Obituary of the only brickmaker in Schleswig-Holstein

On 14 January 2025, Heinrich Adolf “Polly” Pollmann, for 46 years owner and managing director of the Blomesche Wildnis brickworks in Glückstadt, died at the age of 75. With him ends the history of independent brick production in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany.

Born into a family of brickmakers on 7 May 1949, his father’s brickworks was his playground and his early enthusiasm for brickmaking was a lifelong influence. Throughout his life, everything that had to do with brick production was to him more joy than work.

Heinrich Pollmann went to the state brickmaking school - Landshut School of Engineering. There he not only acquired a degree as an engineer for heavy clay ceramics, but also made contacts with fellow students that lasted a lifetime.

At his father’s request, he returned in 1973 and took over the brickworks. The condition he imposed was that the ring kiln used until then was replaced by a modern tunnel kiln.

Heinrich Pollmann focussed production and product selection on cooperation with architects and building owners. He took customer wishes seriously and developed customised, high-quality products made of marsh clay. In this way, he succeeded in turning a comparatively small factory with an annual production of six to seven million bricks into a profitable supplier of premium bricks. Heinrich Pollmann was the only brickmaker in Schleswig-Holstein to enjoy long-term success in this market niche. Of 13 brickworks in Schleswig-Holstein in 1975, only Blomesche Wildnis remained. This achievement is closely linked to Heinrich Pollmann himself.

Brickmaking was his passion. He personally took care of everything from technology and production to fault clearance and night shifts. He was curious and constantly tried out innovations and ideas to keep the plant technically up to date and improve performance.

The quality of his products was as important to him as the customer satisfaction. He put a lot of work and effort into this himself. This not only affected production, but also the merging of special assortments.

Heinrich Pollmann was very approachable and cordial towards people. He greeted everyone without distinction with the words: “Come in, my friend”. To many he offered his nickname Polly. To his employees he was a strict but open-minded boss. Unusually for the industry, he promoted female employees and gave them commercial and technical responsibility.

He enjoyed the peace and quiet in his limited free time. He found the greatest distraction in football/soccer, especially at Hamburger SV matches.

Independence as an entrepreneur was very important to him. At the same time, he was very co-operative. His brickmaking colleagues were happy to seek his advice and he liked to share his wealth of experience with them.

In 2019, at the age of 70 and without a family successor, Heinrich Pollmann decided to sell the plant to the Belgian brick company Vandersanden. In January 2023, the only brickworks in Schleswig-Holstein was finally shut down.

The brick industry will remember Heinrich “Polly” Pollmann as a passionate and humane brickmaker.