Industrial Dancefloor, Germany

Industrial Dancefloor is an abandoned Art Deco powerhouse in Germany. The company originally produced bicycles and typewriters. After the Second World War, Soviet-controlled nationalized companies took over. These enterprises produced aircraft engines and hydraulics here. Many areas of the administration buildings are now in use. However, this old powerhouse has lay disused for decades.

We visited the Industrial Dancefloor in the summer of 2016. When we visited this location it was beautiful, gracefully succumbing to natural decay. At some point during the intervening years, this room was daubed with graffiti and ugly tags. Consequently, in recent months the building has been sealed.

History of the company

1880s – 1940s – Bicycles, typewriters and cars

Founded in the 1880s, the company sold and repaired bicycles. It was not long before the business began to manufacture bicycle parts.

Little under a decade later, the owner commissioned new business premises. They acquired a sizable plot of land in a German industrial town. Here they built a large administration building and warehouse complex. Adjacent to the warehouse they build the Industrial Dancefloor powerhouse.

In their new premises, the company branched out into other ventures. Initially, they started to manufacture milling machinery. Eventually, their portfolio expanded. They built motorcycles, typewriters and small cars by the early 20th Century. By the 1930s they produced middle class and sports cars. During the hey-day, 30,000 people worked for this company. Many of them worked in the administration building adjacent to the Industrial Dancefloor.

Aircraft engine manufacturer in the GDR

The site and contents was transferred to new owners after the Second World War. This redistribution was in connection with repatriation payments by Germany. The site, now in the German Democratic Republic (GDR), became a state-owned enterprise in this now Soviet occupied zone. The owners relocated to West Germany, and continued business manufacturing bicyles and typewriters.

During Soviet occupation, the company continued to manufacture typewriters, as well as automatic booking machines and other mechanical office machinery. In 1950s the factory shifted to aircraft part engineering. The site eventually produced aircraft engines and propellers. Later, the factory would also produce hydraulic pumps and engines for cars.

In 1990 Germany was reunified. The Soviet companies left this area as the GDR dissolved. The site then lay abandoned for many years, before being sold to new owners.

The future of the Industrial Dancefloor

The owners have also run tours of the building. They seem keen to kindle interest in the redevelopment. Possible plans include partial conversion into flats. This hall could be used as an exhibition or conference space in the future.