Ottenhofen economic engine: Many guests at the lecture in Meiller's hammer mill

Created: 06/21/2022, 11:00 am

By: Klaus Kuhn

The crowd at Franz Weber's lecture was large.

The forge can be seen in the background.

© Klaus Kuhn

The local researchers opened up a large and important piece of economic history in Ottenhofen to the public last year: the hammer mill of the Meiller company.

Due to Corona, the presentation could only take place now.

The beer benches were running out, so many people had come to hear Franz Weber explain what the company, which is so closely linked to Ottenhofen to this day, is all about.

Ottenhofen - The hammer mill was in operation until the 1960s, manufactured equipment for agriculture and had 18 employees before the Second World War.

The reason for the research, however, was the 100th anniversary of Meiller's power supply.

There was a lot of hydraulic engineering work to operate the turbine.

The upper and lower water had to be equipped with the greatest possible difference in height.

According to Weber, a "Francis" turbine was installed.

"And the hamlet becomes a big city thanks to the beautiful Villa Meiller": the topping-out motto for the representative building on Schwillacher Strasse has been preserved.

© Klaus Kuhn

Weber was excellent at explaining the technical structures.

The system initially provided 15 kilowatts, later 45 and now 59 kilowatts.

The line network was already impressive in 1994: 102 kilometers of overhead lines, 38 kilometers of underground cables.

In 1996 the network, but not the power plant, was sold to EEW.

The water supply is closely linked to the development of the municipality of Ottenhofen, and the first facilities for this can be found on the premises of the Meiller company: drinking water was found during the construction work for the various technical water bodies, and the first pumps were installed directly at the power plant for feeding into the water reserve.

The drive of the three heavy forging hammers was even put into operation.

Unfortunately, more was not possible for static reasons.

© Klaus Kuhn

Weber admitted that there are gaps in local history research.

According to Weber, under Mayor Josef Vogl, higher authorities aimed to increase the size of Ottenhofen to a full 8,000 inhabitants.

The municipal infrastructure should have grown with it.

"Thank God Ottenhofen was spared," said Weber, and a murmur could be heard.

The pipeline network was completed in 1972 and 1973 for 2.2 million marks.

And with that, Weber was already in the here and now: As reported, it has to be exchanged step by step, and the amount in euros at the time will certainly not be enough for that.

The works canal, which was later dismantled, invited to bathe, the reservoir even more.

But it was tough: the sewage treatment plant in Markt Schwaben did not have sufficient cleaning capacity at the time, with all the consequences for the bathing water.

In addition, there were mistakes in the care of the water: the fact that the reed plants were removed meant that the natural self-cleaning was reduced - one is always wiser afterwards.

So in 1957 a replacement had to be found, and one was found in the so-called Moore.

Contemporary pictures of the cheerful village people, some of whom came out of the water completely black, show why it was called that.

The guests cheered and Weber asked with a grin: "Is there anyone who recognizes himself there?" Comments on the buildings in the neighborhood rounded off the presentation.

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Klaus Kuhn