The History of the Berchtesgaden Wood Craftsmanship “ Berchtesgadener War”

Wood Craftsmanship and Salt Production were two of the main Industries for the Provost Rulers of Berchtesgaden. Because the small Farming Communities couldn’t produce enough revenue to sustain the Local Economy, many families were made to earn their living working wood.

Since 1652, after the end of the 30 Year War, a Census was initiated to determine how extensive Woodworking was employed. Under the 5067 inhabitants there were:-22 Coopers, 6 Barrel Binders, 6 Wheel Makers, 1 Rake Maker, 1 Game Board Maker, 4 Violin Makers, 6 Crate Makers, 2 Pipe Makers (Smoking), 4 Bottle Makers, 3 Trichl (Wooden Bowl Makers), 16 Spoon Makers, 18 Schaffl (Shovel), 27 Pipe Makers (Musical), 34 Toy Carvers, 111 Box Makers, 5 Female Box Painters, 2 Male Box Painters and 122 Wood Turners. Other working family members, who were not allowed to work another Trade, were also censured. Even Miners were allowed to work wood as a secondary job. Things worsened when, due to an over manning of Wood Workers, a Governmental Mandate was introduced to regulate the influx of Wood Workers and their Rights. Guilds were established and would only accept members who were Property Owners or who had married Widows of Master Workers. Non Guild workers who worked illegally would be fined and in the extreme have their tools destroyed, to hinder them finding further employment. Matters declined even further in 1669 when a Masters Daughter declared a Trade Strike. Poverty and Hunger, Jealousy and Greed were constant companions to the Berchtesgaden residents. Only certain Wood Merchants, with early Capitalistic working methods, profited from this.To antagonise things further the Prince Provost, Maximilian Heinrich (1650 -1688), instigated, in 1677, the “Ground Rules of the Wooden Wares”. This proved unsuccessful, due to lack of Basic Capital. The Provosts allotted the Wood Dealers Tax Exemptions on Life Charges, some of which remained within the Family. In the towns of Salzburg, Hallein and Bad Reichenhall dealers marketed and exported the Berchtesgaden Wares throughout the whole of Europe. Dealers who did not have Branches in prominent Shipping Towns and or Cities had to go through the Larger Distributing Companies in Passau, Linz, Vienna, Antwerp, Genoa and Venice. The “Berchtesgaden War” was praised throughout the Big Trade Fairs of Frankfurt, Leipzig, Nürnburg, Vienna, Krems, Graz, Linz and Bozen. Alongside the Main Distributors there existed Local Peddlers, who carried their Wares on a Kraxe (a shoulder harness that allowed people to carry heavy loads on their Backs) they did not have to pay Custom Duties, like the larger Traders, at the Borders. A Law that was passed in 1500 stated that “What is carried and transported by Horse should be Taxed”, but “he who carries it on his back, under his own steam, should be Tax Exempt”. The House Peddlers were a thorn in the side of the Corporate Traders, and were subjected to deeper scrutiny from the Government. The most famous Peddler from Berchtesgaden was a man called Anton Adner. After the last Protestant left the Prince Provosts´ Land, in 1732, lots of Wood Workers were at an all time low, and the Wood Traders and the Berchtesgaden Local Industry nearly came to an end. When the Industrial Revolution started, in the 19 Century, machine products, such as Tin Toys, could be produced cheaper and more efficiently, it marked the end of the “Berchtesgaden War” Tourism followed