Scheeßel
5
The watermill in Scheeßel is a mystical place. Its history goes back a long way; the first reliable evidence of its existence dates from the very early 16th century. And, as is the case with mystical places, legends and lore are added to the historical facts. They form the raw material for a theater production.
The old lady [mill] is said to have been erected at her current location on the Wümme in 1507 after the predecessor was destroyed. However, neither the exact date of birth of the existing one nor the history of the destruction of an earlier mill that was operated at another location can be proven historically beyond any doubt. Too many documents have disappeared over the centuries. What may cause historians a headache is a blessing for the creative. It is precisely the ambiguities, the mixing of legend and truth, that stimulate the imagination and open the door for artistic interpretation. On this humus, a much-noticed theater piece has already grown up: In September 2003, amateur actors presented the drama.[2]
The legend that has survived from ancient times, according to which disagreements between the sons of the late miller caused the demise of the first Scheeßeler mill. The younger of the two, a legendary “high-spirited, ungodly and quarrelsome man”, had dammed the water so high on Easter Sunday that it overflowed, and his goal was to “orderly” those attending the service and the pastor who he hated “To get your feet wet “. But things got out of control: like a punishment from God it happened that the dam on which the mill stood broke and let the whole building sink. The older brother, who was among the churchgoers, then grabbed his younger rival and threw him into the water so that he would never be seen again.[2]
As noted, the mill was first mentioned in 1507, however the origins certainly go back even further. The mill was last rebuilt in 1830. It had two water wheels and three milling cycles. Then there were various expansion measures. 1884 and 1893 installation of two Francis shaft turbines; They were replaced in 1926 and 1929 by those with 55 or 22 kW [mill day] or 45 and 30 kW . The mill has three grinding passages, 4 pipe mixing machines, a hammer mill and a feed press. Operation ceased in 1999. It also included a sawmill (with steam operation until approx. 1936) and a grain distillery from 1866 to 1969.[3]
The Mill Operators – Müller family
The Müller[4] family [See Appendix: Müller Family History} has probably been associated with the mill since the mill was rebuilt. There is a gravestone of Johann Moller from 1607,
which was inserted horizontally in the St. Lucas Church – Scheeßel wall to the right of the entrance door and is believed to be on the old burial ground of the mill.
The oldest documented ancestor of the Müller family was Tönies Müller (1573-1630). According to a sales contract dated September 14, 1617, he acquired a piece of land from the Scheeßeler community and was identified as miller at the Scheeße