Schmiede

Schmiede is the German term for a smithy, the workshop where a blacksmith or other metalworker heats metal in a forge and shapes it with hammer and anvil. The word can denote both the place and the craft itself, and Schmiede appears in business names and in toponyms across German-speaking regions.

Historically, a Schmiede housed a forge, anvil, tongs, hammers, and often a bellows or later a mechanical hammer. Work proceeds by heating metal to forging temperature and then hammering, bending, punching, and sometimes welding or tempering to create tools, hardware, horseshoes, agricultural implements, weapons, and components for construction. Coal or charcoal fires provided the heat, with air supplied by bellows or blowers.

In German-speaking areas, smithies were important economic and social centers. Blacksmiths often operated as independent tradesmen or within guilds, serving both everyday needs and specialized demands. The term Schmiede also appears in place names, reflecting historical sites or neighborhoods associated with smithing activity.

Today, Schmiede remains in use as a term for artisanal metalworking studios and workshops. Beyond traditional hammer-and-forge work, modern smiths may engage in sculpture, restoration, or fabrication for industry and art. The word is likewise used for museums, demonstrations, and educational programs that preserve historic smithing techniques.