Clog

Wooden shoe as a generic term to mean any type of shoes that are made entirely of wood.

• 5.1 carry, advantages and disadvantages
• 5.2 Customs
• 5.3 Museums

Shape and boundary

In the shoe technical and professional sense (note below restrictions ) denotes Holzschuh 's traditional wooden shoe, which is made wholly or principally of ( pure ) wood and the foot like a shoe largely surrounds ( in the heel area with a raised wooden sole ). Usually a wooden shoe is made from a single piece of wood such. Other shoe styles that usually have a limited on the shoe bottom wood portion have ( clogs, wooden sandals and Botten ), no clogs, but are referred to as wooden sole shoes.

Wooden sole shoes

The following common or well-known shoe models are among the wooden sole shoes:

• Gymnastiksandale (shoe with wooden sole that is held only by a cross straps on the foot. The foot is loose in the shoe and can always slide out )
• Sandal wood or sandal (shoe with wooden sole that is held by one or more straps on the foot )
• Clog ( slipper -like shoe with wooden sole and the heel can also have a heel strap )
• Wooden boots (boots with wooden soles )

Historically, the Trippe as a timber to be addressed (above ) shoe. It was a wooden sole with leather straps, which was worn in the Middle Ages to protect against dirt under the actual leather shoes.

Regional diversity of terms and overlaps

Wood or wooden sole shoes have different names depending on the region of origin and it is not made in some regional definitions, the clear distinction between wood and wooden sole shoes. Sabots (France; compare also sabotage) is synonymous with clogs (Netherlands). In Alsace, they are called Zogelli, Zoggeli in Switzerland, where they are worn especially at carnival time. In Schleswig -Holstein wooden sole shoes are generally referred to as clogs. Clogs are called, if you come from Denmark, also clogs, in North Germany one speaks in this context of clogs and if they have an elaborate footbed, they are called Sweden slipper. In East Friesland and the Western Munsterland called the traditional wooden shoes lumps ( singular: Klump or Humpty ).

Material and manufacturing

Suitable for the production of traditional, closed clogs are softwoods. Used today in Germany and the Netherlands almost exclusively poplar wood. Rarely comes maple wood used. Historically used to even more expensive willow and alder.

A traditional wooden shoe is crafted from a single block of wood. In the manual production, the external shape of the shoe is first coarsely carved, then worked fine. Finally, its interior is hollowed out with special tools. The surface of the shoe is finally polished and optionally provided with carvings or painted. Machine production is similar, but can be set via a template in the form of a shoe as often as you copy.

Their production is relatively inexpensive and can be reduced by the use of automatic woodworking machines to a minimum today. In fact, even today those shoes that are made for actual use, partially or completely made by hand. Wooden shoes for souvenirs or for ornamental purposes are manufactured almost exclusively Completely machine, as this is no longstanding expertise is needed especially for the inner shape. These usually are not suitable for actual use in everyday life, even if they seem to fit to the foot. The quality of the shoe can only be seen in its use.

Netherlands

The popularly known form of a wooden shoe is that of the Dutch Klomp ( Mz: clogs ) as he is often brought as a tourist products of travel. However, each region in the Netherlands their very own shoe shape, sometimes rounded, sometimes pointed, also half open some shoes, with leather straps over the instep. The latter are called Tripklompen. In neighboring Flanders they occur.

France and other countries

Also in France, wooden shoes are worn. They call themselves sabot. In the United Kingdom of Great Britain, the wooden shoes called clogs. But even in Asia clogs are common.

Germany

In Germany were and are wooden shoes especially widespread in the northern half, especially from North Rhine -Westphalia to the Danish border. Here the clog developed the craft and was also operated industrial scale. In Westphalia, the clogs are called Holsken or Holschen. On the Lower Rhine they are called, as in the Netherlands, clogs and the Ruhr also Klotz 's. The oldest known illustration of wooden shoes can be seen on an altarpiece from the 15th century by Derick Baegert in Dortmund Propsteikirche.

Munsterlander wood chunks and Westphalian Holschen have a leather trim in the form of a continuous cap over the instep, Liär (Westphalia - ndt. Leather) called. On the Lower Rhine and the Eifel the final leather is designed as a band. On the Dutch border and Dutch shoe shapes are quite common. In the Danish border, wooden shoes were made ​​with long tunnels under the soles.

Wooden shoes were worn until the 1950s, especially in agriculture and certain works like the turf cutting. In the dikes they are used as optimum safety shoes in the Netherlands today. In Westphalia Holschen still want to wear even in the present work in the garden. Wooden shoes were in metallurgy and foundry for workwear, but were increasingly replaced by steel toe shoes. In addition, wooden shoes are still used by many groups in traditional costumes and carnival associations as standard footwear.

Carrying method, advantages and disadvantages

Clogs offer a number of advantages, but also disadvantages, which led to the displacement by leather and plastic-based shoes.

