The career of railroad pioneer Richard Hartmann began in Chemnitz with him being granted citizenship on 24 June 1837. In 1839, he and businessman A. Götze founded the Sächsische Maschinenfabrik, a factory specialising in the manufacture of steam locomotives, steam engines and spinning machines. Over the years, the company became one of the most important firms in the state of Saxony, until the First World War (1914-1918) brought its development to a halt. In 1917, the company acquired Schimmel AG and with it the factory on Altchemnitzer Straße. By 1920, the site was manufacturing every kind of machine used by spinning mills, giving it a distinct competitive advantage. However, Sächsische Maschinenfabrik suffered losses during the global economic crash of the late 1920s and 1930s, and Hartmann’s company was liquidated in 1930. That same year, it was re-founded as the Sächsische Textilmaschinenfabrik vorm. Richard Hartmann AG, with 425 staff. By 1934, the new company was back up to 1400 employees and was converted into one of Hitler’s “Model Companies”. During the Second World War (1939-1945), the company increasingly shifted to armament production, until some three-quarters of the factory was destroyed in the bombing of Chemnitz on 5 March 1945. (in: 150 Jahre Spinnereimaschinenbau, 1987; made available from the Saxon Museum of Industry, Chemnitz).

The locations of the Hartmann factories and the Stiftung Heim residential area are shown more precisely on the map dating from 1937: 1. 1837 to 1841 First workshop at the Ihles building, Annaberger Straße. 2. 1840 to 1841 Workshop in the former Knieriem factory building on Augustusburger Straße. 3. 1841 to 1845 Klostermühle Factory, Äußere Klosterstraße. 4. 1843 to 1930 Main factory on Hartmannstraße, the former Ketzer site on Leipziger Straße. 5. 1846 to 1930 Southern factory on Hartmannstraße, formerly Leipziger Straße. 6. Stiftung Heim residential area from 1884. 7. 1889 to 1930 Land in Borna/Furth to which it was intended to relocate the Hartmann factories. 8. 1896 to 1930 Large foundry on Limbacher Straße. The sites were acquired in 1884 and 1893. 9. 1911 to 1930 Branch I, formerly the Wiede machine factory. 10. 1917 to 1930 Branch II, formerly the Schimmel machine factory. Present day main building on Altchemnitzer Straße from 1930. (in: Haßler, Friedrich: 100 Jahre Hartmann Textilmaschinenbau: p.64; made available from the Saxon Museum of Industry, Chemnitz).

The company began its rebuild, starting by clearing the ruins, in late summer 1945 with around 130 staff. It quickly started producing consumer goods again, including frying pans, small ovens and gardening products and by Christmas, it was back to manufacturing replacement parts for spinning frames. In 1946, the company was given over to its trustee, Rudolf Petzold, formerly one of the directors, and converted into a state-owned company, known as a Volkseigener Betrieb (VEB). In 1948, it was incorporated into the Textima Coalition of VEBs (Vereinigung Volkseigener Betriebe, VVB). By 1950, the company was once again exporting spinning machines to more than 40 countries around the world. In 1969, the VVB expanded to become the VEB Kombinat Textima Karl-Marx-Stadt – a state combine with other factories in Mittweida, Hartha, Neugersdorf and Großenhain. By 1987, the combine comprised some 33 companies and around 35,000 employees, with Textima machines frequently being sent beyond East German borders. When Germany reunified in 1990, the company became a GmbH. However, despite manufacturing modern products, it could not compete and closed in 1998.

VEB Spinnereimaschinenbau introduces the Mitrofanov Method. This new method involves manufacturing similar components in large batches at a single location, thereby increasing productivity. It is the basis of centralised manufacturing. A socialist working group, to which technologists from the company also belong, introduced the Mitrofanov Method for the manufacture of V-belt pulleys. This step is part of the TOM plan and is expected to save 15.000 DM per year. The working group aims to achieve further savings of 20.000 DM by introducing it in other areas.

Our interviewees: Heinz Lämmel, born 1924, mechanic, engineer, and later Head of Project Management for synthetic fibre systems at VEB Textimaprojekt Karl-Marx-Stadt; Gerhard Türschmann, born 1923, technician and later Head of System Engineering for natural fibres abroad at VVB Textimaprojekt; Heinz Wallz, born 1921, knitting machine fitter, later a technician at VEB Spinnereimaschinenbau Karl-Marx-Stadt.

