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Zeitler / Zeidler / Zeidlerei comes from the old German word 'zeideln' meant to 'cut honey' -- presumably the honeycomb.

The gathering of honey has gone on since stone age times, but the Zeidlerei was the Profession of collecting honey from wild or semi-wild bees -- not the domesticated honey bees of today's Beekeepers.

It was not an easy job as can be seen in these images. They sought out trees with holes in them or cut into living trees and in those days, the bees were killed in the process. It was not until much later that the life cycle of the honey bee was understood and the honey could be harvested without harm to the bees.

This profession has been proven to exist since the early Middle Ages - 959 in Bavaria near Grabenstaett.

Other important locations of honey gathering were the areas in the Fichtelgebirge (an area in NE Bavaria between the towns of Hof und Weiden) and in the woods around Nuremberg, as well as the area of Berlin.

Honey was an important ingredient to the Nuremberg gingerbread production and the forests there were named the Holy Roman Empire's Bee Garden.

The Zeidler formed guilds with certain right customs and jurisdiction granted by emperor Karl IV from the year 1350. (the original document lies in Bavarian public records in Munich). They even established their own garb - a green overcoat and long pointed hat as pictured on the central figure above and the color rendition below.

But the Zeidler had to supply the emperor and deliver a certain amount of wax per year to the steps of the Stefans cathedral in Vienna. Since this Emperor's privilege was never waived, it theoretically still applies today.

In the 10th century, honey was the only sweetener to be had, as well as providing wax for candles, royal jelly and medicinal propolis. Wax then became the main product sought, especially when sugar beets supplanted the sweeteners used.

In the description of a new Benedictine monastery Michelfeld built in 1119, it was mentioned that 60 Zeidler were employed to supply honey and wax.

" Die Bienenzucht oder Zeidlerei war in jener Zeit viel weiter verbreitet als heute, denn Wachs zur Kerzenherstellung und Honig zum Süßen waren für unsere Vorfahren  von gro­ßer  Bedeutung. So arbeiteten im Veldensteiner Forst fast fünf Dutzend Bienenwärter oder Zeidler, verteilt auf eigene Zeidelweiden."

 

References
http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zeidlerei
http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fichtelgebirge

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