Walkmühlen

A walkmühle, also known as a fulling mill or walker, is a historic type of mill used in textile production to thicken and felt woollen cloth. These mills were common from the Middle Ages until the Industrial Revolution. The primary function of a walkmühle was to pound and agitate the cloth in a mixture of water and sometimes fuller's earth or other cleaning agents. This process, called "walking" or "fulling," caused the wool fibers to interlock and felt, resulting in a denser, stronger, and more waterproof fabric.

The mechanism of a walkmühle typically involved a waterwheel that powered large wooden hammers or mallets. These hammers would repeatedly pound the cloth, which was usually placed in a trough or vat. The waterwheel's rotation provided the continuous motion needed for the pounding action. The process was labor-intensive and required careful monitoring to prevent damage to the fabric. After fulling, the cloth would be rinsed and stretched.

Walkmühlen played a crucial role in the medieval and early modern wool trade, enabling the production of high-quality woollen textiles. They were often located near rivers or streams to provide the necessary water power and water supply. The development of mechanized fulling mills significantly increased the efficiency of cloth production, paving the way for later industrial advancements in textile manufacturing. While largely replaced by modern machinery, walkmühlen represent an important stage in the history of textile processing.