The willow splint is barely wider than a wool thread: waldemar backert pulls it precisely through the rods, which are only half a centimeter apart. Under his dexterous fingers, a tiny basket is created that is just one-third as big as his hand. The michelauer is a master of his craft, and even if he is now at an age when others have long since put their hands in their laps, he makes many younger ones look old with his dexterity, weaving miniatures that have made him famous in the meantime. Weaving has been more than just a profession for him, it is his passion.
"He who weaves baskets grows old", jokes adolph kraus ,and the other weavers who for the last time in the season 2018 in the german basket museum in the "living workshops" present their craft, nod enthusiastically. In addition to backert and kraus, these are wilfried popp, for many years deputy head of the state vocational school for wickerwork design in lichtenfels, ilse schardt and werner herold, the last spank basket maker in mistelfeld. For all of them, their craft is a passion, a vocation, even in retirement.
Preserving traditions
The "living workshops want to preserve the old traditions and bring them to younger generations, explained first mayor helmut fischer in his short speech. During the summer months, weavers regularly demonstrate different techniques and work methods, from fine work to beaten work and special weaving techniques.
Many people who buy a basket today do not know how it is actually made, said the head of the town hall, let alone "how much time it takes to weave it". Fischer regretted, however, that the number of weavers was steadily declining. Nowadays, unfortunately, hardly anyone can earn a living by weaving.
That's why the community of michelau, as the much-cited "cradle of fine weaving," deserves a special mention and the association of the basket museum is keen to provide information through the demonstrations of the weavers and the exhibitions in the museum. The municipality is also willing to pay for it. The basket weavers who regularly demonstrate their craft here have made an important contribution to increasing the museum's attractiveness.
Nina-regina notzelmann and mayor fischer were particularly pleased that the german corbstadt queen alicia I. The "living workshops a visit: through the workshops the visitors can take a look behind the scenes of this original craft and its diversity. This can now also be experienced by the new basket city queen and passed on to many through her public relations work.