View source for Lachter

{{italic title}}
{{Infobox unit
|standard= [[History of measurement|old weights and measures]]
|name= Lachter
|symbol= Lr. or ° <ref>Frank, Manfred: Die Alpirsbacher und Reinerzauer Erzgänge im Württembergischen Schwarzwald. In: Württembergische Jahrbücher für Statistik und Landeskunde, 1951/52, p. 117-150, here p. 117.</ref>
|units1= [[SI derived unit]]s
|inunits1 = {{val|2|0.1|u=m}}
|unit of= [[length]]
|dim= <math>l</math>
|namedafter= 
|derivedfrom= 
|seealso= 
|physicalsize= 
|size= 
|cgs= 
|esE= 
|emE=
}}

The '''''lachter''''' (also '''''Berglachter''''') was a common unit of length used in the [[mining]] industry in Europe, usually to measure depth, tunnel driving and the size of mining fields; it was also used for contract work. In most German-speaking mining fields it was the most important unit of length.

A ''lachter'' was roughly equal to the amount which a man could contain within his outstretched arms. It was thus similar to the ''[[klafter]]'' (ca. {{convert|1.8|m|ft|2|abbr=on|disp=or}}), but was usually rather larger.

The lachter was - with regional differences - subdivided into ''Achtel'' (also called a ''Spann'', ''Gräpel'' or ''Gröbel''), (''Lachter)Zoll'', ''Primen'' (or ''Prinen'') and ''Sekunden'':

* 1 ''lachter'' = 8 ''Spann'' = 80 (''Lachter)Zoll'' = 800 ''Primen'' = 8,000 ''Sekunden''

In the 19th century a [[decimal|decimal system]] of subdivision was established:

* 1 ''lachter'' = 10 ''Lachterfuß'' = 100 ''Lachterzoll'' = 1,000 ''Lachterlinien''

Like other units of measure, the ''lachter'' varied in length depending on the region, but there could also be differences in length within the same region. In addition there could also be differences between various mining fields within a territory. The specification and use of conversion tables only makes sense if it is known for certain, where and at which times the values were valid. Some examples:

