The town of Crimmitschau lies on the River Pleisse about 17 km north-west of Zwickau. Domestic textile manufacturing flourished in the region in the early 19th century, but from the 1850s production was concentrated in factories to such an extent that by 1900 the town was regarded as the ‘stadt der 100 Schomstein’ (the town of 100 chimneys).
The textile museum, which is part of the Sächsisches Industriemuseum (The Saxony museum of industry), is located in a factory built by the firm of Pfau Brothers (Gebruder Pfau). The company originated in 1859 when Friedrich and Antoni Pfau set up a hand-weaving business in Leipziger Strasse, where in 1885 they built a four-storey factory for the manufacture of woollen fabrics. The company flourished and in the 1890s had a world-wide market for its products. Friedrich Pfau passed the business to his sons Otto and Adolph in 1899, when the name Gebruder Pfau was adopted. Between August 1903 and June 1904 the workers in the mill embarked on a strike that had repercussions throughout Germany. The company remained in family ownership until 1972. The factory was declared a protected monument in 1990, and in 1993 an association was established with the aim of developing it as a textile museum. Restoration of the building began in 1996 and the project was completed in 2003.
On their tour, the visitors experience the manufacture of the scarf from woolen fluff to carding, spinning, weaving, and defrosting to the packaging of the pieces of cloth. The factory halls look like they've just left for their lunch break. Experienced guides set textile machines in motion and report on their earlier working lives. There is also a powerhouse with a steam engine and a fully equipped boiler house to visit.
Saxony Industrial Museum | Pfau Brothers Textile Factory
Leipziger Strasse 125
08451 Crimmitschau
Germany
+49 (0) 3762 - 931939
Homepage
Recommended duration of visit: | 2 Hours |
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Duration of a guided tour: | 90 Minutes |
Admission: | Charge |
Access for persons with disabilities: | For details see website |
Infrastructure for children: | |
Catering: | |
Visitor centre on site: | yes |
Gift and book shop on site: | yes |
Thursday, Friday 10am-5pm
Saturday, Sunday, bank holidays 2-5pm
guided tour at 2pm