Reorganisation of textile production by Ferdinand von Fürstenberg

Trade & Craft

Thanks to the initiative of Prince-Bishop Ferdinand von Fürstenberg (officiating 1661-83), new textile craftsmen settled in the 1660s and 1670s, especially in the residence town itself. In addition to simple wool weavers, these included above all highly qualified garment dyers from the „foreign countries“ of the Lower Rhine, who were generously privileged by the sovereign. In February 1663, for example, Ferdinand undertook to build the garment dyer Arnolt Zülcher, who came from Lorenzberg in the Lower Rhine in the Duchy of Jülich, his own „farbhauß“ (coloring house) on bishop’s land. In 1672/73, Master Zülcher paid a rent of 15 Reichstaler for this house.[2] This early baroque dye works and its outbuildings were probably located north of the „Nepomukbrücke“ between the Mühlenpader and the Wasserkunstpader. [3] To secure his business, Master Zülcher requested a dyeing monopoly from the sovereign, which was to apply to the entire diocese: „All lacquers [woollen cloth] made in the kingdom of Paderborn“ were to be coloured exclusively by him in Neuhaus. [4] In the official letter of the new dyers’ guild, the „Colören“ were themselves specified, with which the Paderborn cloth was to be brought onto the market in various shades of grey, green and blue.[5] In addition to the blue and fair dyers, black dyers also settled in Neuhaus. Masters such as Martin Dolle [6] apparently appreciated the special water quality of the Pader, which helped to dye woollen cloth „beautifully black“.[7]

In addition to recruiting foreign specialists, the prince-bishop also reformed the medieval organisation of the local textile trade. In 1666, the prince brought together all the master craftsmen scattered across the country and incorporated them into a countrywide dyers’ guild.[8] This Paderborn black and blue dyers’ guild can be traced to the end of the 18th century.[9] The Ferdinandean privileges for the Neuhaus garment dyers, wall makers and tailors clearly underline the importance of Neuhaus as a baroque textile location. Thus the sovereign not only centralised the nationwide dyeing trade at the starting and end point of the Pader. According to Ferdinand’s will, the cloth finishing upstream of dyeing was also to be concentrated at the Neuhaus fulling mill. The „Wandmacherprivileg“ of 1666 makes a brief note of this:

„All the linen that is made in Paderborn, Newhauß and elsewhere in the vicinity of the country [shall] be rolled at the fulling mill erected here at Newhauß […]“[10].

Thanks to the bishop’s economic support, pre-industrial cloth production flourished for a few decades on the lower reaches of the Pader, which was to shape the industrial structure of Neuhaus in the 19th century.

References and bibliography

[1] LA Münster, Fürstbistum Pb, Hofkammer Nr. 354, fol. 2r-2v. A draft contract between master Zülcher and bishop Ferdinand of 8 Feruary 1663 shows: The sovereign undertakes „that the dye works shall stay with him and his heirs“ (Art. 1); a guarantee which was also to be ratified by the Paderborn cathedral chapter.

[2] LA Münster, Fürstbistum Pb, Ämterrechnungen Neuhaus (1672/73), Nr. 1081, fol. 102r.

[3] The „Neuhäuser Ortschronik“ (1797) states that, according to information from the Rentschreiber Waldeyer, in the 17th century the „most distinguished dye works […] stood on the banks of the Pader between the two bridges that lay before the gate to Paderborn“. Cf. EAB Pb, AV Acta 88, fol. 55-100, Zitat fol. 59r.

[4] LA Münster, Fürstbistum Pb, Hofkammer Nr. 354, fol. 2r. Art. 2, Vertragsentwurf 8 February 1663.

[5] Cf. official article of the dyers, undated (presumably 1660s), LA Münster, Fürstbistum Pb, Hofkammer Nr. 354, fol. 9r-10r. The dyes widely used in Westphalia included woad for the colours blue and black. Cf. Detten, Wirtschaftsleben, p. 123.

[6] In the accounting year 1672/73, „Dolle der Farber“ paid 15 Rtl, 8 ß and 9 d to the „Renteikasse“ for the dyeing of 185 sheets. In addition, there was the lease fee for „the place near the dye works“, for which another 5 Rtl. was paid. LA Münster, Fürstbistum Pb, Ämterrechnungen Neuhaus (1672/73), Nr. 1081, fol. 102r.

[7] Cf. Neuhäuser Ortschronik (1797), statement by the Rentschreiber Waldeyer: „The main master of the same [dyeing works] called himself Martin Dolle. […] It is considered that the Pader water contributes a lot to dyeing beautiful black.“. EAB Pb, AV Acta 88, fol. 55-100, Zitat fol. 59r; 60r.

[8] Cf. „Wandmacher Amtsprivilegia“ (1666), LA Münster, Fürstbistum Pb, Hofkammer Nr. 354, fol. 110r-113v.

[9] Cf. „Privilegienbestätigung“ by prince-bishop Franz Egon von Fürstenberg, 13 November 1790. LA Münster, Fürstbistum Pb, Hofkammer Nr. 391, fol. 1r-4r.

[10] Art. 14, „Wandmacher Amts privilegia“ (1666), LA Münster, Fürstbistum Paderborn, Hofkammer Nr. 354, fol. 111r.

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