Industriemuseum Chemnitz

An elongated reddish-brown façade with four large, regular round-arched gables. Imposing, unmistakable. The hallmark of the Chemnitz Industrial Museum. Anyone travelling along Zwickauer Straße can spot it from a distance. The building complex of the former H&A Escher foundry at Kappler Drehe is one of many examples demonstrating that industrial architecture was realised in a diverse, aesthetic and sophisticated manner, with its own unique character.

Professor Karl-Klaus Dietel has studied the tradition of industrial culture in Chemnitz in depth. A native of Chemnitz, he is one of the most influential German designers of the period from 1960 onwards. His distinctive style can be seen in many industrial products. For example, he developed the design for the Simson Mokick and for motorbikes produced by the iconic MZ brand from Zschopau. He worked on never-produced successors to the Trabant and the Wartburg, and gave the Erika typewriter its distinctive look.

Klaus Dietl looks back: “German industrialisation began here in Chemnitz at the end of the 18th century, building on centuries of experience in bleaching and textile techniques; it then gained momentum at the start of the 19th century – greatly accelerated by the discovery of coal between Zwickau and Oelsnitz/Lugau. This meant that the use of water power, which had been the main source of energy until then, was replaced by steam engines imported from England. And these fossil fuels formed the basis for the subsequent explosive growth of Chemnitz’s industry. The textile machinery, originally imported from England, had to be repaired. It was then replicated, improved upon, and eventually local manufacturers began building their own machines. This production of textile machinery gave rise to new industrial sectors specialising in the manufacture of the machinery required for this purpose: machine tools. Within a matter of decades, these became the world’s leading machine tool manufacturers, including Reiniger, Zimmermann and others.

At the same time, from the 1940s onwards, one of Germany’s largest locomotive manufacturing centres emerged in the Hartmannberge region. Many inventions, discoveries and innovations originated here in the Chemnitz area. By the end of the 19th century, this had become increasingly diverse. Bicycles were being built, and the range of products continued to diversify. Bicycles were built, as were calculating machines, the first motorised vehicles, cars and two-wheelers. In 1932, the Auto-Union emerged as Germany’s largest automotive group from the merger of four major manufacturers: Audi, DKW, Horch and Wander. All in all, this was a highly interconnected and structured industrial landscape that ranked among the best in Germany.”

In 19th-century Chemnitz, a number of industrial establishments were concentrated along what is now Zwickauer Straße. There were ten foundries alone situated between Falkeplatz, close to the city centre, and Lützowstraße. Two foundries – Hugo Schreiter and Moritz Rockstroh – were located on the site of today’s Industrial Museum. The Rockstroh foundry was taken over by Hermann Escher, who, amongst other things, produced steam engines. The Escher company flourished, and so the four-bay foundry and assembly hall, with its characteristic round-arched gables, was soon built. With a floor area of approximately 3,200 square metres, it was the largest industrial hall in Chemnitz and the surrounding area.

The Great Depression left many companies in financial difficulty. In 1930, Schubert and Salzer, as well as Escher AG, ceased production. In 1942, Auto-Union – at that time Germany’s second-largest car manufacturer – acquired the company premises. However, the site was not used for the manufacture of motor vehicles. Instead, Auto-Union built a modern foundry there to manufacture casings for tank engines. Although the historic buildings were damaged during the Second World War, they miraculously escaped total destruction. Following gradual reconstruction, the old foundry became part of the VEB Rudolf Harlers Foundry. By 1982, it had finally reached the end of its useful life. From then on, the former foundry site stood empty and fell into visible disrepair. The planned demolition was prevented by the fall of the Berlin Wall.

The buildings remained standing, but it took quite some time before the old production halls were transformed into the Chemnitz Industrial Museum. Setting up a museum there to showcase this history was a good, inspired idea. Between 1999 and 2002, extensive renovation and conversion work took place. Particular attention was also paid to the completely dilapidated machine house. Around 1907, Schubert and Salzer had lavishly fitted out the steam engine hall with murals, terrazzo tiles and a wooden ceiling. The restoration was not to stop at this prestigious room. A steam engine was needed – a historic original, of course. Not an easy task, but the search for the right piece was well worth the effort. A generously sized steam engine manufactured by Germania in 1896 was tracked down and fully restored. Today, this impressive steam engine is fully operational and serves as the museum’s main attraction. The large workshop on Zwickauer Straße houses a comprehensive exhibition on the industrial history of Saxony from its beginnings to the present day. Changing special exhibitions complement the exhibition concept. Visitors of all ages – especially the little ones – are not only allowed to look, but are also welcome to touch many of the exhibits.