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Dreschmaschine, Dampfmaschine
un Traktore
[Banater Post, 10. Dezember 2010]
Des war am e
ganz stille Tach, im Summer, so phaar Johre vorm
Kriech. Es ganzi Dorf war ruhich, ke Blatt uf de Bäm
hat sich gerihrt. Uf emol hat mer vun dr Kreizgass e
lautes tsch-tsch-tsch ... ghert. Was vor Drach kummt
do die Gass ruf? Die Nochberschleit, wu net ufm Feld
ware, also meischtns Kinner un alti Leit, sinn alli
rauskumm for schaue, was for a Viech do um die Ecke
gegrawlt kummt.
Es war die
Soziale-Dresch: Vore a mächtichi Dampfmaschin –
manchi Leit hann des aa Dampfkessl genennt, un der
hat de Dreschkaschte un de Elewator hinner sich
hergezoo. Bei Dinjersch is es Tor ufgemacht ginn un
die Dreschleit hann zuerscht de Elewator hinne in
die Scheier gschob. Dann is de Dreschkaschte
drankumm; dej hann se newe de große Fruchtschuwwer
gstellt. Zuletscht is die Dampfmaschin in de Hoff
gfahr un is vore, gleich beim Unnergebeid
stehngeblieb. A lange Rieme is vun 'me große Rad an
der Seit vun der Dampfmaschin bis zu 'me kleene Rad
am Dreschkaschte gspannt ginn. De Elevator war etwas
schief dergege gstellt, so dass des neie Stroh uf de
alte Strohschuwwer owe drufkumm is.
Am näckschte
Tach hann mir Kinner dann dem Dresche zugschaut.
Vore im Hoff hat de Maschinist de Dampfkessl mit
vill Stroh gfietert, for Dampf mache. Ufm
Fruchtschuwwer hann zwaa Männer mit Gawle gstann;
die hann die Garwe an en dritte Mann gereicht, wu
newer dem Inlosser gstann hat, un die Seele mit 'me
Messer ufgschnitt hat. De Inlosser hat wie die
wichtichschti Person ausgschaut, wie er so mitte ufm
Dreschkaschte gstann hat, mit seine große Auegläser.
Er hat jedi Garb ausnannergezoo un se dann in die
Trumml ingelosst. De Dreschkaschte hat jedsmol
uuuu-um gemacht, wann a Garb in der Trummel
vrschwunn is.
Die Sprau is
vun der Seit aus dem Dreschkaschte rausgfloo un is
dann vun jemand mit der Gawl uf de Sprauhaufe
gschärrt ginn. Do war immer vill Staab, un die
Sprauleit ware oft ganz schwarz dervun. Ufm
Strohschuwwer hann zwaa odr drei Leit mit Gawle de
Stroh ufgschicht, so wie er vum Elewator runnerkumm
is. Machsmol hann e Mann un e Weib ufm Strohschuwer
gearweit. Dann soll’s ach mol passiert sinn, dass
die zwaa in dem viele Stroh e Zeit lang vrschwunn
sinn. Im Dorf hat sich’s rumgsproch, dass die zwaa
es ufm Strohschuwer aarich getrieb hann. Des hat mer
halt „'s Dorfradio“ genennt, un der Tratsch war for
die Betroffene sicher ke Freid. Dann war noch de
Sackmann, wu die Säck an de Dreschkaschte anghong
hat un se uf die Woo gstellt hat, wann se voll
ware,. Machesmol hat er etwas Frucht drzu ginn, oder
rausgholl, so dass jede Sack e Zentner, also fufzich
Kilo, gewoo hat. Außrdem hat er mit Kreid Striche uf
de Dreschkaschte gemacht, eene for jede Sack. Vun
dem hat er de Rist berechnet, also wievill Säck
Frucht vor die Drescher uf die Seit gschafft is
ginn.
Um zwelf Uhr
hat de Maschinist die Pheif an der Dampfmaschin laut
pheife gelosst, das mer’s im ganze Dorf ghert hat.
Die Dreschleit hann ufghert zu arweite un hann
Mittach gmacht. Sie hann sich in de Schatte gsitzt
un ihre Mittachesse vrzehrt un vill Wasser getrunk.
Ich sinn emol schnell hemmgelaaf un hann e Stick
Butterbrot verlangt. Mit dem sinn ich zuruck zu dr
Dresch gang, hann mich zu de Drescher in de Schatte
gsitzt un mei Butterbrot gess. De Vettr Franz, wu
noch mit uns vrwandt war, hat mer a Stick vun seim
Speck abgschniet un des hat so gut gschmeckt wie
noch nie. Drhem hann ich domols ke Speck gess.