{| class="wikitable sortable" 
|- class="hintergrundfarbe5"
!colspan="3"|Some kinds of ''Lachter''
|-
! Region
! Length of 1 ''Lachter''<br> in m (ft)
! Remarks
|-
| [[Altenberg (Ore Mountains)]]
| style="text-align: center" | {{convert|1.9851|m|ft|abbr=on|lk=on}}
|
|-
| [[Anhalt-Köthen]]
| style="text-align: center" | {{convert|2.0410|m|ft|abbr=on}}
| Harzgerode ''Lachter''
|-
| [[Annaberg-Buchholz|Annaberg]]
| style="text-align: center" | {{convert|1.9826|m|ft|abbr=on}}
|
|-
| [[Grand Duchy of Baden|Baden]] (to 1827)<ref name="Metz, Rudolf 1977">Metz, Rudolf: Mineralogisch-Landeskundliche Wanderungen im Nordschwarzwald. 2nd ed., Lahr 1977, p. 597.</ref>
| style="text-align: center" | {{convert|2.25|m|ft|2|abbr=on}}
|= 7.5 old Baden feet (''[[German obsolete units of measurement#Fuß (foot)|Fuß]]'')
|-
| [[Grand Duchy of Baden|Baden]] (from 1827)<ref name="Metz, Rudolf 1977"/>
| style="text-align: center" | {{convert|2.99|m|ft|2|abbr=on}}
|= 10 new Baden feet
|-
| [[Bavaria]]
| style="text-align: center" | {{convert|1.9705|m|ft|2|abbr=on}}
|
|-
| [[Bayreuth]]
| style="text-align: center" | {{convert|2.0354|m|ft|abbr=on}}
| equal to 80 Bayreuth inches (''Zoll'')
|-
| [[Berchtesgaden]]
| style="text-align: center" | {{convert|1.7512|m|ft|abbr=on}}
| equalt to 6 feet
|-
| [[Bohemia]]
| style="text-align: center" | {{convert|2.3805|m|ft|abbr=on}}
| equal to 4 ells (''Ellen'')
|-
| [[Duchy of Brunswick|Brunswick]]
| style="text-align: center" | {{convert|1.9198|m|ft|abbr=on}}
|
|-
| [[Clausthal-Zellerfeld|Clausthal]]
| style="text-align: center" | {{convert|1.9238|m|ft|abbr=on}}
|
|-
| [[Eisleben]]
| style="text-align: center" | {{convert|2.0111|m|ft|abbr=on}}
|
|-
| [[Freiberg, Saxony|Freiberg]]
| style="text-align: center" | {{convert|1.9426|m|ft|abbr=on}}
| Old Freiberg ''Lachter''
|-
| [[Kingdom of Hanover|Hanover]]
| style="text-align: center" | {{convert|1.9198|m|ft|abbr=on}} 
|
|-
| [[Idrija]] ([[Carniola]])
| style="text-align: center" | {{convert|1.957|m|ft|abbr=on}}
| 6 Idrian feet
|-
| [[Jáchymov|Joachimsthal]] (today: Jáchymov)
| style="text-align: center" | {{convert|1.918|m|ft|abbr=on}}
|
|-
| [[Johanngeorgenstadt]]
| style="text-align: center" | {{convert|1.9811|m|ft|abbr=on}}
|
|-
| [[Kronach]]
| style="text-align: center" | {{convert|2.1270|m|ft|abbr=on}}
| equal to 7 Nuremberg feet<ref>Nürnberg. In: Heinrich August Pierer, Julius Löbe (Hrsg.): Universal-Lexikon der Gegenwart und Vergangenheit. 4th ed. Vol. 12, Altenburg, 1861, p. 159–161 (Online at zeno.org, accessed on 22 March 2010). Quote: ''"town foot of 12 inches of 12 ''Linien'' = {{convert|303.975|mm|in|lk=on}}"''</ref>
|-
| [[Lippe-Detmold]]
| style="text-align: center" | {{convert|2.3161|m|ft|abbr=on}}
|
|-
| [[Marienberg, Saxony|Marienberg]]
| style="text-align: center" | {{convert|1.9849|m|ft|abbr=on}}
|
|-
| [[Hesse-Nassau|Nassau]]
| style="text-align: center" | {{convert|2.0924|m|ft|abbr=on}}
|
|-
| [[Austria]]
| style="text-align: center" | {{convert|1.8965|m|ft|abbr=on}}
| 1 ''Berglachter'' = 6 shoes (''Schuh'')
|-
| [[Prussia]]
| style="text-align: center" | {{convert|2.092|m|ft|abbr=on}}
| 80 Prussian inches (''Zoll'')
|-
| [[Kingdom of Saxony|Saxony]]
| style="text-align: center" | {{convert|1.98233|m|ft|abbr=on}}<br>{{convert|2.00000|m|ft|abbr=on}}
| until 1830: 7 Dresden or Saxon feet<br />from 1830: defined to be exactly {{convert|2|m|ft|2}}. 
|-
| [[Schemnitz]] (today: Banská Štiavnica)
| style="text-align: center" | {{convert|2.022|m|ft|abbr=on}}
|
|-
| [[Silesia]]
| style="text-align: center" | {{convert|1.9202|m|ft|abbr=on}}
|
|-
| [[County of Tyrol|Tyrol]] (1769-1809 and after 1815)<ref>Rottleuthner, Wilhelm: Die alten Localmasse und Gewichte nebst den Aichungsvorschriften bis zur Einführung des metrischen Mass- und Gewichtssystems und der Staatsaichämter in Tirol und Vorarlberg. Universitätsverlag Wagner: Innsbruck, 1883, p. 14-22.</ref>
| style="text-align: center" | {{convert|1.8949|m|ft|abbr=on}}
|= Viennese ''Klafter''
|-
| [[County of Tyrol|Tyrol]]: Innsbruck (before 1769)<ref>Rottleuthner, Wilhelm: Die alten Localmasse und Gewichte nebst den Aichungsvorschriften bis zur Einführung des metrischen Mass- und Gewichtssystems und der Staatsaichämter in Tirol und Vorarlberg. Universitätsverlag Wagner: Innsbruck, 1883, p. 16 & 130.</ref>
| style="text-align: center" | {{convert|2.005|m|ft|abbr=on}}
|= 6 Tyrolean feet = 72 Tyrolean inches
|-
| [[County of Tyrol|Tyrol]]: Kitzbühl (1747)<ref name="Rottleuthner, Wilhelm 1883">Rottleuthner, Wilhelm: Die alten Localmasse und Gewichte nebst den Aichungsvorschriften bis zur Einführung des metrischen Mass- und Gewichtssystems und der Staatsaichämter in Tirol und Vorarlberg. Universitätsverlag Wagner: Innsbruck, 1883, p. 32.</ref>
| style="text-align: center" | {{convert|1.78|m|ft|2|abbr=on}}
|= 64 Tyrolean inches
|-
| [[County of Tyrol|Tyrol]]: Schwaz<ref name="Rottleuthner, Wilhelm 1883"/>
| style="text-align: center" | {{convert|1.75|m|ft|2|abbr=on}}
|= 63 Tyrolean inches
|-
| [[Württemberg]]
| style="text-align: center" | {{convert|2.0054|m|ft|abbr=on}}
|= 7 Württemberg feet
|}

A ''Lachterschnur'' was an oiled, 10–12 ''Lachter'' long cord, used as a measuring device.

== See also ==
* [[List of human-based units of measure]]
* [[List of obsolete units of measurement]]
* [[Obsolete Austrian units of measurement]]
* [[Obsolete German units of measurement]]

== References ==
<references />

== Sources ==
* {{citation|surname1=Helmut Kahnt|surname2=Bernd Knorr|title=Alte Maße, Münzen und Gewichte |publisher=VEB Bibliographisches Institut|location=Leipzig|isbn=3-323-00013-7|date=  1986|language=German}}
* {{citation|surname1=Bernd Leißring|periodical=Erzgebirgische Heimatblätter|title=Maßeinheiten des alten Bergbaus. Das Lachter |issue=5|publisher=Kulturbund|location=Olbernhau|pages=132–136|issn=0232-6078|date=  1989|language=German}}

{{systems of measurement}}

[[Category:Mining terminology]]
[[Category:Obsolete units of measurement]]
[[Category:Timber rafting]]
[[Category:Units of length]]
[[Category:History of mining]]
[[Category:Units of measurement of the Holy Roman Empire]]