Burlak

Towing, also ship drawing, Halferei, saxon Bomätschen, Swiss stretching, is the drawing of ships on waterways by people or draft animals.

Ships were only towed upstream and downstream usually driven by the flow or the wind. On some sections still locks also technical tools used, including Treidelloks like to date the Panama Canal or tractors on the Rhine - Marne Canal came. At sites with particularly strong current (eg, bridges) partly stationary winches were used as the ship pulling at the Stone Bridge in Regensburg.

The paths of the ship puller were called towpath towpath, Reckweg, Bomätscherpfad or in the Danube region Treppelpfad or towpath. The advent of steam power enabled the railway and alternatives in shipping. In the inland navigation began with the chain and wire rope marine, here as the tractor pulled on a chain or rope forward, behind, up to ten barges. Later moved Radschleppdampfer - about 1920 increasingly tractor engine - the barges. In 1950 they were again superseded by self-propelled motor vessels.

In the Habsburg dominions was imposed from 1783 to 1790 ship pulling as punishment after Joseph II had the death penalty in the Josephine criminal law reform as well as abolished. Nonetheless, died from the 1173 convicts who had been sentenced 1784-1789 for towing, 721 by the year 1790.

Treidelgebiete

Rhine

The towing on the Rhine is attested since the 8th century. At the northern Upper Rhine the towing at Nieder-Ingelheim is detected from 1385. The construction and maintenance of the towpath and the Treideldienst were on locally organized. Towing farm attracted to long ropes, which were fastened to a mast on the foredeck ( the so-called Treidelmast ), the ships upstream or introduced a draft animal. The line rider (also Leinreiter ) moved out of the ropes of horses. For the rider always sat on one side of the horse to jump quickly to an emergency. Towing farm and line rider always carried a hatchet or knife with him to the Treidelseile at risk hats can. Were treated humans and animals in the Treidelstationen. Some of the ships were punted with long poles. Due to the inertia of the broad river many times ranged from seven to ten man or a horse for loads from 10 to 15 tons. For 100 tons of cargo ten to twelve horses were required. In places with strong currents often more than two hundred men were needed for towing a load ship. Before this time the Romans had towed here. The maintenance of towpaths, which often consisted of only narrow stick dams were often cause for complaints. In some places - so at Schröck (now Leopoldshafen / Baden) - towpaths were missing entirely and it had to be punted or waded through the shallow water.

Weser

On the Weser were since the Middle Ages Weser barges as Eken, Bukken or support ships and cops towed or punted for transport on the descent of Obernkirchener sandstone, iron ore, timber and grain, and during the ascent of fish, butter, cheese, tallow, cloths, cattle and peat.

Volga

On the Volga boatmen one was called Burlak (Russian Бурлак ). The Burlaken it was usually for temporary workers, who joined forces for a Treidelauftrag to Artel. Internationally known is the song of the Volga Boatmen.

Gudenåen

The towing on the Gudenaa began with the transport of limestone jütländischem latest. This was used in the construction of the monastery Øm, which was completed in 1172 on the upper reaches of the river. In the days before the railroad transports were time consuming and difficult by land. The state of the roads and vehicles allowed only shipments of smaller quantities, so you dodged on waterways. Prompted by the construction of the " Silkeborg Papirfabrik " the 1850-1880 continuing high time the Treidelns started on the Guden. It perverse about 120 barges on the river. Before the Gudenåen was dredged in the 19th century, you could go with a barge with a load capacity of 10 tons of Randers to Silkeborg. For the three -day-long ride up the skipper hired two to three day laborers. Until Bjerringbro the barge (approx. 30 km) was drawn. In Bjerringbro horses took over the work, because the pitch was so great that few men could not pull the boat. The risk of bottoming was especially given to sharp river bends. Here the boat could land. We solved the problem by placing of the headlands leadership roles for the dew. The end of the Treidelns was initiated with the opening of the railway line between Skanderborg and Silkeborg in 1871 and reached 1921 after the construction of the power plant Tangeværket.

The towpath from Randers to Silkeborg is opened as a footpath and marked with signs. The brochure " Traekstien Randers - Silkeborg " ( The towpath from Randers to Silkeborg ) is available at the tourist office. When power plant Tangeværket is a ten -meter-long barge, formerly the Gudenåen sailed.

Channels of Fehn culture in Emsland

In the Fehn culture in Emsland channels ( wijken ) were dug. On them, the peat was transported. The ships were towed.