Klopotec

Klopotec inPavla Vas,Lower Carniola(Slovenia)

Aklopotec(pronounced[klɔˈpɔːtəts]) is a wooden mechanical device on a high wooden pole, similar to awindmill.It is used as abird scarerin thevineyardsof traditional wine-growing landscapes ofSlovenia,Austria,andCroatia.It is one of the symbols of Slovenia andStyria.

The windmill in theSlovene Hillstypically has four blades, and inHalozesix blades,driving an axis with asailor vane that is constructed to swivel so it is always positioned perpendicular to the wind. As the axis rotates, woodenhammersare lifted off their resting position by fixed notches. As they fall back, they rhythmically impact on awooden board.While the quality of the sound is dependent on the wood of which the hammers and sounding boards are made, the rattle frequency depends on the number of hammers, as well as changes in wind speed.

The device is used primarily to scarestarlingsand other birds off the vineyards so that they do not peck grapes. Afolk beliefalso states that klopotecs drivesnakesfrom the vineyards and soften grapes. InCatholicfolk musicof its region of origin, it is sometimes combined with anorgan stopand used as a rural church instrument (e.g. inGleisdorfparish church).

Name

The device has many names. InSloveneit is calledklopotecand in some dialectsklapoc.Both words derive fromklopotati,that is to produce cut off, rhythmic sounds. InGermanit is calledWindradl;ever increasing is the use of the wordKlapotetzand alsoKlapotez.In English it could be described as abird-scaring rattle,awind-rattleor awind-clapper.

History

Although a local historian fromMariborclaims that the device appeared inHalozeand inZagorjealready in the 16th century, nothing particular is known about its origin. An educated guess has been made that it developed during the period of theEnlightenment.According to the most plausible theory held by the majority ofethnologists,including the German ethnologistLeopold Kretzenbacher,the bird-scaring rattle is of Slovene origin. Another theory claims that it was first used in the 18th century in the fields by the French.

The first written mentions of klopotec date to the second half of the 18th century, whereas its oldest depictions date to the first half of the 19th century. The device is also mentioned in the oldest Slovene social poem,Lamentation of a Winedresser,written in 1797 byLeopold Volkmer.Archduke Johann of Austria(1782–1859), the youngest brother of the lastHoly Roman EmperorFrancis II,had it in his vineyard in 1836.

Still earlier than this, however, is the mention of the Klappermühle in German writings from at least the 16th century, which could signify either a true millintentionally designed to scare birds away especially from fruit trees, or a smaller windmill-like device similar to the klopotec.

Construction

SchloßbergKlapotetz(19 m, 25 tons)

DemmerkogelKlapotetz(16 m, 6 tons)

World's largest klopotec

A klopotec consists of different parts, each of which should (ideally) be made of a specific type of wood to produce a fine and melodic sound. The wood of hammers and of the board is especially important, as only the right combination enables that the device produces theultrasoundthat scares the birds away. The parts are:

• stolček(block) - holds theaxle;made from ahardwood(e.g.chestnut,oakorash).
• kvaka(axle) - holes are drilled into it and hammers ormaclekiare attached onto it.
• macleki(hammers) - should be set up in such a way that only one of them strikes at a time. The best wood isbeechwood,but some other types of wood can be used.
• deska(board) - macleki strike against it; made fromchestnutorcherry.
• viličice(pl.;littleforks) - hold macleki; made from oak orbeech.
• verižica(chainlet) - the board is hanged on it.
• rep(tail) - enables the rattle to turn with the wind; made from the sprigs of the oak,pineor other tree, as by these species the leaves remain attached for the longest time. Also an old broom can be used as a tail.
• vetrnica(sail) - rotates in the wind and transfers the rotation onto the axle; made frompoplarorfirwood. The sail from the Slovene Hills has four blades, while the one from Haloze has six blades and the one from the Austrian Styria has eight blades.
• zavora(brake) - part of especially large rattles; prevents them from stopping in a forceful wind.

The largest construction of this type in a natural setting stands in theSausalmountain range, near the summit of theDemmerkogel.It is 16 meters high, and its moving parts mass 3.4 metric tons. Each of the eight hammers weighs 40 kilograms.

Tradition

The klopotec is most frequently heard in the transnational region from SouthwestStyria(e.g., theSausalmountain range and theWeinstraße) to Eastern Slovenia: theSlovene Hills,HalozeandPrlekija(of which it is a symbol), less frequently inLower CarniolaandWhite Carniola.It is also found in Southwestern Slovenia, in theLittoral Regionand in Croatia'sZagorjeregion. These areas traditionally produce white wines.

Traditionally such rattles have been set up on 25 July (Feast of Saint James)or on 15 August (Assumption Day), but also on any day in between. They have usually been taken down after the vintage till 1 November (All Saints Day), but no later than on 11 November (Feast ofSaint Martin). If a husbandman forgets to take it down, the youth from the village can steal it and leave a message about the ransom that he must pay to get it back.

Some of these bird-rattle devices are ornamented with small carvedfigurines.The traditional types which are made solely from wood are becoming more and more rare, as they are getting replaced by devices with metal elements.

Motif

• ThePost of Sloveniaissued a stamp worth 13Slovenian tolarsin 1997 featuring klopotec. The stamp was a part of the collectionSlovenija - Evropa v malem( "Slovenia - Europe in Miniature" ).
• One of the meetings of Slovenianfolk musiciansthat happens annually is calledVeseli klopotec( "Happy Klopotec" ).
• TheSlovenian Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers for the Protection of Copyright(SAZAS) yearly confers theZlati klopotec( "Golden Klopotec" ) award to the author of the best popular song in aSlovene dialectfor that year.

External links

• A web page of the Post of Slovenia- general information about the stamp and a description of the device in English.
• http:// stampsoftheworld.co.uk/wiki/Austria_1990_Scenic_Beauties_in_Austriafor a 1990 stamp of Austria