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The Papierfabrik
Heres another rather nice one from over the borders.
A solo explore early one morning this proved a bit sketchier than expected but aside from a close encounter with a Polecat I got in & out unscathed, but what a place it was.
Certainly up there with my favorites explores so its a long one again.
The origins of this impressive facility date back to 1856, when it took its first steps into the industrial world as a proud cloth mill.
But fate cast a dark shadow over its history when a devastating fire engulfed the factory in flames in 1880. The cloth mill sank into bankruptcy, and the glory of bygone days seemed to have faded forever.
But as if from the ruins of a bygone dream, the factory rose again in 1897, this time as a paper mill. From then on, its halls were filled with the production of ticket boxes and wallpaper paper, while the world continued to turn.
In 1927, a company from Baden took control of these venerable walls and ushered in a new era—the production of cement bags. The paper mill, with its two powerful steam engines, was not only a manufacturing center but also a heartbeat for the surrounding communities. The energy pulsing through its veins provided the towns with light and life.
In the early 1950s, the factory was a veritable melting pot of productivity, with around 200 employees putting their skills to work. But in the best of times, when production was running at full speed, one could imagine the rhythmic clatter of machines providing the soundtrack to the hustle and bustle of up to 900 employees. Not just paper was produced here—true masterpieces of finishing were created.
Bitumen, crepe, and metallic foil papers, glass paper, and paper with textile fibers—the list of fine products seemed endless. The factory transformed raw materials into artistic creations, including laminated specialty papers and those practical coal sacks that played a role in every household. Insulating and padded mailing bags also left the bustling halls—a testament to the versatility and innovative power of this former industrial colossus.
The machines, true production behemoths, churned out an impressive 1,200 meters of paper per hour. A technological triumph that made the factory's know-how and patents coveted assets. In the late 1960s, a Swedish company took the plunge and took over paper sack production. This brought not only the production know-how but also valuable patents into the hands of the parent company.
But the boom didn't last forever. The comparatively low production output of the Wilhelmstal paper mill could no longer keep pace with the company's other locations. On November 30, 1970, the curtain finally fell on this era of industrial prosperity. The last 135 employees left the halls, and the massive main building, which had once proudly borne the pulse of production, lost its purpose.
The paper production here is only really visible by a few rooms of mixing vats & a really decayed roller or 2. The real beauty here lies in the 2 separate coal powered electric generator turbines, it truly is a magnificent place.
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