In 1591, Sebastian Köppel established a hammer mill near the border to Bohemia on the banks of the Zwota in order to capitalize on the rich deposits of iron ore and the region's vast supplies of wood, both for building and charcoal production. On 1 February 1602, there was the first documented mention of the "Höllhammer" (in English approximately: "Hell Hammer" or "Hollow Hammer") in the neighboring town of Schöneck's church register.
Sebastian Köppel established a hammer mill near the border to Bohemia in 1591 to capitalize on the region's abundant iron ore and wood resources for building and charcoal production. The "Höllhammer" (meaning "Hell Hammer" or "Hollow Hammer") was first documented in Schöneck's church register on February 1, 1602.