Schiffswerft Laubegast

From the banks of the Elbe, the Schiffswerft Laubegast has witnessed Dresden’s evolving story. This shipyard, now a quiet giant, once pulsed with the clang of hammers and the hiss of steam. Let’s journey back to 1855. The Schiffswerft Laubegast first took shape not here, but in nearby Blasewitz. As Blasewitz blossomed into a residential haven, the shipyard’s industrial symphony clashed with the tranquility. So, in 1898, the Schiffswerft Laubegast found its new home here in Laubegast, on the former site of a timber merchant’s sawmill. The shipyard quickly became a cradle for ships, birthing 43 paddle steamers and four steam ferries even before its relocation. Imagine the scene: a 25-meter chimney puffing smoke, a network of rails, and a massive 85-meter transmission shaft powering the machinery. Eighty men, straining against ropes, hauled ships ashore using ten carousel capstans. The Schiffswerft Laubegast wasn’t just a shipyard; it was a machine shop, an engine of innovation. It produced Dresden’s first electrically lit passenger ship, the “Tetschen,” and its first double-decker steamer, the “Bodenbach.” After its move, the shipyard continued its legacy. From 1899 to 1929, seven majestic paddle steamers emerged from its workshops, including the “Dresden” and “Leipzig,” which still grace the Elbe today. The shipyard’s story took a somber turn during World War II. Conscripted for armaments production, its shipbuilding ceased. After the war, it was dismantled, a mere skeleton of its former self. Yet, the spirit of Schiffswerft Laubegast persevered. The remaining workers, armed with salvaged tools and sheer determination, pieced it back together. They repaired sunken ships, crafted everyday items, and slowly, painstakingly, rebuilt their beloved shipyard. The Schiffswerft Laubegast transitioned into the VEB Schiffswerft Laubegast, building coastal motor vessels, ferries, and even deep-water buoys. Post-1989, orders dwindled, but the shipyard held on, producing twelve steamers and three car ferries. Sadly, a large order for ferries destined for Kenya led to its insolvency and closure in 2013. While shipbuilding ceased, a part of the Schiffswerft Laubegast lives on, serving as a repair workshop for the Saxon Steamship Company. Its legacy continues to ripple through the waters of the Elbe.