It was exactly 175 years ago that fifteen young apprentices began their apprenticeship as watchmakers here in Glashütte in the winter of 1845. Under the leadership of master watchmaker Ferdinand Adolph Lange, the success story of Glashütte watchmaking was established and a special chapter in Saxon economic history was written.
The weekly newspaper “Der Bote am Geising” headlined at the time: “Today was a solemnly serious day for us, because the foundation was laid for a work that we consider to be the beginning of a better time for the inhabitants of our valley gorge …” (Bote am Geising, December 18, 1845). The plan worked. Within a few decades Glashütte developed into a center for precise, mechanical watches.
Today the city in the Eastern Ore Mountains with its nine watch manufacturers is one of the most important watch locations worldwide. The current special exhibition at the German Watch Museum Glashütte deals with the early years of watch manufacturing in Glashütte. Further information on the special exhibition can be found here. We hope to see you again soon in our house.
Picture: Men’s Silver Pocket Watch No. 106, A. Lange & Cie., Glashütte, pin pallet escapement, earliest Glashütte pocket watch in the German Watch Museum Glashütte (photographer: Holm Helis)