Employees of VEB Spinnereimaschinenbau Karl-Marx-Stadt also had access to a wide range of facilities and social services. A collective agreement stated that the trade union and company managers would provide funding for employee social and cultural activities. This initially covered a canteen to provide hot meals for every shift, meaning that employees never had to pay more than one Mark for their lunch. A company doctor provided healthcare for acute illnesses as well as mass screenings. These services even extended to retired former employees. VEB staff and their children also had access to local holiday homes and to spaces in those owned by the Free German Trade Union Federation (FDGB), both in Germany and in other socialist countries. Other benefits included a company sports association, an amateur photography studio and painting and drawing groups (in: 150 Jahre Spinnereimaschinenbau, 1987; made available from the Saxon Museum of Industry Chemnitz).

Our interviewees: Heinz Lämmel, born 1924, mechanic, engineer, and later Head of Project Management for synthetic fibre systems at VEB Textimaprojekt Karl-Marx-Stadt; Gerhard Türschmann, born 1923, technician and later Head of System Engineering for natural fibres abroad at VVB Textimaprojekt; Heinz Wallz, born 1921, knitting machine fitter, later a technician at VEB Spinnereimaschinenbau Karl-Marx-Stadt.

The former spinning machines factory (Spinnereimaschinenbau) in Altchemnitz has a size of 4.7 ha. Total floor area is altogether approx. 36,000 m². It is a private property, bought by the current owner in 2013. He has the intention to develop the target site and bring the buildings back in use; this in a step-by-step process, appropriate to his financial capacities. First rehabilitation works have started for spaces, for which a user/renter has been found. The city has a development concept for the Altchemnitz neighbourhood. In this concept the revitalisation of the former industrial estate has a high priority. In addition a neighbourhood manager was appointed.

The focus of the participating cities is the revitalization of large urban brownfields and vacant buildings. Chemnitz, with its more than 150 years of industrial history, is also involved in the network. As part of the network, the Saxon city is looking for long-term usage concepts for the former Spinning machinery industry . Chemnitz has a lot of cultural heritage in industrial buildings and there is potential for inner-development, mainly located in such derelict sites and vacant buildings. In addition, the »Spinning Works« provides a good foundation. For example, there is an overall development plan for the neighbourhood of Altchemnitz which can consolidate the continuous development of the project implementation. (Interview with Thomas Mehlhorn, URBACT Project coordinator)

»The first challenge is the ownership.The »Spinning Works« is privately owned. However, many of the buildings within the network are owned by public authorities. The main focus is to balance the city´s urban development interests with those of the private owner and to find a common denominator for the further reuse of the building. The second challenge is that the reactivation of giant underused premises and vacant building complexes is a time-consuming process which cannot be completed within a short period of time, and only with a step-by-step plan. The third challenge is the present and future requirements of the building complex. In particular, we must determine the building’s suitability to be adapted for modern usage, building and technical equipment and energy efficiency standards.« (Interview with Thomas Mehlhorn, URBACT Project coordinator)

»The »Spinning Works« is an important example of Chemnitz’ industrial history which defines the cityscape of Chemnitz as well. Its reactivation strengthens the identity of the industrial location of Altchemnitz. The industrial heritage characterises - the profile of Chemnitz as a modern industrial city. Sustainability and conserving resources are a high priority for its preservation regarding urban deve-lopment and the building process. Instead of claiming new areas on green fields, we have to go back to the centre of the city. Here, it depends on the private owner’s ideas and desires for uses. The reuse should be based on the earlier industrial use and establish a more subtle mixed structure adapted to today’s requirements. From my point of view, this could be a mixture of intermediate use, administration, stock, creative space and flexible production, as well as test spaces for science. The high ceiling loads and the open, flexible construction provide many opportunities. The low rental level should be maintained.« (Interview with Michael Stötzer, Mayor in charge of urban development and construction City of Chemnitz)

»Above all, the early involvement of actors and the public contributes to the acceptance of a project and to a needs-based urban development. Elaboration of interests and conflicts is important at an early stage in order to reach a common goal of all actors. We use different formats and participatory procedures for this purpose. The use of ‘care-takers’ in focus areas makes a significant contribution to participation and feedback in the administration.« (Interview with Michael Stötzer, Mayor in charge of urban development and construction City of Chemnitz)

»Our interest is the longterm securing and expanding of our business for events. Particular attention is given to the safeguarding of the Spinnbau as an industrial estate, and the related exclusion of residential use. A ‘cultural’ revitalisation of the Spinnbau was our original expectation of the project. Since this does not align with the owner’s vision, we no longer expect this. The motivation of the owner should be clear before the start of such a project. It has turned out to be impractical to make urban preferences desirable for a private investor.« (Interview with Thomas Rebsch, Managing Director Spinnerei Chemnitz and member of the local action group)

