The history of
the Kneispermühle

Kneysvilere also known as Kneysviler or Kneysweiler Mill used to be a former seigneurial mill for the villages of Maßweiler, Reifenberg, Schmitshausen and Oberhausen. As early as in 1440 this mill was called a manor mill.

During the Thirty Years of War the mill was destroyed, however in 1701 Hanß Neeßmann from Herschberg rebuilt it. In 1716 the mill was sold to Jakob Neumüller and 15 years later Jakob Fischer from Thaleischweiler bought the mill. He is the progenitor of the Fischer familiy which lived in the mill until 1930.

When in 1744 the so-called Cat Mill was built in Oberhausen where the inhabitants had their corn grinded, the Kneisper miller and the inhabitants of Oberhausen got into a banalité argument which had to be settled by the following ducal rescript:

„The inhabitants of Oberhausen are obliged to have their corn grinded in the Kneispermühle during the summer. Due to the impractical paths in winter, however, namely in the period between Martini until the middle of March they are allowed to have their corn crunched in the Oberhausen mill. In this case the feudal lord decrees that the miller has to pick up the corn in Oberhausen and bring it to the inhabitants´  houses and then they could grind the ground material in the mill.“

This so-called Mühlenzwang which means that the lord has the right to determine that the inhabitants have to have their corn ground at one particular mill, was abolished not before the French Revolution.

When the water pipes were built in Reifenberg, Schmitshausen and Maßweiler the Wassergenossenschaft Schmitshausen bought the flour mill which then was transformed into a pumping station. Thanks to the mill wheel and the water power drinking water can be channelled to villages in higher regions by a piston pump.

In 1930 Georg Lenhard and his wife Frieda, née Lindemer, acquired property of the tavern, the rural adjoining buildings and the related property. After a robbery in 1946 the owner Georg Lenhard met his death.

In 1953 the Schröder family took over the property which was then managed by their daughter Renate Brenner and her husband.

Today Mrs Beate Hartmann, one of the daughters of the Brenner family, is the owner of the tavern.

Old pictures of the Kneispermühle

From past to present

Kneispermühle damalsKneispermühle heute

The history of the Kneispermühle

Kneysvilere also known as Kneysviler or Kneysweiler Mill used to be a former seigneurial mill for the villages of Maßweiler, Reifenberg, Schmitshausen and Oberhausen. As early as in 1440 this mill was called a manor mill.

During the Thirty Years of War the mill was destroyed, however in 1701 Hanß Neeßmann from Herschberg rebuilt it. In 1716 the mill was sold to Jakob Neumüller and 15 years later Jakob Fischer from Thaleischweiler bought the mill. He is the progenitor of the Fischer familiy which lived in the mill until 1930.

When in 1744 the so-called Cat Mill was built in Oberhausen where the inhabitants had their corn grinded, the Kneisper miller and the inhabitants of Oberhausen got into a banalité argument which had to be settled by the following ducal rescript:

„The inhabitants of Oberhausen are obliged to have their corn grinded in the Kneispermühle during the summer. Due to the impractical paths in winter, however, namely in the period between Martini until the middle of March they are allowed to have their corn crunched in the Oberhausen mill. In this case the feudal lord decrees that the miller has to pick up the corn in Oberhausen and bring it to the inhabitants´  houses and then they could grind the ground material in the mill.“

This so-called Mühlenzwang which means that the lord has the right to determine that the inhabitants have to have their corn ground at one particular mill, was abolished not before the French Revolution.

When the water pipes were built in Reifenberg, Schmitshausen and Maßweiler the Wassergenossenschaft Schmitshausen bought the flour mill which then was transformed into a pumping station. Thanks to the mill wheel and the water power drinking water can be channelled to villages in higher regions by a piston pump.

In 1930 Georg Lenhard and his wife Frieda, née Lindemer, acquired property of the tavern, the rural adjoining buildings and the related property. After a robbery in 1946 the owner Georg Lenhard met his death.

In 1953 the Schröder family took over the property which was then managed by their daughter Renate Brenner and her husband.

Today Mrs Beate Hartmann, one of the daughters of the Brenner family, is the owner of the tavern.

Old pictures of the Kneispermühle

From past to present

Kneispermühle damalsKneispermühle heute