Various entities involved:
In the heart of the Rhineland-Westphalia region, the small town of Gerresheim was once a bustling hub of leather production during the early 19th century. Tanneries were a central part of Gerresheim's local industry, marking a significant chapter in the town's economic history.
This era of industrial activity was part of a broader context. Germany, a patchwork of small states at the time, was still largely rural and undergoing limited industrial development. However, reforms under French rule in the 1790s–1815 began to dismantle feudal restrictions and guild control, paving the way for industrial growth in the later 19th century[1].
While Gerresheim was known for its leather processing industries, the broader German industrialization was just beginning, focusing on sectors such as textiles and mining in nearby regions like the Ruhr[4]. Tanneries represented traditional crafts tied to local natural resources and skills, predating the heavy industrial boom that came later.
The presence of a flowing water source was a prerequisite for setting up a tannery. In Gerresheim, the Pillebach stream seems to have met this requirement. The tannery was initially located near Basilica St. Margareta and the Quadenhof.
The leather production process at the tannery involved several steps. Animal hides were first cleaned of flesh and fat residues on a "Schabebaum". The hides were then soaked for several days in special "Aeschergruben", where they were loosened using potash or lime milk. The actual tanning process began in "Lohgruben", earthen pits where hides could remain for up to a year and a half.
Initially, leather production at the tannery was for self-sufficiency. However, the discovery of a tannery was a surprise to urban planners, suggesting that the extent of Gerresheim's leather industry might have been underestimated. The name of the former property owner, Caspar Koerfgen von Gerresheim, was determined from a 1830 ground plan.
Archaeologists and heritage conservationists at the Institute for Historic Preservation initially doubted the interpretation of the discovery. However, large vats representing the "Lohgruben" are archaeologically traceable at the Alter Markt in Gerresheim. The further handling of the finds and the scientific methods for their investigation will be determined in the course of the excavation with the LVR-Amt für Bodendenkmalpflege im Rheinland.
The archaeological documentation and scientific evaluation of the finds will provide new insights into the economic history of Gerresheim at the beginning of the 19th century. These discoveries serve as a testament to the town's rich past and offer a glimpse into the traditional crafts that once thrived in Gerresheim.
[1] "The Industrial Revolution in Germany." History Today, 2007, www.historytoday.com/archive/industrial-revolution-germany. [4] "The Industrial Revolution in Germany." Encyclopædia Britannica, 2021, www.britannica.com/topic/Industrial-Revolution/Germany.
In the context of Germany's nascent industrialization during the 19th century, the traditional leather production process in the small town of Gerresheim became a testament to the region's thriving lifestyle and craftsmanship, predating the heavy industrial boom that followed. As archaeological finds reveal, the science of preserving historical artifacts by the Institute for Historic Preservation will offer fresh perspectives on the town's economic history, bridging the gap between traditional local industry and the broader medical-conditions, finance, and technology-driven industrial revolution that would eventually transform the industry and lifestyle of Gerresheim. This evaluation could potentially stimulate future collaboration between the academic and finance sectors to explore the historical significance of Gerresheim and advance our understanding of the early stages of Germany's industrial growth.
