Master craftsman

If the masterpiece was not accepted by the masters, he was not allowed to join the guild and possibly remained a journeyman for the rest of his life.

Guilds have been abolished in Germany, but the ranks of apprentice (Lehrling), journeyman (Geselle) and master craftsman have been retained even through modern times.

For safety-relevant crafts, e.g., electricians and chimney sweeps, any business in the trade has to be run by a master craftsman or has to employ at least one Meister.

Journeymen and master craftsmen are by law automatically members of their regional chamber of crafts (Handwerkskammer), which is a self-governing public body.

Designed by heraldic expert Peter Greenhill to reflect the many categories of guild membership, it features: three escutcheons (shields) to represent artists, painters and stainers; a pair of compasses opened in chevron for building, construction and carpentry; a dovetail (separating the top third of the shield from the rest) to represent cabinetmaking, woodworking and joinery; and a gavel and chisel for masons and stoneworkers.

While for the most part guilds as such do not exist, many trades continue the apprentice-journeyman-master model: carpenters, electricians, pipefitters and plumbers are notable examples.