Brandroster is a district in the Refrath district of Bergisch Gladbach, which has developed from several estates. The place name "Brandroster" indicates that charcoal burning was carried out in the area around today's housing estate in earlier times. Street names such as "Am Meiler", "Am Köhler" and "Köhlerweg" take up the historical importance of charcoal burning in the northwestern area of Refrath and are reminiscent of the old trade. In the Topographia Ducatus Montani (map of Ploennies, Blatt Amt Porz, 1715) a farm "Brandbrüder" is listed. In the topographical map of Westphalen (map by Le Coq, approx. 1796-1805), the tranchot map of 1824, the original Prussian survey of 1840 and the new Prussian survey of 1892, the place is regularly listed as a "brand roster" or without a name (cf. map views).
The designation "Brandroster" is one of the oldest Refrather corridor designations. As early as 1827, the name was mentioned in the original cadastre for corridor VI. The name is made up of the Middle High German words "brant" (firebrand, burning piece of wood) and "rust" (to roast). The term is therefore directly related to the charcoal industry, i.e. the extraction of charcoal from charcoal piles. A charcoal kiln consisted of stacked logs that were covered to achieve slow charring. In fact, it has been handed down that the fire grate was the domain of the charcoal burners. Wood used to be abundant in the area. The forest consisted mainly of oak and beech. The charcoal burners of the Middle Ages sold the charcoal they had won under the name "Brandroest", among other things to the Bensberg Castle, and later to the new castle. The chefs of the Counts of Berg had "Brandroest" made for the castle kitchen. With the beginning of mining in the region at the beginning of the 16th century, the "Brandroest" gained increasing importance for ore processing. Charcoal was also used to make black powder in the 17th century. This was needed, among other things, in domestic mining, e.g. B. in the pits in nearby Königsforst.
A half-timbered house with today's house number 29 has been preserved from the former estates at Brandroster. It is a so-called split of the Schierlsgut. However, the Schierlsgut was in a different place and was probably an inn on an old road connecting Bensberg to Mülheim. The street name "Bensberger Marktweg", which connects to the "Brandroster", is a reminder of this today. In front of house number 29, the Refrath citizens' and local history association has put up a sign that provides information about the history of the "Brandroster". This is where the settlement core of the small "Brandruster village community" came into being, which has been developing since the 18th century in particular. At that time, six estates were managed on the "Brandruster". In 1810 the settlement had only about 40 inhabitants. The register of 1828 already lists 12 buildings. In 1905, 19 residential buildings with 86 inhabitants are listed.
At the end of the Second World War, the Brandroster street played a role as a means of access to the center of Refrath: On April 12, 1945, an American unit pushed through the Brandroster to the quarry, initially getting stuck in the dead end of half a morning. About 40 German soldiers were captured. The following day, this unit combined with troops coming from the Lustheide and occupied Refrath.
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