When a journeyman goes home: a travelling 'naver' returns to Copenhagen

I've written before about the tradition of the German travelling journeymen. One post is a more general overview and the other a more detailed look at some of the traditions that come with this life. Another post talks about what some of the geselle (German journeyman) traditions mean to me, as a settled craftsperson in Britain.

Nat was the first person travelling in the tradition of the German guilds that I had met and talked to about it. Through him I also met several other people doing the same thing and I feel quite privileged to have had an opportunity to do so. Meeting journeymen travelling in the tradition is not that common an occurrence in Britain, even amongst craftspeople. Some of those that he put me in contact with I would now also call friends.

Journeymen in Berlin around 1900
Image from: http://denstoredanske.dk/Erhverv,_karriere_og_ledelse/Håndværk/Håndværk_generelt/naver

The normal length of travelling is three years and a long day. The long day is the part that lets someone keep going if they don't feel that it's time to stop yet. During their travels, journeymen carry a map with a circle marking an area with a fifty kilometre radius and their hometown at the centre. They are not allowed to go into that area for the whole of their time travelling in the tradition (unless there is an emergency, such as a member of their immediate family becoming seriously ill).

Nat himself is Danish and came into the tradition as a naver, which is the Danish equivalent of the German journeyman. Danish navers are not as frequently encountered as German gesellen and I was told that Nat was one of few Danish navers currently travelling at that point. He himself was travelling in the German tradition, having been introduced into the tradition by a German journeyman. 

After over five years, it was time for Nat to go home.

Having been notified in advance of the day and location, Nat's friends and family were gathering next to a town sign on a busy road just outside of Copenhagen. The weather was bright with some cloud and the first chill of autumn on the breeze. As the journeymen would be hitchhiking to the spot, times were very approximate - he would be there some time after 3.30pm.

I could feel the excitement build, with people crossing the highway to see as far as possible along it. It was great to have a chance to meet and chat with the others who were also waiting. Four journeymen arrived early, then headed back down the road to find the others so that they could all arrive together.

Eventually, at about 5pm, a group of around twenty figures wearing the distinctive clothes and carrying the spiral Stenz sticks of the gesellen came into view. All of the friends and family gathered on the other side of the sign. As they got closer, the cluster of journeymen separated into a line and, walking in single file, the line snaked around and back on itself. 

It wound up alleyways and across the road, before finally gathering on an island in the middle of the carriageway. There, a few words were said between them, there was a cheer and Nat drained the last of a bottle.

The group approached the other side of the sign from the waiting friends and family. Not all of the people in it were currently journeymen, some I knew had already finished their own travels but had put on their wandering clothes again for this day. 

They then formed two lines with their stenz sticks held between them. 

Nat climbed up onto this 'ladder' and clambered up to the sign. He then climbed back over, his journeying years done. I knew that in his pocket, in accordance with tradition, would be five euros: the same amount that he left with.

There was still one more thing to do while we were there. When he left, Nat's friends and family had put letters for him into a bottle which was then sealed and buried at a certain depth five paces from the sign. Traditionally, Nat would dig the hole to bury it and his family would try to throw handfuls of earth back in to show that they didn't want him to go, while his journeymen friends defended the hole from being refilled.

There were a few toots on car horns from passing motorists as the spade was brought out and Nat started to dig to retrieve the bottle, with some journeyman songs being sung at the same time.

Eventually, other friends took over the work to give him a chance to talk to those who had come to see him.

After a while, it was realised that the bottle wasn't there! The sign must have been moved in the meantime. So any rubbish was gathered up to be taken away and the hole was carefully refilled before everyone went off into Copenhagen to celebrate Nat's homecoming.

The next day, there was another party, although everyone seemed a little more subdued after the drinking of the night before (together with the partying that had gone on before they arrived at the sign). All of the journeymen got up on a stage in front of the family and friends and short speeches were made before some traditional travelling songs were sung. It was simple but also quite moving.

Nat's family had brought clothes with them, which he changed into from his travelling clothes while the songs continued. Then there was a quiz. All of the stenz sticks were put into the middle and Nat had to guess whose stick each one was. Not easy with so many travelling companions there!

