Shoemaker’s lane

General information:

After a little calculation, you’ll be astounded: In 1845, Heide had approximately 5,396 inhabitants. Among them were 158 master shoemakers with 166 journeymen. If you assume – as we believe today – that one quarter of the inhabitants pursued a profession, then an unbelievable 24 % belonged to the profession of shoemaker.

So much concentrated expertise earned its tribute: The statue of a shoemaker boy at the beginning of the historic centre lane commemorates that in the middle of the 19th century, the “Schuhmacherort” was a street of craftsmen in which primarily shoemakers and tanners practised their trade.

The bronze sculpture was made by the painter and sculptor Siegfried J. Assmann in 1984. With his authentic depiction of a shoemaker boy, the artist illustrated how typical shoemaking activities were once carried out as real “handicraft”. Today, machines have largely taken over this work, such as the manual connection of the sole with a cobbler’s hammer, as shown here. The artist’s other works are also well worth a visit: St George’s Fountain, the sculpture at the water tower, People (1978) in front of the Employment Agency and the Hahnbeermann (2015) in Süderstrasse.

The heart of the old town has changed massively in recent years. It is now a lively blend of service and retail, with pubs, bars and restaurants – the perfect opportunity to linger a while over a drink or a bite to eat!