Erziehung – Education

Das Arbeiterbad in Kuchen – The workers‘ baths in Kuchen

In the 19th century, poor sanitary and hygienic conditions in overcrowded cities led to the outbreak of epidemics, especially cholera. As a countermeasure, the general population was to be educated in cleanliness. Factory owners set up bathhouses for their employees to maintain their health and labour. An exemplary facility at the time was built in the 1860s in the workers‘ housing complex of textile entrepreneur Arnold Staub in Kuchen near Geislingen. Staub won a prize for his ‘workers’ town’ at the World Exhibition in Paris in 1867, and a splendid illustrated book presented the settlement, in which the bathhouse played an important role. The small pool, which was hardly suitable for proper swimming, was replaced by a dining hall as early as 1873.

Front view of the bathhouse of the workers‘ housing estate in Kuchen, 1867
Baden-Württemberg Economic Archive, Stuttgart

Ground floor of the bathhouse of the workers‘ housing estate in Kuchen, 1867
Baden-Württemberg Economic Archives, Stuttgart

Longitudinal section of the bathhouse of the workers‘ housing estate in Kuchen, 1867
Baden-Württemberg Economic Archives, Stuttgart

Description of the workers‘ settlement of Arnold Staub near Geislingen, 1867
Wirtschaftsarchiv Baden-Württemberg, Stuttgart

Das Arbeiterbad in Leimen – The workers‘ baths in Leimen

In the German Empire, industrial companies built shower and bath tubs for their employees. From the 1880s, however, experts called for the construction of proper indoor swimming pools. These would enable ‘more thorough cleaning’ and sporting exercise. One example of this was the swimming pool built by the ‘Portland-Cement-Fabrik Heidelberg und Mannheim AG’ in Leimen in 1907. It was heated by the waste heat from the factory furnaces and could also be used by the public. The swimming pool remained in operation until the 1950s; today the factory canteen is located on the filled-in pool. Only a lifebuoy from 1907 has survived. It probably never had to be used, as the non-swimmer area of the 16 metre long pool was small and not very accident-prone.

Aerial view of the cement works in Leimen, 1920s
Heidelberg Materials AG, Heidelberg

Facade of the indoor swimming pool of the cement plant in Leimen, 1983
Heidelberg Materials AG, Heidelberg

The indoor swimming pool of the cement plant in Leimen, 1950
Heidelberg Materials AG, Heidelberg

Women bathing in the indoor swimming pool of the cement works in Leimen, 1910
Heidelberg Materials AG, Heidelberg

Swimming competition in the indoor swimming pool of the cement works in Leimen, 1910
Heidelberg Materials AG, Heidelberg

Lifebuoy from the indoor swimming pool of the cement factory in Leimen, 1907
Heidelberg Materials AG, Heidelberg