Forst – ein «deutsches Manchester» in der Lausitz

Abstract

Forst a German Manchester in the Lausitz region. During the last century, the town of Forst (Lausitz) was one of the most important sites of cloth production in Germany. The structural and architectural development of Forst, its infrastructure and social makeup have been strongly influenced by the cloth industry. By 1913, Forst had emerged as the principal centre of Germany s textile industry, owing largely to the economic upturn of the 19th century. Extensive building projects were planned and partly executed, both because the town s growth necessitated the creation of more production space and because it was now able to afford some prestige buildings. These projects included mainly factory buildings, but also owners mansions and some residential developments, as well as the extension of infrastructure. In 1938/39 Forst had reached the pinnacle of its development. Its population numbered 44.000, and the town produced 18-20 million meters of cloth each year. After World War II, the production of textiles continued, and Forst became one of the most important sites of cloth manufacture in the former GDR. Textile production collapsed abruptly with the political Change in 1990. Some of the production facilities were converted and put to new uses, but most were abandoned and left to decay. Very few have been conversed. Today, Forst represents one of the last exemplary industrial towns of the late 19th and early 20th century in Brandenburg. The typical Forst factory building, still a common sight in town, has its origins in England. Two factory buildings are further examined and partially documented: the cloth factories Friedrich Schmidt at Parkstraße 14 and Emil Cattien at Jänickestraße 34. Both serve as examples for a large number of other factories and buildings, research and documentation of which is to be urgently demanded. At the moment, the economical situation in Forst and the surrounding district is problematic. It is marked by high unemployment, which is aggravated by the town s proximity to the Polish border. Undetermined property ownership conditions of buildings and real estate, as well as disparate ideas about the future of the industrial facilities present considerable obstacles to any kind of investment in Forst. The historical material of the buildings is in grave jeopardy. This paper discusses general principles for the handling of industrial monuments, some of which apply to Forst.