It was great to catch up with old friends at the party, as well as meeting new ones. 

I hope that these posts allow English-speaking people who haven't met journeymen travelling in the German tradition to learn a bit more about it. It would be good to think that they might open a few extra doors to those travelling in the UK and elsewhere, where the traditions are less well known and understood than in continental Europe.

And, of course, good luck to Nat for his next adventures!

Talking to Edward Carefoot: some thoughts about travelling independently, as a journeyman craftsperson inspired by the German tradition, through modern Britain

Recently, I met up with Edward Carefoot, who is seeking to travel as a craftsman inspired by the traditional German journeymen, who are sometimes called zimmermen. 

After finishing an apprenticeship in antiques restoration in northern England, Edward wanted to follow a similar path. After some time in the Scilly Isles and in Herefordshire he was on the move again and phoned ahead of his visit to ask if it would be okay to meet up. He'd seen from my blog that I had spent a bit of time with craftsmen travelling in the tradition of the German guilds and wanted to discuss the plan and how it could work with carving. 

I wouldn't say that I'm any kind of authority on such things, never having actually travelled in the tradition myself. However, I'm also aware that I've spent more time in the company of journeymen (travelling in the German tradition) than many people in Britain and have been lucky enough to learn a little about their lives. 

It was very interesting to chat with Edward about his plans and the things that we spoke about seemed like they might interest others too (perhaps finishing an apprenticeship themselves), although I should say that the opinions expressed here are mine alone and may not be those of Edward or of my journeyman friends.

The tradition of the travelling journeyman has been largely lost in Britain. Probably thanks to events such as the Dissolution of the Monasteries by King Henry VIII or the rise to power of Cromwell and his Puritans later on, work for travelling craftspeople became harder to find in this country. Although British people do sometimes travel in the tradition of the German societies, it doesn't seem to be commonly done and also requires a good knowledge of the language that many British people sadly don't have.

Edward asked at one point if I considered the idea worth pursuing and the answer was a definite 'Yes!'

Meeting other craftspeople is one of the most fascinating things about this particular creative world and besides, without giving it a go he could never know if it was possible. He was ready to travel and hadn't had the opportunity to be introduced into the tradition by a travelling journeyman, so was going to give it a try independently.

I did think that it would be good to keep some flexibility though. French and German journeymen have many traditions and customs that mean important things but without an experienced person to explain, they could sometimes be easily misinterpreted. 

Image from http://www.ladepeche.fr/article/2014/10/02/1963247-des-compagnons-du-devoir-font-halte-a-la-mairie.html

All of the journeymen that I have met had travelled for a period of time, at first, in the company of a much more experienced companion who could explain the customs to them and also give guidance on how to navigate through the travelling life. I did say to Edward that I felt that someone outside of the tradition (and without a good knowledge of the language) identifying themselves very strongly with it could potentially lead to misunderstanding in certain situations. It could be better not to seek to emulate but to create your own path, inspired by and with respect for theirs. 

Journeymen in the German tradition don't carry phones. It seems a tough path for a British craftsperson, travelling alone initially, to take. Many people in this country aren't used to the ways of the German travelling tradition and turning up unannounced with nowhere to stay might not always be a good idea in more remote places, although it does open the door to receiving kindness from others. It also means that it is more important to be punctual and keep your word; useful skills for a craftsperson. However, other journeymen have told me that travelling in more out-of-the-way areas is often easier. With so many disused barns about and people more open to hitchhikers, it is not as difficult to travel and to find places to sleep.

We also discussed having a website. It can be like a very useful portfolio and business card which can be updated. I haven't met any journeymen who have one but some sort of personal online gallery does seem like it could be a convenient alternative, for an independent travelling craftsperson, to travelling with a bundle of photos and papers that can easily be lost or damaged.

