Of roaring deer and howling engines: the Textile and Racing Museum in Hohenstein-Ernstthal

In the Saxon town of Hohenstein-Ernstthal, there is a cultural institution whose thematic focus appears paradoxical at first glance: the Textile and Motorsport Museum (Textil- und Rennsportmuseum). Here, two seemingly incompatible worlds—the centuries-old tradition of textile manufacturing and the adrenaline-fueled history of high-speed motorsport—meet.

But why this unusual combination? A closer look at the region’s history provides the answer almost automatically. The region is shaped by roughly 500 years of textile trade history and nearly a century of racing on the legendary Sachsenring.

I was very much looking forward to what awaited me in Hohenstein-Ernstthal.

From Factory Heritage to Public Magnet: The History of the Museum

The history of the Textile and Motorsport Museum is the story of a rescue operation. The museum is located in a five-story former factory building dating back to the 19th century.

The C. F. Jäckel Era: Growth and Modernization

In 1879, the entrepreneur Carl Ferdinand Jäckel acquired the property in the immediate vicinity of the train station. Already in 1878, he had registered his company in the commercial register for the manufacture of bed, table, and divan blankets.

The following decades were marked by continuous growth and technological modernization. The decisive step toward mechanical factory operation was taken in 1897 when the first six mechanical looms from the Chemnitz-based company Schönherr were installed. Further milestones included the factory’s electrification in 1903 and the construction of a boiler house with a 100-horsepower steam power plant and a distinctive 38-meter-high chimney in 1907. During the GDR era, the company was integrated into the ‘Volkseigener Betrieb’ (VEB) Möbelstoff- und Plüschwerke Hohenstein-Ernstthal (Publicly Owned Enterprise Furniture Fabric and Plush Works) and continued its production.

A Last-Minute Rescue Operation

The political change of 1989 and the subsequent economic transformation spelled the end for many businesses in the former GDR. The Möbelstoff- und Plüschwerke Hohenstein-Ernstthal was also affected. With the start of liquidation, the incalculably valuable heritage of the region’s traditional Jacquard weaving was in danger of being lost forever. Machines, historical pattern books, design drawings, and technical documents were on the verge of being scrapped and destroyed.

During this phase, an unprecedented rescue operation began. Private individuals searched the production sites of the four factories and salvaged countless valuable artifacts by labeling them with the note “Textilmuseum” (Textile Museum), thus saving them from destruction..

From Idea to Opening

Allies were quickly found, and in September 1992, the promotional association “Textil- und Heimatmuseum Hohenstein-Ernstthal e. V.” (Textile and Local History Museum Hohenstein-Ernstthal) was founded. This association became the driving force behind the museum idea.

In March 1994, the town of Hohenstein-Ernstthal passed a resolution to establish a municipal Textile and Local History Museum and to acquire a suitable industrial property for it. The choice fell on the former Mechanical Weaving Mill of C. F. Jäckel.

In 1995, the “Textile and Local History Museum” was officially opened. The collection was continuously expanded in the following years. In 2000, the exhibition was supplemented by the area of Sachsenring racing history, which led to the renaming in 2001 to its current name, “Textile and Motorsport Museum.”

The Fabric of a Region: The Fascinating Textile Collection

There is a lot to see on an exhibition space of around 1,400 square meters! During my visit, I looked at everything concerning Jacquard weaving and, of course, motorsport.

From Punch Card Code to Cult Object: Jacquard Weaving

The demonstration workshop for Jacquard weaving is truly very impressive. My tip: It is worthwhile to join a guided tour here. You then experience the huge machines in action and learn a lot about the production process. Public demonstrations of the historical Jacquard looms take place regularly every 4th Sunday of the month.

I was particularly fascinated by the revolutionary technology of Joseph-Marie Jacquard from the early 19th century. The functional historical machines operate at an enormous volume. How did the workers endure this—the noise is truly “deafening.”

I find the punch card technology used for programming the looms very exciting. It is considered today to be the direct precursor to modern computer technology. A complex pattern is visible on the punch cards. The binary system of “hole” or “no hole” essentially represents the fabric’s pattern. To illustrate the complexity: Up to 7,000 punch cards with a total of nine million pattern points (pixels) were necessary to produce a single wall hanging.

Saxon Fabrics for the World: From IKEA to the “Bellowing Stag”

The product range of the “Hohenstein Blanket Weavers,” a term synonymous with quality around 1900, ranged from high-quality upholstery fabrics and tablecloths to artistic tapestries. A special product honored in the exhibition is the “bellowing stag” (röhrender Hirsch). This type of wall hanging was ubiquitous in the living rooms of my grandparents’ generation and is now considered a cult object.

The economic significance of the local weaving mills was enormous. They were successful not only regionally but also internationally and served as important foreign currency earners during the GDR era. For instance, the Swedish furniture group IKEA was already ordering fabrics “Made in GDR” in the 1970s and 80s.

Legends of the Ring: The Motorsport Collection at the Sachsenring

Where the smell of gasoline is in the air and the ghosts of racing legends drift through the halls, the tour through over 90 years of racing history begins. The permanent exhibition on the history of the Sachsenring in the Textile and Motorsport Museum in Hohenstein-Ernstthal is a tribute to the legendary Sachsenring circuit, which has shaped the identity of an entire region like no other racetrack. Tracing the footsteps of heroes, daring constructors, and an unparalleled fan culture, the significance of motorsport in the Zwickau region comes alive here.

Heroism on Two Wheels: When the Road Cycling World Championships Conquered the Sachsenring

One scene that doesn’t sound like engine noise at all is the 1960 Road Cycling World Championships. Against the impressive backdrop of around 150,000 spectators, this race became one of the most memorable moments in GDR sports history. I read the story of Täve Schur, who here forewent the victory to allow his friend Bernhard Eckstein to win the World Championship title. This story belongs to the region and is still happily told today.

The Formula 1 of the East: Inventiveness on the Racetrack

Another focus that makes the eyes of technology and history fans light up is the so-called “Formula 1 of the East.” In a time when international motorsport was separated by the Iron Curtain, a distinct racing scene developed in the Eastern Bloc: “Formula Easter.”

Drivers and constructors demonstrated, with scarce material and all the more inventiveness, that the passion for speed knows no bounds. Among all the fascinating exhibits, I discover the star of the show: the Formula racing car MT 77. One can vividly imagine how Ulli Melkus and the other legends swept around the track with this car, powered by a Lada engine and pure ingenuity.

My gaze wanders further to the motorcycles. The gleaming two-strokes from IFA-DKW and MZ stand there as if just waiting to be allowed back onto the track.

More Than Just a Race: Camping, Cult, and Fan Culture

I particularly liked the staging of the “surroundings” of a race at the Sachsenring. A reconstructed campsite transports me directly to the 1960s.

Visitor Information

Address

Antonstraße 6,
09337 Hohenstein-Ernstthal

www.trm-hot.de

The visit took place as part of a press trip.