Last month I spent some time traveling in Poland and Germany. One of the places I visited was the Królewska Fabryka Karabinów (Koenigliche Gewehr-Fabrik), known in the C&R world as the "Danzig" factory.
Here are some photos from my visit last month, I tried to place these in a historical context. Enjoy!
The Królewska Fabryka Karabinów (the Royal Rifle Factory) is located in the "lower city" part of Gdańsk. In the years 1817-1839 it was a gunsmith workshop owned by Johann Ferdinand Geschkat. In 1818 Friedrich Wilhelm Apfelbaum opened a second gunsmith workshop, in a different location, on the orders of the Prussian army, which needed help repairing and refurbishing French arms left after the withdrawal of their forces.
In 1844 or 1845 the workshop was bought by the brothers Heinrich and Max Behrend, they attempted to turn the workshop into a factory and install a steam generator. Their attempt failed and in 1853 the Prussian government bought the factory. At this point the Królewska Fabryka Karabinów is established (known then as the Koenigliche Gewehr-Fabrik). In 1873 adjacent land was bought and the factory expanded.
Starting in 1885 the factory started producing lances for the Prussian cavalry forces. In 1875 the factory employed 1,200 workers and increased production to tens of thousands of rifles per year. On the 19th of November 1887 the factory hit record production of 500 rifles in a 24 hour period. On the 30th of November 1889 a fire seriously damaged the factory. The factory was rebuilt, new equipment added, new production started again around the middle of 1892.
In 1910 the factory employed 900 workers, during World War I the factory produced an estimated 400,000 - 450,000 rifles per year, working 24 hours per day. Production ceased with the end of the war, part of the equipment was subsequently bought by the Polish government in 1919. In 1921 the factory and the rest of the equipment was transferred to the Polish government under the terms of redistribution of German property. At this time the technical equipment was taken to Warsaw, later being transferred to Radom in 1923 establishing the Łucznik arms factory there.
Until 1945 the old factory buildings were used as apartments and by various firms and small businesses such as a cigarette factory, carpenters and metalworkers. After World War II companies there included a furrier, a battery manufacturer, candle makers and various metal workshops. In 2000 a veterinary hospital opened and continues to operate to this day. Currently metal workshops and a design company operate within the old factory grounds, much of it is abandoned.
The photos below show what the factory buildings look like today
Residential apartments, this building was the former administration building, apartments were created here sometime during the early 1920's.
Factory grounds
The building on the right is the former administrative office building, currently used as residential apartments The building on the left is partly occupied by a business.
Here is a picture taken of the same area sometime during the 1930's from a little farther back (look at the two windows next to each other on the building to the left) showing the entrance to the factory grounds.
Old photo taken across the street (the administrative building is on the right)
Front of the apartments, this is the square in the middle of the factory grounds.
Here are some photos from my visit last month, I tried to place these in a historical context. Enjoy!
The Królewska Fabryka Karabinów (the Royal Rifle Factory) is located in the "lower city" part of Gdańsk. In the years 1817-1839 it was a gunsmith workshop owned by Johann Ferdinand Geschkat. In 1818 Friedrich Wilhelm Apfelbaum opened a second gunsmith workshop, in a different location, on the orders of the Prussian army, which needed help repairing and refurbishing French arms left after the withdrawal of their forces.
In 1844 or 1845 the workshop was bought by the brothers Heinrich and Max Behrend, they attempted to turn the workshop into a factory and install a steam generator. Their attempt failed and in 1853 the Prussian government bought the factory. At this point the Królewska Fabryka Karabinów is established (known then as the Koenigliche Gewehr-Fabrik). In 1873 adjacent land was bought and the factory expanded.
Starting in 1885 the factory started producing lances for the Prussian cavalry forces. In 1875 the factory employed 1,200 workers and increased production to tens of thousands of rifles per year. On the 19th of November 1887 the factory hit record production of 500 rifles in a 24 hour period. On the 30th of November 1889 a fire seriously damaged the factory. The factory was rebuilt, new equipment added, new production started again around the middle of 1892.
In 1910 the factory employed 900 workers, during World War I the factory produced an estimated 400,000 - 450,000 rifles per year, working 24 hours per day. Production ceased with the end of the war, part of the equipment was subsequently bought by the Polish government in 1919. In 1921 the factory and the rest of the equipment was transferred to the Polish government under the terms of redistribution of German property. At this time the technical equipment was taken to Warsaw, later being transferred to Radom in 1923 establishing the Łucznik arms factory there.
Until 1945 the old factory buildings were used as apartments and by various firms and small businesses such as a cigarette factory, carpenters and metalworkers. After World War II companies there included a furrier, a battery manufacturer, candle makers and various metal workshops. In 2000 a veterinary hospital opened and continues to operate to this day. Currently metal workshops and a design company operate within the old factory grounds, much of it is abandoned.
The photos below show what the factory buildings look like today
Residential apartments, this building was the former administration building, apartments were created here sometime during the early 1920's.
Factory grounds
The building on the right is the former administrative office building, currently used as residential apartments The building on the left is partly occupied by a business.
Here is a picture taken of the same area sometime during the 1930's from a little farther back (look at the two windows next to each other on the building to the left) showing the entrance to the factory grounds.
Old photo taken across the street (the administrative building is on the right)
Front of the apartments, this is the square in the middle of the factory grounds.