German journeymen don't travel using their own transport but there could be reasons why this might not be so suitable for a lone British craftsperson. For one thing, a good antique restorer needs quite a few different tools. Finding work on the road might be a lot trickier without having all the proper kit already with you but that could be a sizeable amount of stuff: expensive to replace and not so easy to to carry without transport. Having a mobile workshop isn't the way of the journeyman travelling in the German tradition but it could make sense for some other travelling craftspeople.

I did notice that the journeymen that I met were fairly flexible about taking on manual work outside of their particular training if it was on offer. A blacksmith would work on a timber framing project alongside more experienced colleagues. Their codes of practise make them good workers to have around and so they were welcome in other kinds of work too.

 A visit to my workshop did give Edward a useful chance to sharpen his own chisels and gouges ready for the road.

It's a great project and I wish Edward every success on his travels. I'd certainly recommend him to anyone who is wondering what his work is like. 

I hope that you have also enjoyed these, my own thoughts on what the German travelling tradition could mean for an independent travelling craftsperson from Britain. Hopefully you can also see my respect for that tradition and I'd be interested to hear what others think. 

And if any other wood carvers are passing through Bristol, do feel free to get in touch! It's always great to have a chat.

Two beautiful handmade knives given to me by friends

Recently, I was given two very different and very beautiful knives by friends. I know that some people reading this are fascinated by well-made blades, just as I am. Perhaps you might be interested to see these ones.

My friends Timo (on the left) and Nat (on the right) are currently travelling as journeymen. Timo is a blacksmith and Nat a woodworker. Timo created the blade at a forge he worked with whilst travelling and also made the stand. He found the antler at a place that he stopped for one night in Berlin and has fitted it to the blade. Even though the handle has the spikes of the antler left intact, it is incredibly comfortable to hold.

The blade is also stamped with marks. The three interlocking circles are Timo's own mark. The eye shaped motifs are traditional markings inspired by the Sami knifesmiths in Scandinavia, which are supposed to protect against bad luck. The knife's shape is also inspired by traditional Sami knives.

Nat worked the piece of copper that covers the end of the handle next to the blade. It is beautifully shaped to fit. When it was presented the blade was deliberately left blunt, as it is traditionally unlucky to give a sharp knife in case the blade cuts the friendship. 

Timo's own knife (which he also made) is similar but less ornate. It is also incredibly comfortable to use.

This was the very special moment when the knife was presented by our friends the journeymen.

Image copyright and courtesy of Ibolya Feher

The next knife is quite different, but also very beautiful. It was made by my friend Patrick Small and uses a high quality bought blade fitted to a wooden handle that he has made. 

The handle is superbly comfortable to hold and the small blade is designed for the fine shaping of small, handheld wooden sculptures. The small wooden sheath protects the blade when the knife is not in use.

I'm sure that you will agree that these knives are both stunning objects. Thank you to my friends Timo, Nat and Patrick.

Chatting with Nat and Leo: more about journeymen travelling in the German tradition

I spent some time recently with Nat and Leo, journeymen travelling in the traditional way that originated in Germany (travelling carpenters in the tradition are sometimes called 'zimmermen'). The tradition of the travelling journeyman has pretty much died out in Britain and only the name 'journeyman' gives a clue as to its origins. I  know that many people are, like me, from countries without such a system in place and are very interested in what it involves. I'd like to share with you my interpretation of what was said when we chatted about their experiences.

Clothes

When walking around town, the appearance of the journeymen got a lot of attention and several people came up and asked for photos with them, which was always met politely. They both noted that it was always appreciated when people asked them if they minded being photographed beforehand. Many people also wished to try on their hats which was met with an equally polite request please not to do so. 

The journeyman's appearance is very traditional and marks them out as people travelling for a particular reason, which must have helped in places suspicious of new faces as potential tramps or vagabonds. The coat, waistcoat and bell-bottomed trousers are very well made from tough materials and the designs are based on traditional carpenter's clothing in Germany. The bell-bottomed trousers originally stopped sawdust from going into the wearer's boots. One explanation given for the double zip is that ship's carpenters would have them to make heavy, waterlogged trousers easier to remove quickly if the worker went into the water accidentally. Many of the dress codes were formalised in the 1930s and even later, so older photos of journeymen may show slightly different styles of trouser etc. ( as in this photo from 1928).