Des war mei
erschtes Erlebnis mit der Dreschmaschin. E phaar
Johr später war mei Vatter Sackmann bei e anri
Dresch-Gsellschaft. Mei Mutter un ich hann ihm
manchmol es Mittachesse hingetraa. Ich war etwas
entteischt, weil ke Dampfmaschin mehr drbei war, awr
e vill klennere Traktor. Vore ufm Traktor war de
Name vun seiner Firma zu lese: International. Vor em
Traktorfahrer hat de Traktor so a kleenes Glas hänge
ghat, wu mer des rosaroti Benzin gsiehn hat. De
Maschinist hat gsaat, dass der kleeni Traktor vill
mehr „Pferdekräfte“ hat wie die Dampfmaschin.. A
Fass Benzin hann se in 'me Waan mitgfiert, so dass
mer dem Traktor sei Benzin nohfille hat kenne, bevor
er stehngeblieb wär. Des war sicher vill eenfacher
wie de Dampfkessl ständich mit Stroh fietre. Es war
awr schad, dass de Traktor ke Dampfpheif ghat hat un
der Maschinist de Traktor um zwelf Uhr ganz eenfach
abgstellt hat.
Um die Zeit
sinn aach die Garwebinder ingfihrt ginn. Mer hat
also net mähr Seele mache, Seele leje un binne
misse, weil die Maschin die Garwe schen mit Manila
gebunn hat. Später hann mähr Baure sich Traktore
angschafft, un manchi drvun hann Dieselmotore ghat,
weil der Treibstoff viel billicher war wie Benzin.
Do ware die Marke Deutz Diesel, Lanz Buldog un
Hannomag. E kleene Traktor hat Zettlmayr gheescht un
war scheen grien angstrich; im Dorf hat mer ne nor
„Laabfrosch“ gnennt.
Im Summer vun
1944 is die Front ins Dorf kumm. Die Dresche hann
ufghert zu arweite, un bei manche Leit is de
Fruchtschuwwer in dr Scheier stehngeblieb bis zum
näckschte Summer. Im näckschte Johr hat’s so vill
Meis un Kritsche (Hamster) ginn, wie des noch
niemols vorkomm is. Wie die Dresch bei Lenhards war,
sinn die Meis nor so aus dem Fruchtschuwwer
weggelaaf. Mir Buwe hann se gfang un dann vor dem
Traktor seim Treibrad uf de große Rieme vrsetzt. Die
Meis sinn dann uf dr anri Seit dinn wie Pappedeckl
rausgfall. Des hat uns e Zeit lang vill Spaß gmacht,
bis de Maschinist bes is ginn un uns fortgejaat hat.
Un dann war uf
eemol de Kriech am End. Die Leit sinn zu dr
Zwagsarweit vrschleppt ginn. Die Dreschmaschine,
Traktore, Kieh, Ross un Waan sinn alle enteignt
ginn, un die Leit hann mit Nicks dogstann. Seitdem
sinn villi Johre vrgang. Heit kenne mer in jeder
greßeri Stadt in so e große Jet-Flieger insteije un
um die halwi Welt flieje. Mir Älteri wärre uns awer
immer erinnre: Mit der Dampfmaschin hat des alles
angfang!
Banater Post
www.banater-schwaben.org
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Threshing
machines, steam engines and tractors
Translated by Nick Tullius, Jan 14, 2011
It
happened on very quiet day, in the summer, just a few years before the war. The
whole village sat there in a deep sleep; not a branch or even a leaf on a tree
was moving. Suddenly there was a very unusual noise coming from the
cross-street: tsh-tsh-tsh… One could imagine that a dragon out of the
fairytales was coming down the street. Those neighbours that had stayed home
from the fields, mostly children and old people, all came out on the street, to
see what beast came crawling around the corner.
What appeared was the so-called "Soziale" threshing ensemble: in front, a
powerful steam engine - called a steam boiler by some people - that pulled the
threshing machine and the elevator behind it. Our Dinjer neighbours had opened
their main gate, and the threshing team first pushed the elevator all the way to
the backyard. Then they placed the threshing machine next to the large wheat
stack. Finally the steam engine moved in the front yard, next to the summer
kitchen. A very long belt was placed from the large wheel on the side of the
steam engine, to a small wheel on the threshing machine. The elevator was placed
at an angle to the threshing machine, so that the new straw would fall on top of
the old stack of straw.