The Spinnerei is an open air event site that has been growing continuously since 2013 and is raising the bar in the region with its diverse and innovative cultural programme. But it’s more than just a site. It’s an attitude to life. Behind our gates, you’ll find a place of creative fulfilment, personal development and freedom. Constantly seeking out the new, the exciting and the astounding, we shape our own image day after day, year after year. We’re not just a team, we’re a family. Every year we expand, revitalise and improve our wonderful site with care, creativity and attention to detail. (from: Homepage Spinnerei)

In 2015, the first joint project between Begehungen e. V., Spinnerei e. V., Huhlern e. V. and Lokomov brought the industry sectors that had been part of the former Spinnereimaschinenbau building back to life for four days of events. Now, Begehungen e.V. organises an annual festival during which the old, empty rooms are filled with art and a programme of cultural activities. As occupying the entire area seemed a bit of a utopian idea, they had to make do with two-storey former factory building and parts of the surrounding outdoor space at first. Treading in the footsteps of the people who made history here on the site in the 19th and 20th centuries, the ten artists invited to the 12th Begehungen event had the opportunity to re-tell the story of the factory and its buildings, and the city and its people, with the only requirement being a reference to the idea of Wolkenkuckucksheim (Cloud Cuckoo Land). The theme of the 2015 event was cooperation, and through this partnership between the associations at the heart in Chemnitz’s cultural scene, the Wolkenkuckucksheim Festival was born. The mission statement was to “find a city between Chemnitz and the heavens, a bastion against convention, superstition and existing societal norms.” From 20 to 23 August 2015, the Begehungen art exhibition was held inside the building while the musical part took place on the Spinnerei e.V. grounds, in what became the first of the now annual Wolkenkuckucksheim Festivals.

The reactivation of the target area could be used to link the area with its surrounding, in particular with the very close by technical university and its students houses and tech-campus. This area could provide space for a variety of commercial and cultural uses, for example for independent contractors, university, spin-offs, cultural activities.

During a workshop held as part of the URBACT project in spring 2017, creatives from a variety of industries worked together to develop ideas for their visions and the image of the Spinnereimaschinenbau site, a key property for the Altchemnitz area. The site offers plenty of space for further residential development. However, due to a number of constraints and other requirements, there is currently no target-group oriented development concept for the site. Following an input phase on the first day of the workshop and an extensive tour of the complex, the participants began more detailed discussions with the owner and with each other. The complexity of the situation – the size of the site, its maintenance backlog, small areas in use, lack of opportunity to target larger investments, wide-ranging types of use – was identified as the biggest challenge for any marketing strategy. For this reason, creatives now see greater potential for winning a tenant through the preparation of individual areas of interest rather than through advertising the open spaces. By focusing on the existing features of the site, they believe it is possible to get interested parties to make an emotional connection and identify with the site at an early stage, while open marketing of the potential for the spaces encourages a more “wait-and-see” attitude. Before a marketing concept can be implemented, however, a decision will need to be made about which key moments to focus on. The workshop participants defined their objective as follows: We are creating one or more personas or characters for the site and assigning them corresponding attributes that will encourage people to connect with the site on an emotional level.

We have used the Marco Spiess persona method, whereby human attributes are assigned to objects. This transforms a technical, inanimate object into an emotional, human one. Focusing on a single character allows for further abstraction. And by assigning attributes to this fictional person, we can take into account not only form but also context. The method was chosen to simplify the complex situation and to provide another way to describe it, break down ways of thinking and create a profile that offers an emotional connection. The “sleeping giant” persona of Spinnereimaschinenbau is a pragmatic middle-aged man with life experience, not yet old and tired but happy with his life, relatively stable, open yet shy, quiet and not really taking care of his health. Workshop participants: Ralf Wolfermann - advertising agency creative director, Chemnitz; Boris Kaiser - workshop leader, Chemnitz; Nadine Rothe - designer and creator of the Wolkenkuckucksheim festival, Chemnitz; Dominik Intelmann - philosopher and city researcher, Leipzig; Christian Rost - international geographer and city and regional developer, Leipzig; Lars Fassmann, software entrepreneur who also owns properties used in the creative sector, Chemnitz; Robert Verch, neighbourhood manager for business, the creative industries and networking, Chemnitz; other stakeholders: Jasmin Schubert - urban planning office intern, Chemnitz; Patrick Wiederanders - Altchemnitz area manager; Klaus Hirsch - managing director, Spinnwerk GmbH & Co.KG (in: Final report of the workshop »Image of Spinnereimaschinenbau«).