It was a surprise to feel how heavy the coats were! The openings of the pockets are edged with leather and these details are important as these clothes must be comfortable and will get hard wear every day for the duration of the journeyman's travels; traditionally three years and a day, although this can vary between different clubs. 

Nat's corduroy clothing is black, the traditional colour for a woodworker, with red seams inside the trousers. His belt buckle is decorated with a square and dividers, showing that he is a cabinet maker and joiner.  He was wearing smart black trainers, but he explained that his boots had recently worn out and he needed this footwear only until he could buy new ones. Nat also said that his clothing caused some confusion when travelling in Jamaica, where the local police wear black trousers with red seams. He needed to explain fairly quickly to certain people on the street that he wasn't a wandering undercover cop when they saw the red seams inside his black trousers.

Different trades traditionally wear clothing in different colours: tailors wear red, woodworkers black, metalworkers blue and stone workers grey for example. Some particular trades or clubs may also wear particular combinations of colours to identify themselves, or for certain events.

Leo's is blue/grey and his belt buckle has a cog-like design, showing that he is a metalworker (his particular speciality being working on bike frames - an unusual trade for a journeyman). They wear shirts with collars tucked inside and no neckties, to show that they are free journeymen who are not tied to one of the six traditional 'guilds'. The word 'Guild' is probably the expression used most frequently to describe these groups in English but both Nat and Leo preferred the word 'club' as being more accurate in their opinion. Different 'clubs' have slightly different rules; for instance, some admit women to travel in the tradition but some don't. They pointed out that, although the rules and dress code are traditional, the original medieval guilds died out a long time ago (their existence has been threatened more recently too: travelling in this way was also banned by the Nazis because of suspected links to communism and some journeymen at that time were sent to concentration camps).

Some Other Things Carried Whilst Travelling

Apart from the traditional pack, both Nat and Leo would have had a Stenz: a distinctive twisted wooden walking stick that shows that they are journeymen. I didn't see the full-size ones because it isn't really practical to carry one at all times. On a Saturday night in the centre of a large European city, wandering around carrying a big wooden stick could quite easily get someone in a lot of trouble! However, Nat and Leo both had a smaller representation of theirs that they kept in their waistcoat pockets, while the larger version was left at the place where they were staying.

Both wear simple earrings in their left earlobes which were pierced with a nail before leaving to travel, in the traditional way. The earrings were not the elaborate ones showing insignia for their professions but were much simpler in design.

They also had a Wanderbuch each, a journal in which people who they worked for could write something at the time of their departure. You can see it wrapped in cloth and clipped to Nat's belt loop in the photo above. It serves as a record of their travels, an aid to memory and would also be stamped at the town hall in each place that they visited, to prove that they had fulfilled the conditions of their journeyman travels. Free journeymen and members of certain clubs may also get their journals filled in by people that they have stayed with but not worked for.

They would go to the town hall with their pack and Stenz on departing from each place and recite a traditional speech in German before getting the stamp. Unfortunately, Bristol isn't used to travelling journeymen and the town hall didn't have such a stamp!

Their belongings are wrapped in square cloths, called 'Charlies'. This is short for 'Charlottenberger'. The origin of the name was explained to me as dating from the time of the plague. As the Black Death swept across Europe, travelling journeymen entering the town of Charlottenberg were given cloths to wrap their belongings in, as these were easier to keep clean and so prevent the disease from spreading. 

One thing that neither of them carries is a mobile phone or other electronic communications device. I suppose that not having one must give less distraction from existing in the present and in the place where you are, as well as being one less valuable thing to worry about losing or getting stolen. It must also particularly help to give focus on travelling in the early days of the journey, when the temptation for friends and family to contact someone undertaking their journeyman years must be very strong. It did, however, make organising meeting up quite tricky occasionally! 

Travelling in the Tradition

Nat and Leo set out as journeymen separately and were travelling together for a bit before inevitably heading their separate ways. Both had been travelling for longer than the minimum three years and a day by this point. I asked Nat how he would know when the time came to finish his wandering years.

