Founding of a hand weaving mill by Friedrich and Antonie Pfau in Leipziger Straße 49 in Crimmitschau.
Building of a new factory on the corner of Leipziger and Sahntalstraße. A four storey building including a boiler house and a chimney was erected. All parts of a textile production line were included on one single site, from spinning woollen yarn to turning them into fabric. In the 1890s, those cloths were exported worldwide.
A big fire on the factory site. Friedrich Pfau hands the factory over to his sons Otto and Adolph. The factory was rebuilt under the new name of 'Gebr. Pfau'.
The workers of the Pfau textile mill participated in the great textile workers strike.
Otto Pfau moved into his new mansion on the corner of Leipziger / Sahntalstraße.
Production of 100,000th piece of cloth.
A representative administration and production building was erected at Leipziger Straße.
Friedrich Pfau, founder of the firm died.
The area of the firm was doubled by the purchase of the neighbouring spinning and dyeing mill 'Zeiner & Schumann'. During World War I, the production includes military cloth.
The status of the firm changed from 'Open commercial company' to a 'limited partnership' with a number of other companies. The new money was invested in new machinery.
The company is taken back into family ownership. Werner Pfau, son of Adolph Pfau, is being made technical and administrative director.
Death of Otto Pfau.
When the Second World War started, the production of military cloth was massively expanded. Old machinery was modernised.
Production of 300 000th piece of cloth.
In April, Crimmitschau was occupied by the US Army. Production was resumed in June the same year. Reparations to the Soviet Union.
Production of fabric for women's and men's outer garments [fabrics for coats, suits, and skirts] taken up again.
The factory was forced to allow governmental participation. Most of the produced fabric was being exported to Western countries. In the 1960s, large parts of the machinery was modernised.
Almost all factories with governmental participation were taken into public property. The 'Gebr. Pfau KG' was turned into the 'VEB Modetuche'. Werner Pfau remained managing director.
Werner Pfau retired.
Seven Crimmitschau textile factories, amongst them the 'VEB Modetuche', were combined to form the 'Werk 7' of 'VEB Volltuchwerke Crimmitschau'. The production includes blended fabrics, classic woollen fabric, jeans and tapestry cloth. Within the following years, there was hardly any investment in the factory.
The whole factory site - buildings and machinery - was declared a national heritage site. Production came to an end. There were first plans for a museum.
Chronological table on the history of the textile museum
Foundation of a 'Friends of the West Saxon Textile Museum' Association
Purchase of the site by the City of Crimmitschau.
Foundation of the Saxon Museum of Industry Association.
The museum staff started to work, first museum events took place.
2001 / 02
Architectural contest: 1st price was won by the Zwickau based bureau of ARC Architektur Concept Pfaffhausen and Staudte.
Decision of the Crimmitschau City Council on realising the presented museum concept.