Hewer

{{Short description|Miner who loosens rock and minerals in a mine}} {{about|digging in a mine|converting logs to timbers|hewing|the name|Hewer (surname)}} {{More citations needed|date=January 2024}} thumb|right|A hewer at the coalface, 1957 A '''hewer''' ({{langx|de|Hauer}} or ''Häuer'') is a miner who loosens rock and minerals in a mine. In medieval mining in Europe a ''Hauer'' was the name given to a miner who had passed his test (''Hauerprüfung'') as a hewer.<ref>Walter Bischoff, Heinz Bramann, Westfälische Berggewerkschaftskasse Bochum: ''Das kleine Bergbaulexikon.'' 7th ed., Verlag Glückauf GmbH, Essen, 1988, {{ISBN|3-7739-0501-7}}</ref>

== Training == In Europe in former times, before he could become a hewer, the miner had to learn to be a "sorter boy" (''Scheidejunge''), identifying ores and separating the ore from the gangue. After that he would continue his training in the pit itself. Here, he had to learn further skills, initially as a putter (''Hundtstößer'' literally "truck pusher"), transporting material around the mine in wagons. Only afterwards could he learn the skills, as an apprentice hewer (''Lehrhäuer''), that he would later need as a hewer.<ref>[http://www.zeno.org/Brockhaus-1911/A/Bergmann Brockhaus' Kleines Konversations-Lexikon, 5th edition, Vol. 1. Leipzig, 1911., p. 186]</ref> This form of training, the acquisition of knowledge by experience, was practised in mining until the First World War.<ref>[http://www.isis.unibas.ch/download.php?id=8980 Seminarprotokoll: Das schwarze und das gelbe Gold. p. Harries, J. Mooser]{{Dead link|date=September 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

From the 1920s, the training of hewers was legally regulated as a result of union demands. Because, in the meantime, many skills required special knowledge, other tradesmen were gradually employed in mining and in the pits: initially metalworkers and, later, electricians. Following training and passing exams, the craftsman had to gain practical experience in order to sit for his hewer examination. This comprised a theoretical and a practical element.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20050221053221/http://www.wkstmk.at/lehrlingsstelle/prord/p005.pdf Beispiel einer Prüfungsordnung für einen Maschinenhauer] (retrieved 13 September 2012)</ref>

The hewer exam could be taken once the miner was 20 years old. Between his apprenticeship as a sorter boy and the exam, the trainee hewer thus had at least two years of practical experience. After passing the hewer's exam there was a "graduation" event (''Lossprechung'').<ref>[http://www.schulzeelvert.de/html/lossprechung.html Dieter Schulze-Elvert: Meine Lossprechungsfeier im Duisburger Stadttheater]</ref>

== Hierarchy == An apprentice hewer was placed under a hewer and had to work under his direction. In the dressing area of the mine, old, former hewers were responsible for supervising the sorter boys. The hewer reported to the mine foreman or supervisor, the ''Steiger'', also called the ''Dinghauer'' in some mines, or in smaller pits, the ''Hutmann''.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.mansfelder-seen.de/mansfeld/histor4.htm |title=Bergbau im Mansfelder Land |access-date=2013-01-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150328202345/http://www.mansfelder-seen.de/mansfeld/histor4.htm |archive-date=2015-03-28 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The hewer was held in particular esteem, by the other miners in the pit, even though he actually had no authority over them. The ''Steiger'', who were important officials in the early days of state mining, later became just ordinary employees.

== Promotion == Depending on diligence, skill and suitability, a hewer could be promoted to ''Hutmann'' or ''Steiger''. Even an appointment as shift foreman (''Schichtmeister''), to the council of aldermen or jurats (''Berggeschworenen'') or as mine manager (''Bergmeister'') was possible.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20090206193658/http://hillebrand.de/orte/Wildemann5.html Chronik von Wildemann Teil V] (retrieved 13 September 2012)</ref> At the end of the 18th century, pit and operational officials were legally required to undertake engineering training at a mining academy or mining school. For this reason, the training of a ''Steiger'' could no longer be carried out simply through on the job training.

Hewers with many years of experience, the ability to lead men and who had sufficient mining and technical skills, could be promoted to the rank of supervisor (''Aufsichtshauer'') or senior hewer (''Oberhauer''). They were not, however, supervisory staff in the mining legal sense, but had the role of a team foreman.

If a hewer proved to be particularly expert, he would be appointed as a "master hewer" (''Meisterhauer''). He was then responsible for the technical training of junior miners. For this, the master hewer, was specially trained in a preparatory course, which culminated with an in-house examination. Master hewers reported to the mining authority.

A particularly experienced hewer who had worked for over 10 years and was at least 35 years old, could, if suitable, be appointed as a "leading hewer" (''Fahrhauer''). In order to achieve this he had to be deemed professionally suitable. His professional suitability was assessed on a so-called leading hewer's course (''Fahrhauerkurs''), which also acted as a certificate of proficiency. Leading hewers were responsible persons in the sense of the Federal Mining Law (''Bundesberggesetz'') and were given a written order of authority (''Bestellschreiben'').<ref>[http://www.genealogienetz.de/vereine/rzd/weiterbildung_auf_zeche.pdf Ullrich Märker:Der studierte Bergmann]{{Dead link|date=May 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

== Hours of work and wages == The working hours of the hewers varied from region to region and ranged between 10–12 hours, but the time taking entering and leaving the mine was not counted. For one week of hired work in 1617 a hewer was paid just 18 ''Mariengroschen''. This week's wages would not even buy a pound of butter at that time. Until the beginning of the 1950s, they worked 5½ days a week comprising 50 hours. Today, the hewer works 7 hours a day without coming to the surface.

