windmühle

A windmühle is a traditional wind-powered milling or pumping structure found in Germany and many other parts of Europe. It uses sails attached to a rotating cap to catch the wind, turning a windshaft that drives gears and a milling or pumping mechanism. The primary purpose is to mill grain into flour or to move water in drainage or irrigation systems.

Most windmills employ a system of gears that transfers the rotational energy from the windshaft to millstones or to a pump. The millstones grind grain between the upper and lower stones, producing flour. In drainage mills, the mechanism lifts water from low-lying areas or ditches. The design of the cap, sails, and gearing varies by type and region, but the basic principle remains the same: convert wind energy into mechanical work.

There are several classic types of windmills. Post mills are built on a single supporting post with a wooden body that can rotate to face the wind. Smock and tower mills have a stationary supporting structure and a rotating cap, with the working machinery located inside a tall brick or timber tower. These forms developed over centuries to improve stability, efficiency, and capacity.

Historically, windmills appeared in the Middle Ages and became widespread across much of Europe, particularly in the Netherlands and Germany. They were essential for grain production and land reclamation through drainage. With the advent of steam and electricity, many mills declined and were dismantled; however, many remain as cultural monuments, museums, or operating demonstrations, preserving the technical heritage of wind-powered milling.