Was there a set point, or was it up to him?

He said that he would travel 'in the tradition' until he knew that it was time to stop. He had already travelled to Japan, Canada, Jamaica and around Europe. Perhaps he would decide to settle because he needed a permanent workshop, perhaps for another reason. Some journeymen continue to travel around after finishing their Wandergeselle years, they just don't do it following some of the ways of the tradition.

Traditionally, a journeyman could apprentice themselves to a master craftsman and would study with them until they were ready to make a 'master piece'. If this was good enough, they would be accepted as a master craftsman and only then did they have the right to open their own workshop. Nowadays, many people do not follow this route as it is very expensive and the power of the guilds to enforce it has diminished.

Leo had travelled around Europe and to Jamaica, where he could explore the reggae music that he likes a lot. He said that it took a year of travelling before he really started to understand what the rules governing behaviour, dress and other aspects of the life of a travelling journeyman actually meant.

The traditional dress and rules were very, very important to both Nat and Leo. They did seem to mark them out and got a lot of attention. The life of a travelling journeyman doesn't seem like it is always an easy one and the reputation earned by previous visiting journeymen is vital when trying to find work and contacts in a new town. Both Nat and Leo understood how important their behaviour was to those who might follow them along this path. One particularly important trait is honesty and keeping your word, which seems like a good point of view for any serious craftsperson.

When two journeymen drink together, they don't clink glasses together in the way that is common in Europe. This tradition began as a way of exchanging a little of the liquid in each cup, to prove that there was no poison added to either of them. Journeymen don't need to prove their honour to each other and so they look at each other and tap the drinking vessels against the table instead.

People travelling in the tradition aren't allowed to own their own transport and traditionally they would travel by foot or hitchhike to the next destination.

Setting out to Travel

Nat is Danish and was introduced to travelling in the tradition by a German journeyman. He had to learn about what the tradition meant before setting out and also had to learn more of the language, since this tradition is a German one. Only one of the six clubs has connections to Denmark and Nat felt that travelling as a free journeyman felt like the right path for him, so that was the route he chose.

When they set out, each of them carried five euros (it was originally five deutschmarks in pre-euro days). They must return home after their travels with the same amount, no more. They have to fund themselves on their travels by finding work and must be unmarried, childless and debt-free when they start out. They cannot use the tradition to run away from responsibilities at home.

When they set out, Nat and Leo climbed over the signs for their hometowns and cannot return within 50km of them for three years and a day (unless there are certain specific reasons, like an immediate relative becoming dangerously ill). When they complete their travels, they will climb over the signs again to show that the wandering has ended. When Nat set out, the person who had introduced him to the tradition came with him for a while to ensure that he understood what he needed to do. 
(I was there when Nat finished his journeyman years and have written about it here.)

 It may be worth saying here that the clubs maintaining the tradition of the travelling journeyman are definitely not secret societies and have no particular religious or political agendas that I'm aware of. One drunken person on the street did ask loudly if Nat and Leo were Jewish- I suppose that he mistook their clothes and hats for those worn by an orthodox Jew! Other journeymen have told me that the same thing has happened to them.

Paragraph Eleven

I had seen this on various items that the journeymen had with them and wondered what it meant. 

It was explained to me that a long time ago laws were passed prohibiting journeymen from meeting unless for a celebration (with drinking). At this time, it was not uncommon for confrontations between different guilds to occur and so this may have been an attempt to prevent such trouble. The specific section allowing gatherings with drinking for celebrations was paragraph(shown using §, the symbol for 'section' or 'paragraph') eleven. 

Nowadays, §11 on display shows travelling journeymen that they are welcome.

More information

If you are interested in this subject, there is more about the tradition of the travelling journeyman as well as some links to other online resources on another post, which you can go to by clicking on this link.

It was great meeting Nat and Leo and thanks to them for sharing their time and knowledge with me. Thanks also to Timon, Steifen, Viktor, Erdmann, Hansen, Jul, Achim, Arnold and Ryki for doing the same.

Safe travels to all of you.