Badische Maschinenfabrik und Eisengießerei Plaque

“A matchstick factory?” you might scoff. “How exciting can that be?” Well, let me tell you the story of the Badische Maschinenfabrik und Eisengießerei Plaque, or BMD, and I think you’ll change your mind. This plaque commemorates more than just matches. It represents the industrial heart of Durlach and the rise and fall of a company that once sent its machines around the globe. The Badische Maschinenfabrik und Eisengießerei story begins in 1855 with Johann Georg Sebold. He founded a factory initially bearing his name, producing matchstick machines. He also produced foundry and tannery machines. Think of the ingenuity of creating machines to make such small but essential items. In its early years, the factory employed 25 to 30 workers. The Badische Maschinenfabrik und Eisengießerei wasn’t just local. Sebold sent technicians abroad from the very beginning to assemble the matchstick machines on site. Can you imagine these early engineers traveling the world, carrying pieces of Durlach with them? The Badische Maschinenfabrik und Eisengießerei grew. In 1872, Sebold and his son-in-law, Friedrich Neff, founded an iron foundry. They started building molding machines. By 1885, the company became a joint-stock company under the name Badische Maschinenfabrik Durlach. It expanded its production to include high-quality specialized machines for the brewery, sugar, and mill industries. The name Durlach, thanks to the Badische Maschinenfabrik und Eisengießerei, became known worldwide. The company maintained particularly strong trade relations with Russia before World War I and during the 1920s. The Badische Maschinenfabrik und Eisengießerei played its part in the world wars. Like many Durlach businesses, the factory produced armaments. Large parts of the factory buildings were destroyed in 1944. During World War II, up to 3,111 forced laborers were employed at the factory, a dark chapter in its history. After the war, the Badische Maschinenfabrik und Eisengießerei experienced a resurgence in the 1950s. Matchstick machine production ceased in 1952/53. The company changed hands several times. It ultimately closed its doors in Durlach in 2002. What remains is this plaque. It stands as a testament to the generations of workers whose lives were intertwined with the factory. Often, grandfathers, fathers, and sons of a family worked there, creating a sense of community and shared purpose. The Badische Maschinenfabrik und Eisengießerei may be gone, but its story is etched in the history of Durlach.