Book launch “Braiding, Spinning, Weaving” by Helmut Seebach at Jola on 6.9.2023

In the course of dealing with its textile past, the electrotechnical sensor manufacturer Jola Spezialschalter invites to Lambrecht to its premises – the former cloth factory Gebrüder Haas (Haas Brothers) – for a book presentation by Helmut Seebach, who specialises in Palatine economic and social history.

The folklorist, historian and cultural activist has already written more than 50 books, most of them published by his own Bachstelz-Verlag (Mainz) since 1983. The publishing programme is geared towards an analytical-critical description of the Palatinate as a homeland and includes several Palatinate series in addition to numerous monographs.

His latest work deals with “Braiding, Spinning, Weaving” – three fields of activity that shaped the forms of employment of the people, mainly of the Vorderpfalz, until the 20th century. These are cultural techniques that have almost completely disappeared today. Helmut Seebach has made this the starting point for his own book, which was recently published under the title “Rheinebene” (Rhine Plain) as the sixth volume of the series “Altes Handwerk und Gewerbe in der Pfalz” (Old Crafts and Trades in the Palatinate). Various natural and agricultural products were processed and refined in home work and industry.

Lambrecht took on a special development with the factory production of woolen fabrics. The small town became the most important cloth-making town in Bavaria. In the course of history since the 1560s, all forms of production can be seen, from guild work to manufactory-like businesses to factory cloth production.

In an event lasting about one hour, Helmut Seebach will present his book in Lambrecht on Wednesday, 6 September 2023 at 6 pm. The host is the company Jola Spezialschalter (at Klostergartenstraße 11), which has been in the measuring and control business since 1952. Its headquarters are in Lambrecht (Pfalz) in the buildings of its predecessor company, the Gebrüder Haas cloth factory, which produced various fabrics from 1868 to 1961 as one of the largest local solid cloth factories.

After the welcome and brief presentation of the Gebrüder Haas cloth factory by Lars Mattil, the current Managing Director of Jola Spezialschalter and grandson of the founder, Gerald Lehmann (Weaver Museum, Lindenberg) will report on their common goal: “Learning from History for the Future”. Afterwards, Helmut Seebach will provide insights into this interesting chapter of Palatinate history in a lecture entitled “The Social and Economic Situation in the Lambrechter Valley in the 19th Century”. Finally, a discussion round, a champagne reception and small group tours of historical rooms in the administration building will round off the event.

Admission is free. The book can be purchased from the author on site for 30 euros and signed by him.

 

For more information, please visit:

www.bachstelz-verlag.de/verlagsportrait.html

www.bachstelz-verlag.de/verlagsprogramm/handwerk-und-gewerbe.html