Beaumarais

Kirchturmuhr aus Beaumarais

History

The church clock was in use between 1885 and 1974 in the parish church of Beaumarais (district of Saarlouis). It was donated by Mr. Henry de Galhau together with two bells and the belfry (sign on the back wall). The clock has a quarter-hour strike on the left, an hour strike on the right and the movement in the middle. While the watch is being wound, a special device ensures that the flow of energy to the movement is maintained. Otherwise, the interruption would have a negative effect on the accuracy. The watch has a hook escapement (with a slight return). The clock was restored in 1992 by Bettina Rhoden on the occasion of the 300th anniversary of the Beaumarais church.

Ungerer

Family Ungerer

In 1885 the clock was built by the Ungerer Frères company (formerly Schwilgué). Jean-Baptiste Schwilgué came to Strasbourg in 1827 and joined a company that manufactured weighbridges. At his suggestion, the product range was expanded to include tower clocks, among other things. In 1838 he was commissioned to restart the minster's astronomical clock. He founded a joint stock company and gave the Ungerer brothers the management of the workshop. Schwilgué decided not to repair the old clock and instead built a new movement with a number of mechanical innovations. For example, he built the church computer he had invented, a finely calculated wheelwork that indicates the moving festivals of the year, especially Easter Sunday, for all times. He also built a gear milling machine on the necessary tools, on which the 10 millionth part of the circle can be read, and a calculating machine. The cathedral clock was inaugurated on Silversternacht in 1842. After his death, Albert and Theodor Ungerer succeeded him. A grandson of Theodor (also a Theodor) planned and built the largest astronomical clock in the world in the Cathedral of Messina in Sicily. The great-grandson Tomi Ungerer became just as world-famous as Schwilgué, albeit as a graphic artist and writer.