German Mill Day — Räbke

Räbke — 7-Mill Village at the Elm

Räbke is a member municipality of the Nord-Elm collective municipality in the Helmstedt district, located at the foot of the Elm ridge. For centuries, the Lutterbach stream and its tributaries provided sufficient water power to operate up to seven mills in and around Räbke. Today, several of these mills have been preserved and are listed as historical monuments.

German Mill Day — Whit Monday

The German Mill Day has been celebrated annually on Whit Monday since 1994. Initiated by the German Society for Mill Science and Preservation (DGM), hundreds of water, wind, and ship mills nationwide open their doors to introduce visitors to mill tradition.

Mills Open 9 AM to 6 PM

Between 9 AM and 6 PM, visitors can tour the participating mills in Räbke. Millers and mill enthusiasts are available to answer questions, explain the grinding mechanism, and demonstrate it in operation whenever possible. The individual mills are connected by hiking trails, allowing visitors to explore the village as a mill-themed circular hike.

Water Power and Grinding Mechanism

Most of Räbke's mills are or were watermills with overshot or undershot wheels. The water from the Lutterbach stream is channeled via millraces to the wheels, driving the grinding mechanism. The millstones, bolting chest, flour sack drum, and millstones can be viewed.

Local and Technological History

The Räbke mills are not only technical monuments but also testaments to economic history. They show how a village on a medium-sized stream could live from the milling trade for centuries. Mill Day offers an opportunity to explore this history.

Family-Friendly Program

The mill tours are family-friendly. Children can talk to the millers at various stations, experience the grinding mechanism up close, and in some mills, even touch the flour or bake bread. Refreshments are offered at the mills.