History
The Flöha tulle factory is founded in 1898 by industrialist Carl Siems, who is related to the Esche (Limbach) and Clauß (Flöha) families. After initial difficulties, the company grows rapidly until its production peak in 1914. By 1910, the building complex on Heinrich-Heine-Strasse is constructed, to which further buildings are added at the back, including an 8,400 m² shed hall for the weaving mill. At this time, the company is described as the largest tulle weaving mill in the world, has over 700 employees and workers and produces 60% for export. However, tulle remains a fashion item that is subject to great fluctuations in demand, and so the pre-war turnover is not reached again after 1918. In the GDR era, the VEB Texturseidenwerke Flöha was founded on the site. The company OTEX – Textilveredlung GmbH still produces refined multifilament yarns on ultra-modern texturing machines, which are mainly used for medical articles.
Architecture
The building complex was planned and realised by the Leipzig architectural firm Händel & Franke. The buildings shown in the panorama were built by 1910. The up to 5-storey buildings were constructed over a length of 150 metres and housed, among other things, the tentering mill, the twisting mill and administrative offices.
In addition to the Flöha tulle factory, Carl Siems expands in the early 19th century with a cotton spinning mill in neighbouring Falkenau and with a tulle factory, which his son manages, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The family moved to the nearby Villa Waldhaus in Plaue (Flöha) and built a manor house on the Schilbach manor in the Vogtland region, which is now used as a Protestant conference and meeting centre.
We would like to thank Mr Hubert Kösser from the Geschichtsverein Flöha (Historical Society) for his text preparations. This industrial culture view of the Flöha tulle factory was created for the exhibition project “Industrie.Kultur.Bauten” at Wasserbau Flöha.
