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Wernigerode, Germany

Wolf-Dieter Wittig & Carolin Stolze

Atelierschmiede Harz
Blacksmith

A modern take on blacksmithing

  • Carolin and Wolf-Dieter merge tradition with modern design in their forged pieces
  • Their workshop is also their home
  • For this couple and creative duo, collaboration fuels their creativity

At Atelierschmiede Harz, blacksmiths Wolf-Dieter Wittig and Carolin Stolze combine artistry and tradition with modern techniques. Both artisans have a deep and diverse educational background ranging from fine arts to architecture, metalworking, and even business management. This diversity is reflected in their work, which revolves around craftsmanship rooted in history, while at the same time integrating ancient techniques and contemporary design. Wolf-Dieter and Carolin chose their path after creating a list of what they did not want in life, and blacksmithing emerged as their calling. "It is a craft that combines the freedom to express ourselves, with the joy of creating functional, beautiful art," says Wolf-Dieter. "Blacksmithing is more than a craft – it is a way of life," adds Carolin. After working at different workshop locations, they are now based in a historic freight depot in the Harz Mountains in Central Germany, where they have set up both home and workshop.


Interview

©Atelierschmiede Harz
©Atelierschmiede Harz
What is your educational background?
Our background includes fine arts, architecture, and business studies, as well as hands-on training in metalworking, blacksmithing, and restoration.
Why did you choose blacksmithing as a career?
Blacksmithing uniquely combines art, architecture, craftsmanship, history, and philosophy, which makes it the perfect blend of everything we love. By integrating historical techniques with modern aesthetics, we create designs that honour the past while remaining relevant.
What does your workshop look like?
We live and work in a former freight depot, built in 1876, which we have been renovating for 18 years. It houses our small office and a 500 m² workshop, with six forges, historic and modern machines, a piano, an old crane track and a view of Mount Brocken.
What is a well made object to you?
It is a building or a room that does not impose itself onto the viewer, that has a function and that is durable. The aesthetic captures the viewer without them being able to immediately say why. This, for us, is applied art.
Wolf-Dieter Wittig & Carolin Stolze are expert artisans: they began their career in 1998 and they started teaching in 1998

Where


Wolf-Dieter Wittig & Carolin Stolze

Address: Feldstrasse 12, 38855, Wernigerode, Germany
Hours: By appointment only
Phone: +49 3943557373
Languages: German, English, Italian
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