The Dischlach Mill

The remains of the Dischlach mill, mentioned as early as the 13th century, are part of a group of six mills within the walls of Haguenau. Over time, it served several functions: grinding grain, crushing kaolin for earthenware, and sawing wood. Its name comes from Stanislas, a former owner. At the beginning of the 20th century, it was adapted to power a carpentry workshop using hydraulic energy, but the mechanism visible today dates from the old sawmill. Activity ceased in December 1944 when the SS blew up the bridges, cutting off the mill's water supply. The buildings were demolished in 1978 to make way for new constructions along the Décapole street. Today, only a few remains survive, including a water wheel and part of the 19th-century transmission mechanism. These ruins remind us that Haguenau was originally an island formed by two branches of the Moder River, with the mill located on one of them, now filled in. It was situated at the confluence of the two river branches, where the Barberousse castle once stood. The site is also at the crossroads of two major historic routes: an east-west salt road along the Moder and a north-south route connecting the Baltic to the Mediterranean, used for trading amber and bronze.