Zwischen Zunft und Fabrik

In the organizer's words:

The history of regional trade from 1763 to 1799

After the end of the Seven Years' War, the Electoral Saxon economy succeeded within a few years in rebuilding Saxony from a devastated and financially ruined state to a leading German business location. This process, known as the Rétablissement, gave rise to a diverse economic landscape in which, by the end of the century
the foundations for the transition to industrial capitalism were laid: The medieval instrument of craftsmen's guilds experienced a renaissance - reformed and adapted to the new requirements of the market. Private entrepreneurship gained in importance, international financial capital and know-how flowed into the economy in the Chemnitz area. Decentralized and centralized manufactories, especially in the region's textile trades, became important milestones on the way to establishing the first factories. Culture and education flanked this development. The cityscape and the mentality of the people underwent a profound change. Both the city and the region arrived in the modern era.
The exhibition reflects the juxtaposition of the different development processes of this period: the focus is on guild objects and the first machines, as well as illustrations showing the city and the changed working, everyday and economic structures.