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What is a winemaker-bangard ?
In the 15th century, vineyards and wines enjoyed a tremendous success.
Because of the importance of Thann's vineyards, the town's magistrate
created the job of the Bangard, an honorary position reserved for the
town's bourgeois to watch over the vines, fields and forests and protect
the precious harvest.
To become a Bangard, you had to have the right of the bourgeoisie. Every
bourgeois of Thann who wanted an important job within the council had
to sacrifice a year of his life to the community by volunteering as a
Bangard.
The elected Bangard swears an oath in front of the council, promising
to loyally guard the land; he leaves his family an lives in a shared residence
with three other Bangards in an isolated cabin in the middle of the vineyard.
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The 4 Bangards were chosen from four members of different corporations.
And it was at this time that the corporation of winemakers was born.
The Bangard had to loyally guard the vineyard and inform the authorities
of anything that could help the town and serve general interests. Furthermore,
he had to scrupulously make sure that no one caused any damage, stole grapes
or fruits or started a fire in the forests. It was up to him to make sure
that any cattle crossing the town did so without the forests, fields and
vines suffering.
The Bangard also had to take care of the pathways. To accomplish this task,
he would retire to the "Cabane des Bangards" on the outskirts
of the town to make sure that the pathways were clear until the end of the
harvest. At the end of his yearly mandate, he would sculpt a stone and then
paint a wooden panel upon which he would declare the end of his mission.
On this pannel, you would always find the same text: "We have kept
our oath, night and day."
These panels are marvellous proof of our heritage, a geunine chronicle of
days gone by. They are rich with information. In the beginning, the Bangards
only engraved their name, their corporation shield and their year of mandate.
Then little by little, the panels became increasingly filled with religious
illustrations, recommendations to god and comments on their mission.
 The
last of the Bangards became genuine little works of art. The texts speak
of the harsh conditions of the time, the war and claims of peace, difficult
weather, and also general events.
This is how we know that in 1719, a drought dried out the prairies and the
vines. In 1739, wine was abundant. On 1st August 1750, a hailstorm provoked
land and rock slides. the following year, the grapes looked very promising
in August, but the harvest was mediocre. In 1760, 50 litres of wine was
sold for 3 pounds, when in 1739 it was worth 9 pounds!
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