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Um 1800 verdiente ein Bohrhauer etwa einen Wochenlohn von 20 Mariengroschen, hinzu kam ein Gedingegeld von 6 Mariengroschen. Um diesen Verdienst aufzubessern, verfuhren die Hauer des Öfteren sogenannte Neben- oder Weilschichten. Um eine Nebenschicht zu bekommen, musste ein Gesuch bei der Werksleitung eingereicht werden. Die Möglichkeit, eine Nebenschicht zu bekommen, war von der Anzahl der Kinder des Hauers abhängig. Mit den Weilschichten konnte sich ein Hauer 8 Mariengroschen hinzuverdienen, zusätzlich noch einmal 8 Mariengroschen für Nebenschichten. Dadurch bedingt blieben die Hauer teilweise 13-16 Stunden in der Grube. Eine Wochenarbeitszeit von 60-70 Stunden war zu dieser Zeit die Regel. Insgesamt verdiente ein Hauer mit 3 Kindern pro Woche etwa 42 Mariengroschen. Erst Mitte des 19. Jahrhunderts änderten sich diese Bedingungen.<ref>[http://www.lenk-balve.de/Homepage/05-Bergbau-OHZ/Bergmannsleben/Bergleb.html Aus dem Leben eines Bergmanns]</ref>

== Beruflicher Wandel == Während in den Anfängen des Bergbaus die eigentliche Arbeit des Hauers sehr vielseitig war und nicht nur darin bestand, das Erz hereinzugewinnen, spezialisierte sich im Laufe der Zeit die Arbeit der jeweiligen Hauer. So gab es Ganghäuer, Bohrhäuer, Gedingehäuer und Doppelhäuer. Bohrhauer mussten Schießlöcher mit einer bestimmten Tiefe in den Felsen bohren. Dazu benutzten sie Bohrstangen, die sie von Hand mit einem Fäustel in den Felsen trieben.

Nach der Bezahlung unterschied man: * Gedingehauer * Herrenhauer * Lehnhauer

Die Gedingehauer (Gedingehäuer) bauten, gegen einen Festbetrag, in bestimmten Grubenabschnitten das Erz ab. Die Herrenhauer arbeiteten im Wochenlohn für den Grubenbesitzer, den Grubenherrn. Die Lehnhauer erwarben für einen gewissen Zeitraum das Schürfrecht in einem bestimmten Grubenabschnitt. Das hereingewonnene Erz verkauften sie dann an die Gewerken.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20100905025505/http://u0028844496.user.hosting-agency.de/malexwiki/index.php/Bergleute Mittelalter Lexikon: Bergleute] (abgerufen am 13. September 2012)</ref>

Im heutigen modernen Bergbau hat sich der Beruf des Hauers noch mehr spezialisiert. Im bergmännischen Bereich unterscheidet man unter anderem:<ref>[http://www.rechtsrat.ws/ohm/doks/bergbau-09-06-25.pdf Tarifvertrag zur Regelung der Mindestbedingungen für die Arbeitnehmer der Bergbau-Spezialgesellschaften im deutschen Steinkohlebergbau]</ref>

* Strebhauer * Hauer im Streckenausbau * Bohrhauer * Schachtzimmerhauer * Stapelzimmerhauer

Für die Beförderung zum Hauer ist keine Hauerprüfung mehr erforderlich, sondern die bestandene Facharbeiterprüfung und eine bestimmte Berufserfahrung. Außer für den bergmännischen Bereich gibt auch es noch Elektrohauer und Maschinenhauer. -->

== Gallery ==

<gallery perrow=6> File:Bundesarchiv Bild 183-50124-0004, Zwickau, Zeche "Martin Hoop", Bergarbeiter mit Schaufel.jpg|Loading work, 1957 File:Bundesarchiv B 145 Bild-F030465-0001, Ruhrgebiet, Kohlebergbau.jpg|Coal extraction in a steeply lying seam, Ruhr, 1961 File:Bundesarchiv Bild 183-G0530-0031-001, Freiberg, Zeche "Albert Funk", Bergarbeiter bohrend.jpg|Heading in the Ore Mountains, 1968 File:Bundesarchiv Bild 183-K0204-0004-001, Mansfeld, Bergarbeiter bohrend.jpg|Horizontal drilling in the Mansfeld copper slate mine File:Bundesarchiv Bild 183-13175-0009, Bergarbeiter, Lore.jpg|treatment of loose rock and ore, Mansfeld copper slate mine, 1952 File:Bundesarchiv Bild 183-13223-0005, Bergarbeiter Stüzbalken errichtend.jpg|timbering and walling </gallery>

== References == <references/>

== Literature == *Johann Eduard Heuchler, Hanns Freydank (ed.): ''Des Bergmanns Lebenslauf''. 2. durchgesehene Auflage mit einem Nachwort von Hanns Freydank, Verlag Glückauf GmbH, Essen, 1940

==External links== {{Wiktionary|Häuer|Hewer}} * [http://www.nettolohn.de/beruf/hauerin-aus-u-vorrichtung-hauer-aus-u-vorrichtung-3201.html Berufsbild Hauer in der Aus- und Vorrichtung] * [http://www.jumpforward.de/berufe/761/Hauer-(Gewinnung).html Beispiel Berufsbild Hauer (Gewinnung)]

Category:Mining terminology