Klopotec

A Klapotetz (Slovenian klopotec ) is a common in the Southern Styrian wine country scarecrow. It consists of a wind turbine with shaft and hammers, which are designed to keep the birds from the vineyards at the time of ripening by their rhythmic clatter. The name comes from the Slovenian " klopótec " to German " rattle ". In Slovenian and Austrian dictionary it says " the " Klapotetz, in the southern Styrian parlance it is called " the " Klapotetz, probably derived from " the Windmuhl ".

In Austria, the windmill usually eight, Slovenia has only six wings. As a material for producing a Klapotetz four wood types are required: Fir wood ( also pine or larch ) for the wings, Buchholz for the clapper, ash or chestnut for the block and cherry wood for the pickguard. The latter may not be replaced by another material, because only cherry wood produces shrill tones and probably sounds in the ultrasonic range, which rather keep away the birds. The diameter of the wind turbine is usually about a meter. At the rear end of the Klapotetz birch bushes are fitted as wind vane and counterweight often. The melodic clatter of Klapotetz is characteristic of the mood of the Southern Styrian vineyards.

The Klapotetze are not the whole year in the vineyard. They are according to the old tradition to Jakobi, ie on July 25, set up and All Saints (1 November ), or to Martini dismantled ( November 11 ).

The Klapotetz was first mentioned in 1797 in a manuscript. From 1832 there is a pictorial representation of a castle in Celje with a Klapotetz and Archduke Johann had in 1836 at his vineyard in a Klapotetz pickers.

By 2010, the largest Klapotetz stood at Demmerkogel. It is 16 meters high and weighs about 6 tons. The eight bobbins are made of acacia wood, the sound works made ​​of cherry wood and the springs made ​​of spruce wood.

Since 2010 is the largest in the world in Klapotetz castle in Styria. It has a height of 19 meters and weighs 25 tons. Its concrete foundation reaches 9 meters in depth.

Occasionally, an imitation of the Klapotetz is built as organ stops, as in 2002 at the organ in the parish church to track village.

A Modern Klapotetz stands at Kollersimmerlkogel ( Eichberg- Trautenburg ). He is 7 m high and consists of steel tubes, the inauguration was on September 7, 1997.