The next
day, we children watched the threshing machine in operation. In the front yard,
the mechanic fed the steam boiler with huge quantities of straw, to produce
steam. On the wheat stack, two men with large forks passed the sheaves to a
third man, who was standing next to the 'inserter' and cut the binding of every
sheave with a knife. The 'inserter' appeared to be the most important person, as
he stood there on top of the threshing machine, wearing big glasses. He pulled
every sheaf apart and then inserted it into the big rotating drum. The threshing
machine made a very loud uuuu-UM sound every time a sheave went into the
drum.
The chaff was blown out from the side of the threshing machine, and was moved to
the chaff pile by women with special forks. There was always a lot of dust
around that operation, so that the chaff workers were black like Africans.
On the
straw stack, two or three people with forks piled up the straw as it fell down
from the elevator. Sometimes a man and a woman worked together on the straw
stack. It is said that once the two disappeared in the mass of straw for a
rather long time. A rumour then spread through the village that they carried it
too far on the straw stack. It was incredible how fast such a rumour could
spread throughout the village. The phenomenon was called "the village radio" and
it was anything but fun for those affected.
Then there
was the 'sack man', who attached the burlap sacks to the threshing machine, to
capture the wheat kernels. He placed the full sacks on the scale. Sometimes he
added some wheat, or took some out, so that each sack weighed exactly a 'Zentner',
which is fifty kilograms. For each bag, he made a chalk mark on the back of the
threshing machine. From these marks he also calculated the sacks of wheat to be
put aside as compensation for the threshing team.
At twelve
o'clock the mechanic let out a blast from the whistle of the steam engine, which
could be heard throughout the village. The threshing team stopped working to
take its lunch break. The men and women sat down in whatever shade they could
find, unpacked their lunches, and ate them while drinking a lot of water. I ran
home quickly and asked for a piece of buttered bread. With it I went back to the
threshing machine and joined the workers in the shade, to eat my buttered bread.
Vetter Franz, who was remotely related to our family, handed me a piece of his
bacon and it tasted better than ever before. Actually, at home I rarely touched
bacon in those childhood days.
That was
my first experience with the threshing machine. Several years later, my father
worked as 'sack man' with another threshing company. Sometimes my mother and I
brought him his lunch. I was a little disappointed that the big and bold steam
engine had been replaced by a rather small tractor. On the front of the tractor,
one could read the name of its manufacturer: International. In the middle of the
tractor, just in front of its driver, hung a small glass in which one could see
the pink gasoline. The tractor was much smaller than the steam engine, but the
mechanic said that it had many more "horsepower". They had to carry the fuel for
the tractor in a large metal container placed in a carriage, because they had to
fill gasoline into the tractor before it stopped running. That was certainly
much easier than continuously feeding the steam engine with straw. It was really
too bad that the tractor had no whistle and the mechanic had to just stop it for
the twelve o'clock lunch break.
Also
around this time, the sheaf binders or combines, were introduced. The
traditional bindings made of rye straw and needing lots of backbreaking labour,
were no longer needed, because the machine bound the sheaves neatly with Manila
twine. Then, several farmers acquired tractors, and some of those had diesel
engines, because their fuel was cheaper than gasoline. You could see tractors
made by Deutz Diesel, Lanz Buldog and Hanomag. A cute little tractor was the
Zettlmayr; with its light green color, the villagers soon called it the "Tree
Frog".
In the summer of 1944, the war had come to our village, the threshing was
interrupted, and some people were left with the wheat stack in their backyard,
until next summer. Next year, there was an abundance of mice and wild hamsters
everywhere, such as nobody had ever seen before. When the threshing was resumed
in the yard of the Lenhards, a number of us boys were there to observe the
activities. When we saw the mice running away en masse from the wheat stack, we
caught a lot of them and threw them on the large drive belt, in front of the
tractor's drive wheel. They fell out on the other side, compressed like
cardboard. We had great fun for a while, until the mechanic chased us
away.
And then
suddenly the war came to an end for us. Our young people had already been
deported to forced labour, and threshing machines, tractors, and even horses and
carriages were expropriated, so that Swabian people were left with nothing.
Many years
have passed since then, and today we can catch a large jet aircraft in every
major city, and fly halfway around the world. But some of us will always
remember: it all began with the steam engine!
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