Once, the air around the ehemalige Ziegelei in Oberföhring hummed with the relentless activity of brick making. This place was once a vital part of Munich’s industrial heart. We are standing at a site that whispers tales of fire, earth, and human endeavor.
The ehemalige Ziegelei represents a bygone era. Brick production boomed here in the 1860s. The surrounding Daglfing area saw rapid growth for nearly two generations. The Aktien-Ziegelei München was a giant. Around 1890, it churned out 18 to 20 million bricks each year. It ranked among Germany’s largest brick factories. Smaller entrepreneurs, nicknamed “Loambarone,” also dug into the clay fields.
By 1895, the Bezirksamt München I recorded 33 Ringofen brickworks. The number of brick factories surged at the turn of the century. The Oberföhring municipal area alone boasted 17 brickworks. Sadly, clay reserves dwindled. World Wars I and II dealt further blows. Only a few survived into the 1960s.
For decades, the ehemalige Ziegelei buildings decayed. Irreversible decline set in. Crumbling chimneys were torn down. The familiar cityscape changed. August Haid’s ehemalige Ziegelei at Cosimastraße was placed under protection. This attempt preserved at least one ehemalige Ziegelei for posterity. Ziegelei und Villa Hartl, near St. Emmeram, vanished completely. Around 2000, remnants of Josef Haid’s ehemalige Ziegelei Deck could still be seen. These stood at Oberföhringer Straße 204.
In 2007, plans emerged to build a new housing development on its land. Camilla Kraus, a Bogenhausen photographer, displayed photos of the ehemalige Ziegelei in 2008. This exhibit raised public awareness. Over 1,000 people signed a resolution to save Josef Haid’s ehemalige Ziegelei Deck. NordOstKultur handed the signed lists to Mayor Christine Strobl in 2008.
NordOstKultur championed the preservation of Josef Haid’s ehemalige Ziegelei Deck. They created a concept in 2009. It aimed to preserve two buildings. Anita Kuisle developed a professional concept. NordOstKultur presented it to city departments. These included the Planning, Building, Municipal, and Cultural departments.
The Cultural Department coordinated the project. Dr. Angelika Baumann became the contact person. NordOstKultur partnered with the Rosenheim University of Applied Sciences. Master carpenters Bernhard Schneider and Felix Gruschka studied the dismantling and reconstruction. They focused on the drying barn No. 8 for their thesis. Over 40 NordOstKultur members assisted. They helped with dismantling, storage, and reconstruction in August 2010.
In 2012, the dilapidated shell of the machine house was demolished. The machinery was covered for protection. Renovation of the machine house’s outer walls started in 2013. It finished in November of the same year.
Filmmaker Bodo Kessler documented the dismantling and reconstruction. His film is called “EIN TROCKENSTADL ZIEHT UM”. You can explore the stories of the “Lehmbarone und Ziegelpatscher” on the Bavarian Broadcasting website.
Today, the ehemalige Ziegelei stands as a reminder. It echoes the industrial past. It is a place of community engagement. It shows the power of preservation. As you explore the grounds, consider the hands that molded the bricks. Think of the fires that baked them. Imagine the lives that were shaped within these walls. The ehemalige Ziegelei invites us to remember. It urges us to value our industrial heritage.