Schüttesäge Museum
The Schüttesäge Museum is in Schiltach, in the Black Forest of Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It covers forestry, tanning, and timber rafting in Schiltach and the Upper Kinzig valley.
The building was once the church sawmill, later called the Schütte Sawmill. Its owner was the publican of the Zur Schütte inn in Wolfach. It is first mentioned in 1491 and operated as a sawmill until 1931. Today it still has a large undershot water wheel (7.20 meters in diameter) that powers the machines. The water-powered facility is a protected monument.
The museum opened in 1989. It shows how wood is used, including timber framing, rafting, and tanning, and how these industries tied into life in Schiltach. Timber rafting brought in much income until the 19th century. The exhibits include photos, tools, and clothing that depict the life of the rafters, and they explain what a Gestörfloß was and how it was made.
Tanning was another important industry, and a white tannery still operates in Schiltach today. The museum explains different tanning methods, especially red tanning, and the history of Schiltach’s tanning families. An outdoor area adds more about tanning to the exhibition.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 23:32 (CET).