Steffenshammer

Description

In northern Remscheid, near the border with Wuppertal, the Steffenshammer is located in the Clemenshammer district on the Gelpe stream, shortly before its confluence with the Morsbach. The building is a well-preserved testament to the local ironworking tradition.

The smithy and grinding mill were built in 1746 and changed owners several times; in 1825 they came into the possession of the Steffens family. In the 19th century the works primarily produced refined steel for tools and small iron parts, which, given the region’s abundant water, wood and ore resources, gave it particular importance in the small-scale iron industry. To harness the water power, the Gelpe was regulated by a millpond. A large overshot waterwheel, which still exists and is used for demonstrations, powered the forge’s trip hammer at the anvil. A second, smaller wheel drove the grindstone and the bellows at the forge.

The hammer operated regularly until 1928 and was used sporadically until 1958. Afterwards the city of Remscheid acquired the complex and preserved it as a showpiece; later the site passed into the custodianship of a private non-profit association supported by individuals and companies.

Today the Steffenshammer is the last working hammer in the Gelpe valley. Until recently it served as a branch of the Deutsches Werkzeugmuseum/Historisches Zentrum and, under the new management, is to remain accessible for tours and events; the exterior can be viewed at any time. There are few parking spaces nearby, and here the Industrie-Geschichtspfad Historisches Gelpetal industrial history trail begins or ends, with information panels on the remains of the regional small-scale iron industry. By public transport, the Steffenshammer is accessible via the Remscheid-Gerstau bus stop (line 615).