Museum of Local History in Jänschwalde, spoke to Mr Ackermann and Mr Domann from the Historical Association of Peitz e.V. to ask if they knew of anyone who could build an old handloom, and teach them weaving techniques. Mr Ackermann immediately had an idea! He thought of "Uschi" - Ursula Niewidok, a retired textile engineer. After the request was made to "Uschi", a flame immediately flared up in her and she promised to take on the matter. She brought her technically experienced husband Rüdiger on board for support.

IN THE WENDISH-GERMAN HOME MUSEUM JÄNSCHWALDE
Before Easter 2019, the Niewidoks contacted Mrs Adam, the director of the Wendish-German Museum of Local History in Jänschwalde. In the flax processing exhibition room was the historic handloom, which was acquired by the museum in 2008 and is estimated to date from the 18th century (due to the very rare reed/cane leaf/shaft).
And so Ursula and Rüdiger set out for various museums in the near and far surroundings. They even went as far as Oederan in Saxony with Mrs Adam to exchange experiences. They received great support from Mr Bus at the Forst Textile Museum, from Mrs Baumert and Mrs Poraczki at the Drebkau Sorbian Weaving Room Museum and from Mrs Helga Hofmeister at the Museum Die Weberei in Oederan!

THE CONSTRUCTION
Some parts had to be repaired or even newly made, such as the 480 strands of yarn that were tied to the two shafts. In the museum there was still a very well preserved reed leaf, which could now be used again. The new linen threads were "warped" onto the warp with the help of Mr Bus (Textile Museum Forst).

We would like to thank Ursula and Rüdiger Niewidok, as well as all those involved, for their self-sacrificing commitment in setting up the historical handloom. In doing so, they have created a small monument for themselves which will bring joy to many visitors to the Wendish-German Museum of Local History in Jänschwalde. Thanks to the cooperation of associations and museums in the Lusatian Museum Land working group, this project was successfully completed in September 2020.
The revised exhibition "From flax stalk to linen wall" is now finally complete with the working loom and is a unique experience for our region.

Uwe Ackermann
Historical Society of Peitz e.V.