La Garance à Pfaffenhoffen

Dates: spring to early autumn Location: in front of the entrance to the Musée de l'Image Populaire Do you know madder? It's the dyer's madder, Rubia tinctorum L. It's a perennial plant in the Rubiaceae family that was widely cultivated for the red dye extracted from its rhizomes, which contain alizarin and purpurin (which give fabrics a beautiful red color). Why plant madder in front of the Musée de l'Image Populaire? Thanks to madder, Pfaffenhoffen and the surrounding area enjoyed exceptional economic activity, from the beginning of the 18th century to the third quarter of the same century(1). The plant was cultivated throughout the region, from Hochfelden to Haguenau, and delivered green or dried to Pfaffenhoffen, which became a major trading center for madder. There were a considerable number of dryers. But dried madder delivery also meant madder trading. In 1854, there were still 8 madder dryers. Madder was used to dye sheets red. From the Second Empire onwards, the French army purchased a large proportion of these cloths for the manufacture of military pants(2). The defeat of 1870 dealt a terrible blow to this branch of local industry and commerce(3). But it was less brutal than for madder drying and trading, since they also dyed hemp and woollen stockings, and used lignite blue(4). Today, all that remains of this activity are place names such as Rotaegerle or Rotdaerre (madder fields, madder dryers) in Pfaffenhoffen and Niedermodern. (1) Jean Vogt, "La garance dans la région de Pfaffenhoffen", in S.H.A.S., 1993, IV, page 45. (2) François Lotz, "Histoire d'une petite ville d'Alsace Pfaffenhoffen", page 199. (3) Cf Georges Klein, "Industrie locales et métiers disparus", in S.H.A.S., 1956, 3rdand 4th quarters, p. 74. (4) On blue fabric printing, see G. Klein, op. cit.