The industrial heritage of the Valley of Munster

 

Cour du tissage du Couvent 1892 - archive Hartmann

Renowned for typical landscape and cheese making, the Valley of Munster used to have great reputation for the cotton industry. Its 150 years uninterrupted development slowly put away the traditional activities of exploiting local resources.

In spite of the destructions caused by the First World War, the lands still holds the trace of this rich history. From the vestiges of the first Indian Chintz workshop established in Munster in 1776, to the factories with sheds that were built in the pivotal period of the 19th and 20th centuries, through the block factories with 3 to 4 rectangular floors, the Valley of Munster offers a panorama of the manufacturing industry architecture, from the end of the 18th century to the end of the 20th. 

As a logical consequence of the industrialization process, the worker’s housing estate building programs left the valley with a diversified heritage that gives the city f Munster its identity. The hierarchy of the factory has been transposed into the urban space. The workman’s house stands beside the employee’s and the foreman’s. The manager’s villa stands in the centre of a park, while the boss’ dominates the whole town as to prove the feodal power given by the industry. 

This industrial adventure deeply moulded the landscape of the Valley. Just as in the other valleys of the Vosges, spaces were developed according to the manufacturers’ needs. The railway and road to Schlucht, mountain lakes and hydraulic network were created by the textile industry families, of which the Hartmann are the most renowned. 

Sources: « Service de l’Inventaire et du Patrimoine – Région Alsace »