Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Independent UK
The Independent UK
National
Matthias Schrader

Meet the brothers in Germany keeping the ancient tradition of charcoal burning alive

Sascha Feldmer holds fresh charcoal at his his family-run, traditional production site near Hasselfelde in Germany - (Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

Immo Feldmer carefully tipped smouldering charcoal into a tall mound of earth, initiating an ancient tradition of coal burning that has endured for centuries in Germany's Harz mountain region.

This meticulous process sees tightly packed beech wood smoulder for weeks within the mound, slowly transforming into the valuable charcoal – a craft that has defined this eastern German landscape for hundreds of years.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.