Kammgarnspinnerei Glücksbrunn
THE ABANDONED FACTORY IN GERMANY
Explore ‘Kammgarnspinnerei Glücksbrunn’, an abandoned textile factory in Germany. It was abandoned just after the fall of the Iron Curtain. The factory stands as a historical monument, whispering stories of innovation, growth, and abandonment.
In 1836, two ennobled entrepreneurs started a spinning mill in the small village of Glücksbrunn in a building called ‘Lange Bau’. Formerly, the building was used for the production of cobalt blue, which ingredients were mined in local mines. The building, that previously used to be a half-timbered structure, was adapted to the new requirements and converted into the solid clinker brick building.
Steam engine
The first machines in the factory worked on manpower. But in 1827, the first steam engine was put into use to automate the processes. At that time, about 500 people were working in the factory. The mill made Kammgarn, or worsted wool yarn. The essential feature of worsted yarn is straight, parallel fibers. Originally, long, fine staple wool was spun to create worsted yarn. Today, companies also use other long fibers.
The new Kammgarnspinnerei
By the late 1800s, the spinning mill relocated to the site known as ‘Kammgarnspinnerei Glücksbrunn’ near the Hüttenteich. The comapny repurposed the Lange Bau building solely as a storage facility. Unfortunately, the modern factory shut down in 1991, nearly a century after it opened, shortly following the fall of the DDR.
The exploration of ‘Kammgarnspinnerei Glücksbrunn’ offers a fascinating look into Germany’s industrial history. The old factory beautifully displays the architectural trends of the 19th century. Stepping into these grounds, one can almost hear the echoes of machinery and the hustle and bustle of workers from a bygone era. The walls of the factory whisper tales of a once-thriving workplace now standing still in time. Cracked windows, chipped paint, and nature reclaiming its space are all typical sights in this place.
Nowadays, the ‘Lange Bau’ is renovated, whereas the spinnerei has been left completely abandoned and is in a state of disrepair. I took these pictures of ‘Kammgarnspinnerei Glücksbrunn’ back in 2016. The deserted factory, enveloped in a haunting silence, stands as a poignant reminder of days gone by. It stands as a testament to the ebb and flow of industrialization in the area.
