German watchmaking school Glashütte
The German Watchmaking School Glashütte (DUS) was founded in Glashütte in 1878 on the initiative of Karl Moritz Großmann and existed as an engineering school for precision engineering in Glashütte until 1992. The German Watch Museum Glashütte is now located in the former school building .
The establishment of the German School of Watchmaking
At Großmann's suggestion, a conference of German watchmakers took place in Harzburg from September 5th to 7th, 1876 at the invitation of the "Association of Berlin Watchmakers". Item four of the agenda read: “Would the establishment of a German watchmaking school or advanced training institute in Glashütte be feasible?” At the conference, only the feasibility of the facility was put up for discussion, because Glashütte was viewed from the outset as the most suitable location.
At the extraordinary conference in Wiesbaden from September 9th to 11th, 1877, the decision was made to establish the German Watchmaking School in Glashütte. Under the direction of Großmann, the "Local Committee for School Affairs" was formed on October 12, 1877 . The committee included Adolf Schneider , Julius Assmann , Richard Lange , August glasses , Ludwig Strasser and elementary school director Carl Schaarschmidt . The fact that the Saxon state government saw the promotion of trade as one of its most important tasks should have a positive effect on the establishment of the German Watchmaking School in Glashütte. With financial support from the Saxon government, Großmann went on study trips to foreign schools in Geneva , La Chaux-de-Fonds , Le Locle , Biel , Paris , Besançon and Cluses . The suggestions and information that Großmann collected on these trips were incorporated into the preparatory planning of the Glashütte watchmaking school.
The training at the DUS
On May 1, 1878, Großmann opened the school in a festive ceremony on behalf of the Central Association of German Watchmakers .
Based on empirical values from the first years of school operation, the school rules were adapted and revised for the first time in 1882. Until this change, the student's work belonged to the watchmaking school. The proceeds from the sale of this work were used to cover the costs incurred. Among other things, the new statutes stipulated that the work of the students would remain in their possession.
The works made by the students of the DUS were of various kinds. In addition to a number of specific tools, each student made a gait model of the lever escapement, a tactile micrometer and at least one anchor watch. The various student works at the Deutsche Uhrmacherschule are today interesting specimens and collectors' items of Glashütte origin and, due to their rarity, sometimes achieve very high prices at exclusive auctions. From 1878 to 1951 only 4,410 new works were made. These include the gait models, measuring tools and pocket watches with different dimensions and escapement systems as well as observation watches , chronometers and seconds pendulum clocks . The 36 tourbillon watches made in various designs at the DUS also have a special number from the watchmaking school in addition to the current school number. The last school watch with caliber 43 is the student work No. 4.407 by Renate Jacob in school book 2. The last school number 4.410 was assigned to a chronometer gait model that was created as a joint effort.
The watchmaking school in the Third Reich
On March 6, 1934, the Hitler tourbillon, a tourbillon watch with lever escapement made by the best students of the German School of Watchmaking , was presented to the head of state of Germany at the special show “Saxony's Diligence” in Leipzig .
The promulgation of the “Nuremberg Race Laws” on September 15, 1935 marked the beginning of the first cuts in the further development of the watchmaking school. Because membership in associations was only allowed so-called “Vollariern”, the Saxonia student association had to be reorganized. On June 27, 1936, it was renamed the “Association of Former Students of the German Watchmaking School” .
On April 1, 1940, at the instigation of the then Reich Guild Master Hans Flügel, the DUS was declared a master school of watchmaking .
The watchmaking school in the GDR
After the Second World War, the watchmaking school was given its original name Deutsche Uhrmacherschule Glashütte back. In 1951, the Glashütte engineering school for precision engineering was formed, specializing in "time measurement technology". The engineering school existed until the end of 1992.
literature
- Sonja Hausschild: The German watchmaking school in Glashütte. in: Landesverein Sächsischer Heimatschutz (Hg.): Calendar Sächsische Heimat 2018, calendar sheet 20th week
