Der Klang der Grossstadt

In 2021, the 150th anniversary of the founding of the German Empire was commemorated, which existed from 1871 to 1918. This period saw the incredible dynamic shaping of the community of Chemnitz into a Saxon industrial metropolis: with a population of 100,000 in 1883, the city crossed the formal threshold to become a major city - by shortly after the turn of the century, another 100,000 residents were added every ten years. Chemnitz became a boomtown. A magnificent city emerged. The outskirts were occupied by both densely populated workers' quarters and luxurious residential areas for the privileged classes. Among other things, the economy, politics, administration, infrastructure, and architecture had to keep pace with the rapid growth. The imperial era was thus one of the most formative periods in the history of Chemnitz, which ultimately took a drastic turn for the worse with the outbreak of World War I. Fifteen authors illuminate the diversity of social and cultural historical development in Chemnitz with their contributions. A multitude of previously unpublished historical photographs, elaborately painted shooting targets, large ladies' gowns, and colorful uniforms bring to life the image of the people in the streets of the city and continue to convey a vivid testimony of the bourgeois progress discourse of the time. The anniversary volume offers a glimpse into the spirit of life of those decades through a wide range of objects from the collection of the Schlossberg Museum.