Overview
- The annual Deutscher Mühlentag saw hundreds of wind, water and motor mills open to the public, with guided tours, craft demonstrations, music and food offered across Sachsen‑Anhalt, Sachsen and Thüringen.
- Organizers reported strong crowds, noting more than 1,000 visitors at the Bockwindmühle in Kottmarsdorf and large turnouts at Eystrup, Schwabsoien and other local festivals.
- On Pentecost Monday (May 25) several mills ran their historic machinery for visitors, including the 1909 waterwheel at the Steinmühle in Schorbach, while some sites could not operate equipment because of low wind or other limits.
- Local volunteer associations ran most events and used the day to show restoration needs, explain how mill mechanisms work and raise money for costly upkeep of gears, sails, wheels and building fabric.
- The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Mühlenkunde und Mühlenerhaltung coordinated the national program and organizers said the turnout may boost local tourism and fundraising but underlined that long‑term preservation will require sustained funding and volunteer support.