Gongs echoed across Berlin. The Eisenwerk Franz Weeren stands before you. This isn’t just a factory. It’s a legacy forged in iron and resonating with stories.
Founded in 1887 by engineer Franz Weeren the Eisenwerk Franz Weeren was more than a simple foundry. Franz had a background in metallurgical and chemical engineering. He initially ran a small foundry in a Berlin basement. His father Julius Weeren a professor of metallurgy owned a foundry in Witten. Franz eventually combined both businesses. The foundry thrived. His construction work became less important.
In 1889 the Eisenwerk Franz Weeren moved to Rixdorf. A new workshop was opened. They initially produced iron castings. By 1898 they added Berliner Bauplatten. These were cast-iron foundation plates used in industrial construction. The Eisenwerk invented a revolutionary carousel machine for mass production. This machine could produce 4000 tons of cast iron annually before World War I. Two large workshops were built one for casting and one for iron casting.
The Eisenwerk expanded until 1915. A new steel structure with a glass gable roof was added. They even used self-made rails and carts to move materials. In 1905 Franz Weeren built a beautiful Jugendstil villa. The villa had a garden and a lily pond. He had previously lived at Rixdorfer Bergstrasse 76/77. By 1912 they started using alternative fuels like peat and brown coal. Brown coal became the main fuel by the 1920s.
The Eisenwerk’s next chapter involved brake pads for the Reichsbahn. Franz’s son Fritz Weeren joined the business in 1920. A research laboratory was added. They refined cast iron for brake pads. The laboratory developed quality standards. By 1924 Berliner Bauplatten production ended. Conveyor belts replaced the carousel machine. They produced fire-resistant alloys and wear-resistant cast iron. The company remained competitive even during World War II.
After the war Franz Weeren’s grandson also named Franz joined the company. Post-war Berlin had tons of scrap metal. The Eisenwerk flourished again. A new alloy developed by Fritz Weeren helped. By the early 1950s the Eisenwerk produced many things. These included high-quality fire-resistant materials. This included furnace components and melting pots. They made wear-resistant parts like brake shoes for trains. They also made cast iron for rollers. Amazingly from 1950 to 1956 they cast church bells.
The Eisenwerk cast around 46 of the approximately 110 new bells needed in West Berlin after the war. This was due to the loss of many bronze bells in World War II. The bells were nicknamed Parabolglocken. This was because their vertical cross-section resembled a parabola. They were lighter and cheaper than bronze bells. One bell even made its way to Okinawa in 1953. It was presented to a doctor who had established leper colonies there.
Competition from other bell manufacturers led to the Eisenwerk stopping bell production in 1956. Fritz Weeren left the company in 1963. Structural changes in the 1970s and the lack of a successor led to the company closing in November 1983. The site became a supermarket and later a bowling alley. Today the Eisenwerk Franz Weeren remains a testament to Berlin’s industrial past. A significant part of Berlin’s history stands preserved as a monument. The Eisenwerk Franz Weeren is more than just a building. It’s a story of innovation resilience and family legacy.