Peat-Hauling Wagons at the Sülze Salt Works
A mine car on rails—this was used in the past to haul peat from the surrounding bogs as fuel for evaporating the brine.
Using these mine cars, the peat sods were hauled by the peat-loading women from the barge on the Recknitz River—just a few hundred meters from here—to the firebox of the boiler. The saltworks consumed millions of peat sods to boil the salt. These were mainly harvested from the Langsdorf Moor. During the summer, 200 people worked here. At 6 a.m., before dawn, they set off for the moor. Here, the peat was initially cut by hand. It wasn’t until later that they acquired cutting machines, which made the work easier. Men and women worked together. The men cut the peat and the women carted it to the drying area. In good weather, the stacked peat would dry in six weeks. But woe betide them if it was a wet year. The workers in the bog would get soaked to the skin and had to figure out how to get their clothes dry again by the next morning. Every 14 days, the district judge would come to the bog to inspect the work. Wages were always paid on Saturday.
The peat wagons of the Sülze Salt Works in Bad Sülze are a striking testament to the history of salt production in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. These small mine cars once rolled tirelessly back and forth on narrow tracks—loaded with peat sods from the surrounding bogs, which served as fuel for the saltworks.
Peat from the Langsdorf Moor for the Bad Sülze Salt Works
The peat was mainly extracted from the Langsdorf Moor. Throughout the summer, up to 200 people worked hard there in the open air. As early as 6 a.m., the bog workers began their long day: men first cut the peat by hand, later with the help of cutting machines, while women carted the sods to the drying area. In good weather, the peat was dry and ready for use after about six weeks—a wet year made the already difficult work even more arduous.
From the Recknitz to Hitzhals—the journey of the peat sods
The dried peat was transported by barge across the Recknitz River—just a few hundred meters from today’s exhibition site—to the vicinity of the saltworks. There, the so-called “peat-feeding women” took over the work: They carted the sods in mine cars to the Hitzhals, the firing area, where millions of peat sods were burned to bring the brine to a boil and ultimately produce salt. Every 14 days, the district judge came to the moor to inspect the work that had been done—the workers always received their wages on Saturday.
Bad Sülze – The History of Salt on the Baltic Sea Coast of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania
Bad Sülze is located in the heart of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, not far from the Baltic Sea coast and the Fischland-Darß-Zingst Peninsula. Anyone traveling through the region who has already visited the Hanseatic city of Stralsund, Greifswald, or the Vorpommersche Boddenlandschaft National Park will find an authentic addition in Bad Sülze: a living piece of economic history that shows how closely people, the moor, and the sea were interconnected in the Mecklenburg of yesteryear.
Other attractions in Bad Sülze
Accommodations nearby
Vacation rentals, hotels, and more in the region
ART. Quarter
● Starkow
Do you love long rides in the countryside, idyllic villages, art and culture? Then ART Quartier is the right place for you to enjoy your vacation in a private, informal atmosphere with child and horse.
Old steam bakery
● Ribnitz-Damgarten
The historic building of the old bakery houses a café, vacation apartments and a small wool store.
Old school Barlin
● Dargun
Experience two separate vacation resorts on 30,000 m2 in the middle of the untouched nature of the Mecklenburg Lake District. We offer children's vacations, vacation apartments & hunting vacations!