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Key figures

Origin and history

The Peasant Museum of Oltingue originated in the collection collected by Abbé Étienne Bilger, parish priest of the village from 1958 to 1976. Passionate about local history, he gathered objects bearing witness to the daily life, customs and traditions of the Sundgau peasants in the 19th and 20th centuries. His initiative has helped to preserve a material and intangible heritage linked to Alsatian rural culture, including through tools, clothing, pious objects and local handicrafts.

In 1972, an association was created to support this project, with the support of the Upper Rhine Chamber of Agriculture. The following year, the building now housing the museum was acquired. In 1976, Abbé Bilger bequeathed his entire collection to the historic museum of Mulhouse, which has been in charge of its management. This legacy made it possible to perpetuate this unique testimony, while integrating it into a wider museum setting, guaranteeing its conservation and enhancement.

The museum occupies a house dating from the 16th and 17th centuries, characteristic of local architecture, with a stone ground floor and a half-timbered floor. Inside, visitors discover re-enactments of traditional rooms, such as a kitchen equipped with antique utensils, a typical bedroom, and a torchi wall. The outdoor workshops, dedicated to blacksmiths, cartrons and saddlers, illustrate essential trades in the Alsatian villages of the time. These spaces provide a concrete overview of the know-how and living conditions of the rural populations of Sundgau.

Labeled "Museum of France", the establishment is distinguished by its ethnographic precision and territorial anchor. It highlights often unknown aspects of peasant life, such as religious practices, heating methods (including the Kachelofen), or washing techniques. The collection, though modest, is a valuable heritage to understand the evolution of lifestyles in this border region, marked by both French and Germanic influences.

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