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The history of the Ladenburger family at the Heimatsmühle

On 3 May 1808, the 27-year-old bachelor Clemens Anton Ladenburger from the Erpfental Mill in the municipality of Röhlingen bought the Heimatsmühle. Back then, it was part of Wasseralfingen, then Hofen, before finally being incorporated into the greater district of Aalen today. Fast forwarding 200 years in the future to the year 2008, the mill in the upper Kocher valley is now in its sixth generation, owned by the Ladenburger family. 2008 was a year for celebration and for looking back in gratitude. The Heimatsmühle and its people are deeply rooted and firmly grounded in their region and the land. The mill’s name itself is not simply derived from the word “Heimat”, meaning “Home”, as is commonly assumed. Instead, it has a greater symbolic meaning.

The term “Heimat” is much more a feeling that lies closer to the heart, with a certain degree of familiarity about it. It represents us being connected with this place on earth, our parents and ancestors, the land, mountains, fields, and forests, and the church and community where we were raised. An anniversary publication quickly touches upon the mill’s home (Heimat) in its introduction, describing the surrounding landscape, geology, and geographical location. The region’s history, especially that of the Heimatsmühle, is then illustrated before delving into the significance of the Ladenburger clan’s family name, its proliferation in the area of Ellwangen, and then finally its family crest.

The history of the company and its families revolves around the lives of the Heimatsmühle millers and their families since 1808, encompassing all the changes and efforts made to develop the mill and to evolve the simple farmer’s mill to one of the largest mills in the country. The current sixth generation is confronted by a variety of different challenges including technical mill improvements, product range expansion based on changing customer requirements, the secure procurement of grain from commodity markets, solution strategies as well as structural changes in the milling industry. This history concludes with a look at the possible developments in the future.

Further information on this topic is available upon request.