Inhalt
The Surroundings
The Zinkhütter Hof with its impressive set of buildings is not only an outstanding example of very early industrial architecture, but it is also located in a region which may well be considered as the origin of industrial development in Germany.
Within a range of a few hundred yards, a whole chain of industrial plants was established during the first half of the 19th century:
- James Coal Mine
- Glass Factory Münsterbusch
- St. Heinrichhütte (zinc smelting plant)
- Lead and Silver Smelting Plant
Thus, in Stolberg the industrialization began at a very early time and a wide variety of natural resources favored the emergence of the very first industrial region in Germany. Especially the rich deposits of ore (zinc, lead, iron) as well as coal primarily contributed to this development.
Drastic changes in the technology of brass manufacturing caused the "Kupfermeister" (brass manufacturers) to abandon their traditional trade and forced them to engage in other fields. In 1819 for instance, Matthias Leonhard Schleicher founded the first zinc smelting plant in Stolberg. The main emphasis switched from manufacturing to processing of brass and other copper alloys. Final products as well as semi final products were manufactured on a large industrial scale. Due to the highly encouraging development, also foreign capital and investors were attracted to Stolberg.
The application of steam engines and the availability of coal opened possibilities to extend the ore mines to much deeper levels, thus increasing their capacity considerably. New metallurgical processes (destillation of zinc) allowed the emergence of zinc smelting plants which were exclusively founded in the neighborhood of the coal mines in order to ensure an adequate and convenient supply of coal.
Equally favored by the availability of coal, glass factories were established in the same area. Local sand deposits, almost solely consisting of quartz, served as another essential basis for this industry.
Roasting of sulphuric ores yielded sulphuric acid, which, together with the native lime stone, served as basis for the production of soda. At those times, soda was a key product needed in large quantities in the process of making glass, for the production of detergents, and in the textile industry.
When local coal became increasingly rare and expensive, an adequate supply from non-local districts was ensured by the railway, to which the major plants had been connected during the 1850s and 60s.
Excerpts from: www.stolberg-abc.de
