Wasseralfingen ironworks
The Wasseralfingen ironworks in Wasseralfingen , today a district of Aalen in Baden-Württemberg , has a long and moving history. It was founded in 1671 by the priesthood of Ellwangen . For a long time, iron smelting and processing was linked to the iron ore deposits on the Braunenberg and its mining .
Geological requirement
The geology of the region is shaped by the layered landscape of the Eastern Alb and its history. The iron sandstone formation of the Swabian Jura formed two iron seams in Wasseralfingen on the Braunenberg , which made mining economical with an iron content of 21 to 42% and a thickness of 4 meters.
history
Beginnings as a steelworks of the Prince Provost Ellwangen (1671-1803)
Even before the construction of the iron and steel works , there were a few companies in the region that produced iron from Bohner ore . The discovery of the iron ore seams by Sigmund von Woellwarth on the Braunenberg was interesting for the priesthood of Ellwangen , as they owned a blast furnace in Unterkochen . The pit in the deer blade in particular was very productive at that time. Since the transport of the iron ore and the customs duties involved made the blast furnace in Unterkochen unprofitable, the prince-priest decided to build a blast furnace in Wasseralfingen. Also because with the existing forests and limestone quarries, the essential raw materials for iron processing were available. Since the stove could also be used as a source of energy, the steelworks was built in the valley.
The royal ironworks (1803–1921)
As a result of the secularization , the entire operation and the mine went to the Kingdom of Württemberg in 1803 . Due to technical advances in mining and iron smelting, the royal iron and steel works became the main foundry of the country. The ironworks was now part of various iron-producing and processing businesses in the kingdom.
By 1860 the plant had become one of the largest and most important in Europe and was given the title of “main foundry of the country”. Since the ore rock had to be transported into the valley, Germany's first cog railway was put into operation in 1876 .
In addition to the increasing turnover, the enormous increase in the number of employees and the substantial expansion of the plant, the production program also expanded. In addition to the smelting of iron ore, a foundry, a rolling mill and a precision drawing shop were built. The mountain ridge and hut manager Wilheim from Faber du Faur made a particular contribution to this success. His inventions for the production of pig iron such as the "Wasseralfinger Apparat" contributed to making the iron production process more efficient.
Establishment of the Schwäbische Hüttenwerke (from 1921)
After the First World War , the state-owned company was converted into a public limited company in 1921, with half of the shares remaining with the state. The Swabian Hüttenwerke were founded.
In the course of time, iron mining was no longer profitable, as the iron content in the existing iron ore decreased more and more. In 1924 the last shaft was closed. Since there was a shortage of raw materials for the goods necessary for the war during the Second World War , mining was resumed for a short time.
The former mining tunnels are currently used for tourism and medical purposes.
The company went through a change from iron smelting in blast furnace operations to specializing in iron processing.
Individual evidence
- ↑ Werner Bieg: Wasseralfingen, Aalen and upper Kochertal . In: Mining and Miners . Wir-Verlag Werner Weller, Aalen 1987, ISBN 3-924492-21-2 , p. 18-19 .
- ^ Karlheinz Bauer: Aalen - history and culture between Welland and Härtsfeld . Konrad Theiss, Aalen 1983, ISBN 3-8062-0321-0 , p. 125-126 .
- ^ Karlheinz Bauer: Between Castle, Church and Factory. In: Geschichts- und Altertumsverein Aalen e. V. (Ed.): Aalen Yearbook . tape 1992 . Konrad Theiss Verlag, Stuttgart 1992, ISBN 3-8062-1053-5 , p. 225 f .
- ↑ Kurt Seidel: 100 years of the German rack railway Wasseralfingen-Erzgrube: the first German rack railway and its history . In: Ostalb Einhorn quarterly books . tape 3 . Einhorn, Schwäbisch Gmünd 1976, p. 270-275 .
- ^ Karlheinz Bauer: Between Castle, Church and Factory . In: Geschichts- und Altertumsverein Aalen eV (Hrsg.): Aalen year book . tape 1992 . Konrad Theiss, Aalen 1992, ISBN 3-8062-1053-5 , pp. 224 .
- ↑ SHW company. Retrieved March 25, 2017 .
- ↑ Aalen mine. Retrieved March 25, 2017 .
literature
- Georg von Morlok : The rack railway near Wasseralfingen. Lecture by the Oberbauraths Morlok, given on November 25th, 1876 at the Association for Building Studies in Stuttgart. Kohlhammer, Stuttgart, 1877. Reprinted under the title: The Wasseralfinger rack railway. A pioneering achievement in Germany. H&L publications, Verlag Wolfgang Bleiweis, Schweinfurt, 1995, ISBN 3-928786-41-5
- Kurt Seidel: The cog railway to Braunenberg: history of a technical pioneering act. Einhorn-Verlag, Schwäbisch Gmünd, 1992, ISBN 3-927654-29-9
