WEIMAR HOUSING
AN ARCHIVE
The "Tenne"
An old grain warehouse in Oßmannstedt
In 10 fragments, we tried to convey the sense of place which we experienced when we were visiting the Cämmerer family at their “Mühlenhof” in Oßmannstedt in Weimar region.
About our project
While the site felt cold and empty at first, the warm welcome of Uwe and the stories of Johannes filled the place with meaning and emotions. We were not only captivated by the illustrious stories clinging to the space and its objects, but they moved us to feel the place trembling with life and history. When listening to Johannes speaking of the history of the place we were drawn in a story outlining the activities which took place in this exact place over the centuries. Hearing these remnants of history we were left to imagine the joy that people felt during the events and the hardships of people working for the maintenance of the “Tenne”. We developed 3D Models to create a space which the viewer can fill with meaning. The following 10 fragments are told through the depiction of 3D models together with Johannes’ voice, summarised in pieces of text, respectively. These stories, together with the 3D models allow the viewer to dive into the world that we came across when entering the “Mühlenhof”. Thus, these models do not attempt to recreate the perfect image of the world but instead serve to depict the clouded vision which is created through Johannes’ narrations.
Photo by Leila Keivan Hosseini
Photo by Leila Keivan Hosseini
A former gain warehouse
1
At the entrance of the property, there is the „Scheune“ (engl. barn) or „Tenne“ located. It was probably built in 1870 while the great-grandfather of today’s property holder was in charge. Actually, the building was never used as a barn but is a former grain and flour storage of the mill. Also, it hold place for a large chassis for six horses. The bottom part of the building was used as a pig and cow stable on the one side, and a garage, workshop and storage cellar next to it. Since 1794, the family Cämmerer is living on the property in the 10th generation – but today as the first ones not being millers.
Part of the "Mühlenhof"
2
The former grain warehouse is part of a housing complex of the former mill yard. The mill was firstly mentioned in a document by Otto from 956 as part of an old castle. In 1762 the mill was privatized and since then it has been, with a break during GDR times, in the hands of the family Cämmerer.
Today, the whole mill yard consists of a big garden, two residential houses, that are now occupied by the family members, the „Scheune“, an old horse stable, vaulted cellar, office space and garage. The mill was a grist mill where people could bring their grain, have it ground, and eventually pick it up again. The building was deconstructed in 1982 and the old oil mill was rebuilt to one of the residential houses. The old grain warehouse, which is today called „Scheune“ or „Tenne“, is almost still in its original condition. The beams are still the real ones from back then.
Source: Cämmerer Family Archive
Portraits of the familiy
3
The paintings all show real Cämmerers. The young woman in the middle of the framed painting is the artist. Next to her hangs her Norwegian fiancé. Shortly before her wedding, she died in an accident in Dresden in 1944. Her possessions were kept in a flat in Sondershausen. Johannes Cämmerer inherited them. When clearing out the flat, he found the drawings under the cutlery tray in the kitchen drawer. Since then, after more than 70 years, they have been hanging on the wall in the "Tenne".
GDR times
4
​During the GDR, the mill was expropriated and taken over by the Landwirtschaftliche Produktionsgenossenschaft (LPG, engl. Agricultural Production Cooperative). In 1953, the Cämmerer family left the property and fled to the West. The mill was used less and less and finally demolished completely in 1982 - the use of the barn and other outbuildings was reduced accordingly, the residential buildings were rented out and used as apprentice accommodation and the outbuildings were left to their fate and partly used as sheep sheds and coal cellars until they were ready for demolition and partly also demolished. The tenants were allowed to keep small animals and to freely use all available space.
After reunification, the entire former property - as it still was at that time - was transferred back to the Cämmerer family in 1992 and taken over by Johannes Cämmerer alone by mutual agreement. The many buildings - some of them very run-down - raised many questions.
The roof
5
When the current owner bought back the property, the barn and especially its roof was in a very bad condition. The former roof was made out of beaver tails. A proper restoration was too expensive and no company was found to do it. There was the option to unbuilt the whole barn and sell the wood for a good price. But the family did not want to give up the building. Therefore, a temporary roof was set up with the idea to last maybe 15 years. Now, about 20 years later, the roof is affected by wind and weather. Despite the annual minor repair work, the temporary roof must be replaced again.
Teamwork for a new wall
6
The grain store was half-timbered, but plastered on the outside with typical GDR clay plaster. Together with friends, all the clay was knocked off and an acquaintance re-plastered the outer part. On a walk, Johannes met artists from Weimar who were also trained architects from the Bauhaus University. They plastered the interior walls for him. In the process, one of the walls was fitted as with a drat mesh so that it can be used both as a magnetic board and as a projection surface for beamers for workshops and lectures. These artists were then able to use the "Tenne" for the first time for an exhibition of their art.
Theatre performances
7
The wooden entrance gate, which was renewed in 1994, shows posters of some of the theatre performances and concerts that took place in the mill. The barn was used many times as a cultural space in the village to invite to a cultural enternainment. In 2006, the theatre piece „Der fröhliche Weinberg“ (engl. the happy vineyard) by Carl Zuckmayer was performed in the „Tenne“. Also, the place was the stage for Heinrich von Kleist’s „der zerbrochene Krug“. It presented by the village theatre Oßmannstedt in 2007. For this, the middle part and the higher left part was used as a stage, The false ceiling, which was added later, was also used for the stage set. The other side of the room was equipped with seating for the audience.
Future visions
8
The smaller, higher space which was used as a stage for theatre performances, is now equipped with couches, a table, and old chairs that were contributed by another family member who has refurbished and painted them. Also, a billards table invites for a Sunday afternoon game between grandpa and granddaughter. There are some more visions how to used this spaces in the future. For example, it could become a small family museum showing the history of the mill yard. Or it could be a separated living are, such as once drawn in the „Traumzeichnung“ (engl. dream sketch).
Source: Famliy Archive Cämmerer
A music professor's sound bodies
9
Once Johannes got a call from an opera professor from Weimar asking if he could store something in the "Tenne". Johannes replied “Sure” even though he didn’t know what it was. Later in the evening a truck arrived from Bremen and started unpacking, and in it were these sound bodies. The professor found them in a hall in Bremen which was to be demolished and bought them but had no space so he put them in the "Tenne". They are to be hung from the ceiling and hit with a hammer to produce sound. However, Johannes has not heard from the professor since the objects were stored in the "Tenne".
Ruby wedding anniversary
10
Occasionally, the „Tenne“ is used as a space to host private parties of the family. The indecated discoball ar the ceiling in the middle part of the building indecated that here is set up a dance floor. The theatre stage is used as a DJ area, and where the audience sat can the guests sit and eat and drink. As Johannes and his 10 years older sister married in the same year, they were thinking of using the space for their ruby wedding anniversary. The „Tenne“ was turned into a party location for 90 people. Johannes seemed to be very happy looking back to this memory.