Carl Adolf Gottlob von Schachmann @museum.de

When there were no cameras, there was a need for skilled draughtsmen and women who had enough patience to sit outside in wind and weather and paint, or at least draw, the landscape. Carl Adolf Gottlob von Schachmann was one of these draughtsmen. He wrote a small book that was published in 1780. In it, he shows us the most beautiful rock formations from the Königshain mountains of his time.

Carl - Adolf - Gottlob - who has a name like that? Wasn't one name enough for the child?

Ah, take a closer look at the name. Carl - Adolf - Gottlob was called VON Schachmann. That means he was a nobleman. Noble children come from old ruling families. The fact that they are still given several first names today has to do with the fact that they also bear the names of their ancestors, for example their fathers, grandfathers, mothers and grandmothers. In this way, noble children carry their origins in their first names and surnames.

I was surprised, because the workers here only ever had one name: Klaus or Erwin or Franz. And that's it.

Yes, that was enough. If you wanted to speak Klaus, it didn't matter whether he was the son of Adolf or Gottlob. It's different in aristocratic families. It has to be clear which clan you belong to. But shut up now. I want to hear what was going on with VON Schachenmann.

Carl Adolf Gottlob was supposed to become a soldier, an officer or captain, just like his father. But the boy preferred to study and travel. He managed to do just that, traveling the world, and when he returned to Königshain, he had new ideas in his luggage. He freed the farmers on his estate from year-round labor. In this way, they were able to farm for themselves and were healthier and happier. He also brought the first skilled stonemasons to Königshain. He was also interested in music, science and literature. Or he hiked in the Königshain mountains, where he sketched the massive granite rocks.