Two - at first glance - completely different industrial abandonments located somewhere in Germany –
100 kilometers away from each other but closely related in historical terms.
One of those places is so clean that you can barely believe it is really abandoned.
The other one however is the complete opposite,
because it has been decaying for so long now that we were able to find astonishing sceneries here.
On two consecutive days in summer 2018 we were exploring those two forgotten premises.
In the first episode of our two-part series we’re showing you this site:
A medicine factory rich in tradition located in a small town in Eastern Germany.
Follow us while we’re showing you what’s left after more than 20 years of vacancy.
One month after our great Italy adventure we were fighting our way through dense undergrowth again.
On this day, we wanted to visit a place that we were seeing quite often on social media the months before.
We were exchanging information with another team of urban explorers and they said the only way to get on the property
would be a bold jump over the fence on the other side right next to a road with heavy traffic.
We knew that this wouldn’t be an option for us since our credo is to stay undetected while trespassing.
So, the three of us managed to find another access point
which was protecting us from the prying eyes of the neighbors.
The first door that was open led us into one of the old warehouses.
Let’s see what we were able to find here.
Next to the mortal remains of an animal, there were mostly shelves.
Despite the fact that they’re big enough so that people can fit in here quite easily, they were all emptied out already.
We can only guess what was stored here in the past.
Anyways, the year when the compound was abandoned we don’t have to guess,
since we found this calendar in a small office.
As it turned out, not all of the stored items have been removed yet.
One of the warehouses was locked tight.
But curious visitors before us were knocking a small hole in the wall, so the contents of the hall wouldn’t stay buried.
And in fact, the shelves and cupboards were still filled with items.
Okay, “filled” might be the wrong term.
Because we’re pretty sure that thieves have already stolen a lot of the goods.
But to be honest: There was still so much to discover that this place resembled a real treasure chest for us.
Here we also discovered the first clues about the function of this industrial plant:
A list with pharmaceuticals and old technical equipment to either produce or fill them.
We would have never believed it, but yeah, we just found an abandoned medicine factory!
However, we were actually more interested in the main building that you can now see on the right.
On the left there’s the warehouse from just now.
As it seems this is a good entrance for us.
Well, it’s not a pleasant one because we have to get through shards of glass but at least it worked out for us.
We made it inside and now it was time to explore the former entrance area.
We wouldn’t have thought to find something like this inside an old medicine factory.
In the past, this covered inner courtyard was probably greening quite nicely.
But today everything is withered.
This monstera was one of the last surviving plants here.
But since our exploration was a long time ago, this one might be perished now as well.
From the courtyard we were then heading to the former production halls.
Now it's finally time to tell you the story of this place.
But let's take a short moment to acknowledge that there was still an untouched fire extinguisher left behind.
Rather untypical for an abandonment.
So, during those next minutes make sure to watch very closely how little vandalism there is here.
From the locker rooms near the entrance area we're entering the former factory floors via some kind of double door system.
Around the year 1900 things looked quite different here.
Instead of this factory there was a drugstore standing at the location.
While experimenting around, one day a German chemist was discovering a mixture here
which was able to mitigate different kinds of pain.
Among others stomach trouble, nervousness as well as limb and muscle pain could be treated with the novel drug.
In a small shed it was produced and exported in the whole world very soon after.
The product was that popular, that this big factory complex was built until 1907,
so the universal remedy could be fabricated faster and in larger quantities.
But as you know it from every good story, there's a turning point after the uplift here as well.
At first a fire was destroying large stocks of the inventory and after that the First World War broke out.
Of 70 employees the major part had to leave.
Either they were conscripted or they were laid off because of the bad economic state.
After all, many foreign consumers didn't want to trade with German businesses during that period.
Not before German economy recovered from the massive inflation in the 1920s,
the pharmaceuticals could roll off the production line again.
The company started to grow and more and more different kinds of preparations were produced.
Either as liquids in bottles or as cream or dragees.
In the early 1930s the range of goods was expanded even more.
In a new production building on the property soap, toothpaste, mouth wash and other cosmetics were prepared.
The old chemical scientist who established the company, passed away shortly before the start of World War Two.
His son however, who was now running the factory, was sent to the front where he also died.
In his last will the staff was listed as heir of the company.
But they didn't gain anything from it.
Because under soviet occupation they were dispossessed and the factory which was used as sickbay during the war,
was now turned into a nationally owned enterprise.
In the 1950s, the plant was extended even further.
The station hotel next door was bought and connected with the factory halls via an intermediate building.
Since the fundamental structure of the hotel remained unchanged, the factory now had an unusual setup.
That integration of the hotel also explains the uncommon courtyard, for example,
because this was part of the old structure.
Let's take a quick look on the outside of the large building complex.
At the front side the lettering "hotel" is still visible today.
The building stock of this section however is quite different from the one of the factory halls.
Because already in the canteen on the ground floor black mold is spreading on a large scale.
In the upper floors the old offices are located.
Here the situation is way worse and without a respirator you should avoid this area at all costs.
Luckily, you can experience such places from your couch at home
without the danger of breathing in the contaminated air.
From the former hotel we were reaching this hidden attic via the intermediate building.
In the old wooden racks everything is covered in dust by now.
But what was surprising us is that we found an old gas mask.
And other relics from a bygone era.
In the 70s this company was absorbed by a bigger pharmaceutical group.
A large state-owned enterprise from Berlin was now able to broaden its product offerings thanks to this factory.
But when all the state-owned companies were privatized or liquidated after the political changes in 1989,
an Italian multicorporate enterprise acquired the plant in Germany’s capital city.
This operating part however was separated and from this time on it was working independently again.
Around 60 employees were occupied at that moment.
But the factory struggled to keep up with global competition and so the plant was shut down for good in the year 2001.
Despite the long vacancy the condition of the building complex is still quite good.
The reason why vandals didn't destroy the place yet is because the property was guarded for a long time.
Only in the last few years the site is accessible for adventurous people.
Today the future of the over 100 year old factory is uncertain.
There were thoughts about turning the former medicine factory into a shopping center.
But this proposal was rejected by many people and so nothing happened to this date.
In part because the site is still contaminated with inherited waste.
And so, another long-standing business is sinking into insignificance.
There's only one more glimmer of hope:
The universal remedy which was produced here and helped with different kinds of pain, is still available today.
It's fabricated in plants all over the world.
So, at least the legacy is preserved till today.
If you like our urbex photography you will find more images on Instagram and Facebook.
But if you would like to download our pictures in high resolution,
consider supporting us on Patreon with only $1 per month.
For the people who are supporting us with higher amounts, we now have exclusive rewards like BWT patches and buttons.
100% of the money we earn with Broken Window Theory will be invested in our project.
Thanks for your support and for being part of BWT!
Next time on Broken Window Theory:
One day after the exploration we were infiltrating the massive industrial area of another chemical plant.
These are the origins of the company that was absorbing the medicine factory in today's episode.
But after the fall of the Berlin Wall the former publicly owned company was buried in oblivion.
While new buildings for the chemical group were established next door,
the old structures have been rotting away for decades.
Decay, street art, left-over items and plenty of accessible buildings on the premises are the perfect foundation for another adventure.
After the long Italy series we would like to show you abandonments in our home country of Germany in those next episodes.
We have explored many great places and we would be pleased if you share the content with your friends.
Thanks for your help, the likes and the comments.
Keep exploring and see you next time!