Karl Wilhelm Scheibler
Encyclopedia
Karl Wilhelm Scheibler (1 September 1820 – 13 April 1881) was a German
- Polish
industrialist.
) in the Prussia
n Province of Jülich-Cleves-Berg
into a family of textile fabricants. He attended school in Monschau and Krefeld
and received a practical education at his uncle's Worsted factory
at Verviers
(Belgium
). In 1839 he worked for Société anonyme John Cockerill, a well known producer of machinery construction at that time.
Because of the riots of the Spring of Nations in 1848 Scheibler decided to leave Germany and moved to Ozorkow
in Congress Poland
, where his uncle, Friedrich Schlösser, had operated a textile factory since 1816. After Schlösser's death he became its commercial director. Scheibler married Anna née Werner, a niece of Schlösser, on 16 September 1854. In 1852 Scheibler and his partner Julius Schwartz bought a plot at Łódź and started to build a machinery factory. In October 1854 Schwartz sold his share to Scheibler for 10,000 Ruble
, making him the sole-owner of the factory.
In 1855, Scheibler founded a spinning mill with 34 frames and a steam engine of 40 horsepower
. In 1857, Scheibler employed 180 labourers and earned a turnover of 305.100 Ruble in 1860. Scheibler made large profits after cotton prices in Europe increased because of the American Civil War
and sold his stock at triple the price, he became known as the "King of the Cotton and Linen Empires of Łódź". In 1870 1,911 employees worked in his factory, which was the third largest (9.3 percent) cotton producer of Poland.
Scheibler's factory continued to prosper and he bought several smaller mills in the districts of Źarki and Księży Młyn. After a fire destroyed the factory at Księży Młyn in 1874, Scheibler rebuilt it with 88.000 spindles and built his own "Kingdom" of Księży Młyn with houses for 321 families, a fire station, schools, shops and a hospital Scheibler was known for his social engagement and supported the foundation of a municipal credit association, the Commercial Bank of Łódź (Bank Handlowy) in 1872 as well as the construction of a Lutheran and a Catholic
Church.
In 1880, he transformed his enterprise into a stock corporation with a share capital of 9 million Ruble.
Scheibler died on 13 April 1881 in Łódź and was buried at the Protestant Cemetery of Łódź in a mausoleum designed by the Warsaw architects Joseph Dziekonski and Edward Lilop.
's movie The Promised Land
was filmed inside Scheibler's Palace, which is today the location of the Cinematographic Museum of the National Film School in Łódź.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
- Polish
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
industrialist.
Biography
Scheibler was born in Montjoie (today MonschauMonschau
Monschau is a small resort town in the Eifel region of western Germany, located in the district Aachen, North Rhine-Westphalia.-Geography:The town is located in the hills of the North Eifel, within the Hohes Venn – Eifel Nature Park in the narrow valley of the Rur river.The historic town center...
) in the Prussia
Prussia
Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...
n Province of Jülich-Cleves-Berg
Province of Jülich-Cleves-Berg
The Province of Jülich-Cleves-Berg was a province of the Kingdom of Prussia from 1815–22. The province was largely made up of the land held by the former United Duchies of Jülich-Cleves-Berg...
into a family of textile fabricants. He attended school in Monschau and Krefeld
Krefeld
Krefeld , also known as Crefeld until 1929, is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located northwest of Düsseldorf, its centre lying just a few kilometres to the west of the River Rhine; the borough of Uerdingen is situated directly on the Rhine...
and received a practical education at his uncle's Worsted factory
Worsted
Worsted , is the name of a yarn, the cloth made from this yarn, and a yarn weight category. The name derives from the village of Worstead in the English county of Norfolk...
at Verviers
Verviers
Verviers is a Walloon city and municipality located in the Belgian province of Liège. The Verviers municipality includes the old communes of Ensival, Lambermont, Petit-Rechain, Stembert, and Heusy...
(Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
). In 1839 he worked for Société anonyme John Cockerill, a well known producer of machinery construction at that time.
Because of the riots of the Spring of Nations in 1848 Scheibler decided to leave Germany and moved to Ozorkow
Ozorków
Ozorków is a town in central Poland with 20,731 inhabitants , located on the Bzura River. It is situated in the Łódź Voivodeship , having previously been in Łódź Metro Voivodeship .- External links :* * *...
in Congress Poland
Congress Poland
The Kingdom of Poland , informally known as Congress Poland , created in 1815 by the Congress of Vienna, was a personal union of the Russian parcel of Poland with the Russian Empire...
