On the trails of Krabat through
Schwarzkollm to the
legendary
"Black Mill"
at the Koselbruch
A diverse offer of tradition and customs (Shrovetides, the Easter market, singing at the KRABAT-fountain, witch-fire, maypole throwing, funfairs and Christmas market) has survived to this day and is lovingly taken care of.
With currently 15 clubs we can proudly look at great active club work. The Schwarzkollmer citizens have tried for more than 10 years to develop the village for tourism. The village centre with the Frentzel house and the KRABAT-fountain, information boards in the village, a nature-trail, cycle and hiking paths and the emerging adventure farm KRABAT-Mill Schwarzkollm are testimony to that.
Schwarzkollm is prize winner in the national competition "Unser Dorf soll schöner werden - Unser Dorf hat Zukunft" (Our village will become prettier - our village has a future) and received in 1993 the silver badge and in 1995 the gold badge. Schwarzkollm was further winner in 1995 at the TAT-Orte competition. Schwarzkollm was also able to win in 2008 at regional level the competition "Unser Dorf hat Zukunft" (Our village has a future). With the participation at the competition "Saxony's Theme Village" Schwarzkollm wants to apply for professional support for the direction of a tourist village.
The Protestant youth work of the Bibel-Leisure-Centre Engedi and the activities of the school youth hostel Schwarzkollm enrich the village enormousley with the diverse offers and increase the publicity of Schwarzkollm nation-wide.
A jewel of Schwarzkollm is the village square, with is used as centre for citizens and guests.
- with the KRABAT-Fountain (after plans by Jürgen von Woyski, execution by stonemason Steffen Springer),
- the KRABAT-Stele (designed and created by metal designer Harald Lukschanderl),
- the Frentzel House with local history parlour,
- the club rooms (youth club, village club, Women's Institute, Brauchtumsgruppe Krabat e.V., …)
- an inn with great regional cuisine and bowling alley
The Marien Church Schwarzkollm was built in the 12th/13th century as a gothic church and after a fire in 1858 rebuilt in neo-classical-Romanesque style. Extensive restoration measures at the outside and of the interior and the re-commissioning of the "Schlag-Organ" turned this church into a very impressive building. The church belongs to the Protestant church circle Hoyerswerda.
The church's altar was rebuilt in 1990 exactly in the design from 1859. The figures were first mentioned in the 14th century.
The crucifix is the oldest figure, which depicts the Passion Jesus in the Middle Ages. The holy Saint Martin, bishop of Tours founded the first church communities. The holy Margareta gilt is considered as one of the 14 catholic patron saints. The apostle Peter was one the most important disciple Jesus who became after his death one of the leading personalities of the young church. The teachings of the apostle Paul are included in his letter of the New Testament. The centre forms the message of death, resurrection and ascent. The baptism angel was lowered during baptisms with a rope hoist.
Traditions and Customs
The preservation and the continuation of traditions and customs are very important to the citizens of Schwarzkollmer.
- The youth club (with its over 60 members!) organises annually the Shrovetide (Zampern) with processions from home to home and the Maypole throwing in Sorbian costume
- The day-care centre "Krabat" – Witaj-Group learns and maintains lovingly the Sorbian traditions (highlight is the Bird's Wedding)
- The choir of the Brauchtumsgruppe Krabat e.V. maintains the Sorbian all well-known folk-songs
- The dance group Schwarzkollm preserves the Sorbian costumes and dances
The traditional Sorbian costume around Hoyerswerda is still been worn in ca 24 villages. They are mainly made of wool and linen cloths, silk and tulle. The costume around Hoyerswerda has a very distinctive symbolic, which also means that this is the most varied among the Sorbian costumes.
In Schwarzkollm only few citizens wear the tradtitional Sorbian costume every day. That's why we want to present you with two of the most important costumes – that is the working costume and the festive day costume.
Three resp. four-sided courtyards
To preserve the typical local architectonical conditions of Schwarzkollm and to integrate them into future village design a village development concept was compiled, which still lasts today. Because Schwarzkollm was a sponsored village from 1994-1998, was the coherent village development primarily supported with funds by the State Saxony. The results can be seen at many houses. Typical farms with archways.
Aventure Farm KRABAT-Mill Schwarzkollm
The idea: The KRABAT-Mill has a unique cultural range
With this concept the society Krabatmühle-Schwarzkollm e.V. wants to realise the historical and numerous times in literature rooted "Black Mill" (KRABAT-Mill) as unique cultural offer in the Lausitz. An adventure world around the figure "Krabat", the Sorbian Faust and good wizard is to be created at the location Schwarzkollm; the depiction of traditional crafts and Sorbian traditions. The farm is meant to achieve in the region a substantial contribution to the revival and original identity and last but not least pool and interlink initiatives.
Listed buildings are being relocated for the construction of the adventure farm and so saved from dereliction (preservation of valuable building stock)
Background: The legend of KRABAT and its roots in the Lausitz
The basis for the idea of the "KRABAT-Mill" comes from the many stories, legends and screen adaptations around the figure "Krabat" alias Johann von Schadowitz. Krabat has been deep rooted in the region for many centuries and is today the centre of the thematic regional development "On KRABAT'S trails" at the so-called KRABAT-Region in the city-triangle Bautzen – Hoyerswerda – Kamenz. The KRABAT-Mill is hereby a key-project of the Oberlausitz.
Initial Situation
The "KRABAT-Mill" (Black Mill) in Schwarzkollm is the starting point for Krabat's diverse legendary stages of life. A new nationwide level of recognition reached the figure Krabat with the same-named youth book by Ottfried Preußler and the cinema movie Krabat (2008).
As the book's plot takes place mostly in Schwarzkollm tourists from the whole of Germany and by now also from other European countries come here to see Krabat's the stages of life.
Germany's freely travelling journeymen actively support the total enterprise "KRABAT-Mill" since the 2006. The servant's house – their den is the main contact point for Germany's many journeymen.
Due to an agreement with the film company the society was able to secure extensive backgrounds and requisites from the movie for the re-use at the original site in the Koselbruch.
The society is owner of the mill, which still has to be renovated. The mill-technique, which is to be powered by an overshot water wheel, will be found again at the mill tower of the black mill.
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