All stories

Liliana

Die Tischlerin

Holz, Schmalz und immer was zu tun in der Werkstatt hinter dem Schmelztiegelviertel.

The story

In the afternoon, light casts shallow strips over the planing bench, and I sit down, securing a board for planing. Wood dust clings to my calves, jeans at half‑tension, zipper open. The camera snaps quietly while I keep my shoulders straight and think of the next tabletop that still needs edging.

The setting

Workshop at the end of the street, tall windows, pine resin in the air, planing shavings on the floor.

Who she is

Die Tischlerin

Liliana is 41, of Colombian descent, and has lived for years in a small woodworking shop on the edge of the old town. She builds tables, slanted benches, and occasionally chests. Her arms are strong, her everyday life is dusty and fragrant. The nude shoot came about when she needed photos for a new furniture line and the camera simply wouldn't leave.

Her world

You are a minority in your profession: in Germany, the proportion of women in carpentry apprenticeships is only about eleven percent.[1][12][15]
The path to becoming a master craftsman becomes even lonelier: only about five percent of passed master craftsman exams in carpentry are achieved by women.[1][12][11]
The trend is slowly gaining momentum: in some regions, the proportion of women in carpentry training has risen to as much as twenty percent.[4][11][8]

A short glossary

Workbench: A massive workbench with clamping devices, used to secure wood for planing, sawing, or sanding.[6][3]
Journeyman exam: The final exam in a trade after apprenticeship, consisting of a theoretical part and a practical sample, leading to recognition as a journeyman.[12]
Master certificate: A certificate awarded after passing the master craftsman exam, authorizing the holder to run a business and train apprentices.[11][10]
FLINTA*: An acronym for female, lesbian, intersex, non-binary, trans, and agender persons, used within woodworking networks.[7][14]

Sources

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