First, they have a high level of security against top soil components such as thorns, branches and stones and ensure a long-lasting protection against moisture; both the entire foot comprehensive, as opposed to steel-toed work shoes offer protection only in the toe area. They can therefore also be used for powerful kicking in all directions. They are also relatively easy even with thicker wall thickness. After long use in the wet soggy shoes indeed be heavier, but have little fatigue after drying.

From a physiological point they are considered healthy because they stimulate foot and calf to constant additional muscle movements caused by cross -like activities of the feet while running within the rigid shoe. However, these movements require like any muscle training and some extra effort, which is felt especially at the beginning of the wooden shoe wearing or only occasional use due to lack of intuitive experience as stressful. The movements are also individually and are learned by each carrier in its own way. Just the occasional use is therefore perceived as stressful. If clogs are worn often and over the years, this is not perceived as a disadvantage. However, wooden shoes is attributed to the causation of deformities such as lowering or flat feet because of their hard sole. The use of soft deposits or insoles is only made ​​more difficult due to the tangible use of this rigid shoes, its vaulted interior shape and the wide scope of the feet in the shoe possible. Thus, it is generally believed that the foot accustomed over the years the use of the shoe, because the shoe unlike leather and plastic products can not adapt to the foot. However, the wear properties also depend very much on the experience of the craftsman who produces a shoe. Here make a millimeter at a milled or recessed layers in the wood already clearly noticeable to the wearer.

In particular, in the classic Dutch wooden shoes are made entirely of wood and are closed in the instep, occur when running lever forces that press the dorsum of the foot in the unwinding of the step against the wood. These are when running uphill is strongest and can be reduced by habituation and learning more favorable run ways. They never disappear. The charges in Scandinavia clogs circumvent the problem of leverage forces at arch with leather appliqué at the relevant points and are therefore suitable even for inexperienced carrier or the rarer use. In the compact shoes usually results in the experienced wearing to learning the best way passage, so that the use is no longer perceived consciously as exhausting. But the training of the muscles remains then continued.

Typically, wooden shoes are worn in the summer with thick stockings. Susceptibility to infections and sweat is however considered to be significantly reduced. Since the foot is very loose in the shoe, good ventilation is provided. Unlike leather shoes to clogs can be cleaned with hot detergent and, more recently, with alcohol (spirits ) pour, which can prevent foot odor occurring reliable. While in a layer- by-layer shoe made ​​of mixed materials such as leathers, fabrics and plastics always enough microorganisms to treatment with sprayed care products survive in order to allow the foot odor arise new to using it again, can an alcoholic flushing of a wooden shoe solve the problem deeply. The shoe is set back to its initial biological condition, but is behind the inside somewhat rougher, although he quickly rubs her smooth again. However, an outside care is rarely required, but advocated depending on the view of a variety of means. Basically any wood care products and also oily impregnations is suitable. Many shoes are painted, usually red or earth colors, the use of shoes are more economical or not decorated. In the Netherlands, in use dominate unadorned shoes that are outside greasy and darker with time or have signs of use. So this sturdy footwear is still widespread today in the Netherlands, especially in rural area than common everyday object. Clogs are extremely durable and low maintenance, they usually only require storage in a dry place. However, they can not be repaired and must be replaced when they finally show signs of decay or get a jump.

Customs

Had wooden shoes and in some regions functions in Customs: proven yet 1890 was the Pentecostal bride in Westphalia Herne a pair of particularly beautiful wooden shoes. After midnight, then came the wooden shoe dance of the bride and groom.

Every five years there shall be a traditional wooden shoe race in Baden Stutensee- Stafford.

In Neukirchen in the lower Rhine in the district Vluyn takes place every year after Pentecost, the traditional Klompenball on Monday. During this festival a Klompenkönig will be appointed to you next Klompenball the following year the " regency " takes over.

Museums

The International Wooden Shoe Museum in Eelde Eelde (Netherlands) is a museum of wooden shoes, wooden shoe tool and wooden shoe machines. It has the largest collection of wooden footwear in the world.

In the LWL-Open- Air Museum Hagen - Westphalian State Museum of craft and technology a full workshop of a shoemaker is set up. The traditional craftsmanship is demonstrated.

The Hamaland Museum ( Museum district Borken ) in Vreden, near the border with the Netherlands, shows the tools that are needed for the production of wooden clogs. Photographs show insight into different workshops.

In Preetz the Preetzer wooden shoe museum was opened on 18 May 2008. In addition to the manufacturing process here also the history of the Preetzer clogs is presented.

In Steinau (Lower Saxony) the history and production of wooden shoes in the country Hadeln is also in the " clog makers cottage " is shown.

Music

In the opera Zar und Zimmermann by Albert Lortzingstraße there is a clog dance.