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Mecklenburg Forest Glass Museum

Langen-Brütz · Schwerin & Umgebung · 53.6576° N, 11.5568° E
Mecklenburg Forest Glass Museum

Who knows that glass is made of sand.

Over 600 exhibits bring the old craftsmanship back to life in the Forest Glass Museum. The exhibition focuses in particular on Mecklenburg Forest Glass. Its name comes from the fact that the ingredient - ferrous sand - turns green when it melts. Another reason is that a lot of wood was needed for glass production, which is why the glassworks were built directly in the forest. A few hundred years ago, Mecklenburg was one of the largest glass centers, as the iron-rich sand was found here, potash could be extracted as an additive, and there was plenty of wood and water available. The potash was extracted from wood ash, whereby only a small amount of the original volume (about one thousandth) could be obtained by leaching and annealing wood ash. Most of the energy required to produce forest glass - 80 to 85 percent - was used to produce potash. Depending on the type and condition, one to three solid cubic meters of wood were needed to produce one kilogram of glass.

Mecklenburg Forest Glass Museum in Langen-Brütz - glass from the forest

The Mecklenburg Forest Glass Museum in Langen-Brütz is dedicated to a surprisingly multifaceted topic: the production of glass from sand. Over 600 exhibits illustrate this ancient craft and show the important role Mecklenburg-Vorpommern once played as one of the largest glass centers of its time.

Why Mecklenburg was a center of historical glass production

Mecklenburg Forest Glass bears its name for two reasons: The region's iron-rich sand colors the glass green when it melts, and the glassworks were built right in the forest because production required enormous amounts of wood. A few hundred years ago, the forests of Mecklenburg offered ideal conditions - ferruginous sand, potash from wood ash and plenty of wood and water were available here in sufficient quantities.

Potash and wood consumption - the hidden side of glass production

The history of potash production is particularly revealing: by leaching and annealing wood ash, only around one thousandth of the original volume remained. This process alone accounted for 80 to 85 percent of the total energy required to produce forest glass. Depending on the quality of the wood, one to three solid cubic meters of wood were needed to produce a single kilogram of glass - a remarkable ratio that the museum impressively conveys.

Inland excursion destination - easy to combine with the Baltic Sea coast

Langen-Brütz is located in the heart of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and can be easily combined with a stay on the Baltic Sea coast - for example with a visit to Wismar or Rostock, which are both within easy reach. If you are traveling to the coastal region around Fischland-Darß-Zingst or the Hanseatic city of Stralsund, you can plan a cultural detour to the Waldglasmuseum inland.