Autor: Grzegorski2023

1916 / Kraków

Soldiers-troopers from the Krakow Fortress

Postcard sent to Vienna on 23/9 1916. Photograph shows 12 soldier-carvers, a plaque with the name of the workshop, a machine and carpentry products.
On the board the inscription: „K.u.K. FEST. MONT. MAGAZ. SEILEREI” with added date: „1/9 1916”.
On the reverse side a stamp: „K.u.k. Festungs Montur Magazin Rudolfs Kaserne Krakau”
Among the many industrial facilities in the Krakow Fortress that were established during the war, the Fortress Uniform Depot (Montur-magazin), with its numerous workshops and related enterprises, occupies one of the first places. The establishment of the depot dates back to the beginning of the war. Before the outbreak of the war, the fortress had only a modest stock of uniform and linen sorts in the replenishment warehouse, in the barracks on Grodzka Street (Grodzkakaserne). In the first days of August 1914, troops and field workshops left the fortress to face the enemy. The replacements stationed in the fortress went inland, and numerous Landsturm formations and labor troops arrived in the fortress. The fortress was therefore given the task of establishing a central depot – to maintain self-sufficiency – which would have to take care of the fortress garrison and supply the close front.
Quartermaster-Intendant Vesely, Inventory of the Krakow Fortress, 1917, Lt. Res. Bruno Färber, Fortress Uniform Depot at Rudolf Barracks and its development since the beginning of the war
In order to supply the artillery depot and the artillery formations stationed in the fortress with ropes, the price of which had risen immeasurably due to a shortage of raw materials, a cordage workshop (Seilerei) was established next to the uniform depot in February 1916 by order of the Head of the Fortress Intendant. With the help of several machines, partly purchased and partly made in-house, from old, unusable bags and jute waste, with the addition of hemp, about 4,000 ropes were produced per month. 50% of the old material was used in the production process, which did not reduce the durability of the rope. Laufstränge and Zugstränge were produced (specialized types of cordage and post-strings, used as part of rather complex draft horse harnesses for transporting military equipment) and probably Leitseile (cordage reins).
Direktiven für Benützung von Karrenfuhrwerken Und Karren-Trainzuggeschirren, Vienna 1915
material / technique:
paper, photography
dimensions:
height / width
8.8 cm / 14 cm

1902 / Sewilla, Spain

A rope and mat factory in Seville

Inside the workshop, men are making (presumably also selling) ropes, mats and baskets made of esparto (a fiber made from the grass of sturdy holly).
Photo captioned: A Rope and Matting Factory in Seville, Spain. Also marked is the manufacturer: Underwood & Underwood Publishers. New York, London, Toronto-Canada, Ottawa-Kansas.
material / technique:
paper, stereoscopic photography
dimensions:
height / width
8.8 cm / 17.8 cm

1910/ca. 1950 / Côte d’Or, France

A ropemaker at a ropemaking wheel in France

A ropemaker (Cordière) sits on a chair at the machine, which she drives by turning a crank. A cord is attached to a large flywheel that sets the hook (or hooks) in motion. A ropemaker stands in front of the flywheel. He has hemp fibers wrapped around his waist, indicating that he intends to spin the thread by hooking the fibers onto the machine’s hook. Also attached to the machine’s structure is a motowid with the threaded rope. The ropemakers are working next to a stately stone-built building under a tree. The photo was taken in the Côte d’Or region, France.
The negative is dated circa 1910, the photograph was developed circa 1950.
The maker (stamp on the reverse): „PHOTO GOLDNER / 4, Square Claude Debussy, 4 / PARIS-17e / CARNOT 43-81”.
Handwritten inscription on the reverse: „Cordiere / Côte d’Or / 1910”.
material / technique:
paper, photography
dimensions:
height / width
17.6 cm / 24.2 cm

1950 / Solunto, Sycylia, Italy

A ropemaker workshop in Sicily

The photograph shows a ropemaker stretching a thread between a ropemaking wheel and a peg, supported by a ropemaking rake. Also visible in the photo are two boys, one of whom is turning a crank to move the rope wheel. Along the stretched strings walks a man dressed in black. The cordage track (the place where the cords are twisted) is located along the wall.
The factory (stamp on the reverse): „PHOTO GOLDNER / 4, Square Claude Debussy, 4 / PARIS-17e / CARNOT 43-81”.
Handwritten inscription on the reverse: „Sicile / un cordier à Solunto”.
material / technique:
paper, photography
dimensions:
height / width
17.8 cm / 18 cmSee also

1950 / Solunto, Sicily, Italy

A ropemaking workshop in Sicily

See more

1913 / Marsylia, France

Ropemaker in front of the cathedral in Marseille, France.

A group of ropemakers work in the square in front of the cathedral in Marseille. The craftsmen are holding ropes. A ropemaking machine (wheel) is visible behind them. Ropes are stretched on the track.
Captions: „127 – Marseille – La Cathédrale & les Cordiers”, „Phototype E. Lacour – Marseille”.
material / technique:
negative, photography
dimensions:
height / width
size: small;”>9.3 cm / 14 cm

1914-1918 / Germany

Russian prisoners of war making ropes in Germany

The photograph shows Russian prisoners of war guarded by a German soldier, twisting ropes on three machines. Large wagon wheels are mounted on structures made of wooden logs, and twisted ropes were attached to the spokes.
On the reverse side a stamp with the inscription: „J. H. Hennings & Co., Hamburg 5.”
material / technique:
paper, photography
dimensions:
height / width
10.7 cm / 15.4 cm

1950 / Solunto, Sycylia, Italy

A ropemaking workshop in Sicily

A ropemaker workshop in Sicily
The photograph shows a ropemaker stretching a thread between a ropemaking wheel and a peg, supported by a ropemaking rake. Also visible in the photo are two boys, one of whom is turning a crank to move the rope wheel. Along the stretched strings walks a man dressed in black. The cordage track (the place where the cords are twisted) is located along the wall.
The factory (stamp on the reverse): „PHOTO GOLDNER / 4, Square Claude Debussy, 4 / PARIS-17e / CARNOT 43-81”.
Handwritten inscription on the reverse: „Sicile / un cordier à Solunto”.
material / technique:
paper, photography
dimensions:
height / width
17.8 cm / 18 cm

See also

1950 / Solunto, Sycylia, Italy

A ropemaking workshop in Sicily

See more