Annaburger Steingutfabrik
Explore the abandoned Annaburger Steingutfabrik in Germany. This historic porcelain factory, founded in 1874, was once a thriving center of ceramic production. Today, it stands as a forgotten relic, slowly being reclaimed by nature.
The Porzellanwerk in Annaburg started as a small workshop producing kitchen sets. Under the leadership of Adolph Heckmann, it expanded and modernized, becoming a major employer in the region. A joint-stock company acquired Heckmann’s stoneware factory for 1 million gold marks in 1895. The factory then had 12 kilns where high-quality stoneware dishes, art pottery, and sculptures were fired.
During the economic crisis from 1899 to 1901, sales plummeted, leading to wage cuts and a shift in production focus to kitchen sets, wash sets, milk pots, and plates. By the early 20th century, it had over 600 workers. However, a fire that year partially destroyed the factory.
After the First World War, the number of workers dropped to about 300 in 1918. However, from 1924 to 1928, during a time of economic growth, it increased to more than 600 employees. Unfortunately, the Great Depression hit from 1928 to 1932, causing the workforce to shrink by half. The production during the war years was maintained with the help of prisoners of war.
VEB Steingutwerk Annaburg
During the DDR era, the now state-owned factory operated under various names. After the German reunification, in 1992, the factory was privatized by the Treuhandanstalt Berlin and sold to Ceraplan, and named VEB Steingutwerk Annaburg.
The product line was entirely updated to serve both local and global markets. The factory’s machinery enabled the creation of custom items in small quantities. Main focus areas included the hospitality and food industries. In December 2010, the factory created and registered a unique fire-resistant material called Cordoflam.
Economic downturn
During the 2010s economic downturns, and shifting markets led to its decline. After more than 140 years of production, the factory shut down in 2015. Today, inside the old storage rooms, shelves hold dusty porcelain plates and cups. The walls, with their peeling paint, connected the past to the present. The old kilns, once used for firing stoneware, now stood empty, their chimneys stretching toward the sky.
Despite its ruined state, the Annaburger Steingutfabrik remains a testament to the region’s industrial past. The craftsmanship and innovation that once defined this place have left their mark, even in decay. I visited the factory in 2023.