, where his uncle, Friedrich Schlösser, had operated a textile factory since 1816. After Schlösser's death he became its commercial director. Scheibler married Anna née Werner, a niece of Schlösser, on 16 September 1854. In 1852 Scheibler and his partner Julius Schwartz bought a plot at Łódź and started to build a machinery factory. In October 1854 Schwartz sold his share to Scheibler for 10,000 Ruble
Ruble
The ruble or rouble is a unit of currency. Currently, the currency units of Belarus, Russia, Abkhazia, South Ossetia and Transnistria, and, in the past, the currency units of several other countries, notably countries influenced by Russia and the Soviet Union, are named rubles, though they all are...
, making him the sole-owner of the factory.
In 1855, Scheibler founded a spinning mill with 34 frames and a steam engine of 40 horsepower
Horsepower
Horsepower is the name of several units of measurement of power. The most common definitions equal between 735.5 and 750 watts.Horsepower was originally defined to compare the output of steam engines with the power of draft horses in continuous operation. The unit was widely adopted to measure the...
. In 1857, Scheibler employed 180 labourers and earned a turnover of 305.100 Ruble in 1860. Scheibler made large profits after cotton prices in Europe increased because of the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
and sold his stock at triple the price, he became known as the "King of the Cotton and Linen Empires of Łódź". In 1870 1,911 employees worked in his factory, which was the third largest (9.3 percent) cotton producer of Poland.
Scheibler's factory continued to prosper and he bought several smaller mills in the districts of Źarki and Księży Młyn. After a fire destroyed the factory at Księży Młyn in 1874, Scheibler rebuilt it with 88.000 spindles and built his own "Kingdom" of Księży Młyn with houses for 321 families, a fire station, schools, shops and a hospital Scheibler was known for his social engagement and supported the foundation of a municipal credit association, the Commercial Bank of Łódź (Bank Handlowy) in 1872 as well as the construction of a Lutheran and a Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
Church.
In 1880, he transformed his enterprise into a stock corporation with a share capital of 9 million Ruble.
Scheibler died on 13 April 1881 in Łódź and was buried at the Protestant Cemetery of Łódź in a mausoleum designed by the Warsaw architects Joseph Dziekonski and Edward Lilop.
Awards
- 1870 Order of the White EagleOrder of the White EagleThe Order of the White Eagle is Poland's highest decoration awarded to both civilians and the military for their merits. It was officially instituted on November 1, 1705 by Augustus II the Strong and bestowed on eight of his supporters: four Polish magnates, three Russian field marshals , and one...
- 1876 Gold Medal in WarsawWarsawWarsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
- 1878 Great Gold Medal at the Paris World's FairExposition Universelle (1878)The third Paris World's Fair, called an Exposition Universelle in French, was held from 1 May through to 10 November 1878. It celebrated the recovery of France after the 1870 Franco-Prussian War.-Construction:...
- Order of Saint StanislausOrder of Saint StanislausThe Order of Saint Stanislaus , also spelled Stanislas, was an Order in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and The Kingdom of Poland between 1765 and 1831 and of Russian Empire from 1831 to 1917.-History of the Order of Saint Stanislaus:Stanisław August Poniatowski, King of Poland, established the...
First and Second class
Cultural associations
Andrzej WajdaAndrzej Wajda
Andrzej Wajda is a Polish film director. Recipient of an honorary Oscar, he is possibly the most prominent member of the unofficial "Polish Film School"...
's movie The Promised Land
The Promised Land
The Promised Land is a 1975 Polish film directed by Andrzej Wajda, based on a novel by Władysław Reymont. Set in the industrial city of Łódź, The Promised Land tells the story of a Pole, a German, and a Jew struggling to build a factory in the raw world of 19th century capitalism.Wajda presents a...
was filmed inside Scheibler's Palace, which is today the location of the Cinematographic Museum of the National Film School in Łódź.
External links
- Scheibler's palace at Łódź
- Kinomuzeum.pl showing some inside views of Scheibler's Palace