Industrial Culture Day Guben — 400 Years of Dyeing

400 Years of Dyeing in Guben

The city of Guben in Lower Lusatia was one of Brandenburg's most important textile centers for centuries. From the 17th century to the late 20th century, cloth makers, dyers, and finally the chemical fiber plants shaped the economic and social life of the city on the Lusatian Neisse. On the occasion of the Brandenburg Industrial Culture Day, the association Gubener Tuche und Chemiefasern e.V. will open its collection at Gasstraße 4 on Saturday, August 8, 2026, from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM — with the special exhibition '400 Years of Dyeing in Guben'. Free admission.

Special Exhibition — The Exhibits

The focus is on original exhibits from four centuries of dyeing history:

• Complete collection of pattern books from 1873 to 1995 — a rare textile documentation archiving every single fabric recipe dyed in Guben
• Brigade diaries from the era of the GDR chemical fiber plants
• Photo albums and historical documents
• Chronicle of the textile industry with a timeline
• Documentation of the Wende period and the transformation of the plants

Chemiefaserwerk Guben — From 1960 to Today

The Chemiefaserwerk Guben, founded in 1960 as VEB Chemiefaserwerk Guben 'Wilhelm Pieck', was one of the largest chemical fiber plants in the GDR, employing over 5,000 people at times. After reunification, the plant was converted into Märkische Faser AG and later into today's FibreVisions — an economic history exemplary of the structural change in Lusatia. The exhibition documents this transformation phase with images, personal documents, and original exhibits from the plant.

Gubener Tuche und Chemiefasern e.V. Association

The association Gubener Tuche und Chemiefasern e.V., located at Gasstraße 4, is dedicated to preserving Guben's textile and chemical fiber history. The association's collection is part of the Guben City Museum network (museen-guben.de) and is maintained by volunteers.