Maschinenfabrik Philipp Swiderski
Zschockersche Straße 78, Leipzig
Schleuissig
West Leipzig
Maschinenfabrik built in 1889 to relocate the stem-engine factory.
History of the factory:
In 1889, industrialist Philipp Swiderski relocated his already successful steam engine factory from the limited site on Talstrasse to the emerging industrial zone of Plagwitz-Großzschocher, an area being developed by Carl Heine. The move marked a significant expansion for the company.
A year earlier, in 1888, Eduard Steyer had constructed two parallel factory halls with a narrow courtyard between them. In 1889, Paul Ranft added a glass roof over the courtyard, transforming it into a unified workshop space filled with natural light. The right-hand hall was enhanced by the addition of an elegant office building, fronted by a striking water tower that quickly became a local landmark. In 1892, a foundry was added to the southern side of the site, further extending its industrial capabilities.
From 1921 onward, under the ownership of Friedrich Georg Spiess—who had acquired Industriewerke Ltd. in 1916—the complex was used for the production of printing machines. The factory continued operations under the state-owned VEB Druckmaschinenwerke Leipzig in the post-war period.
Today, while parts of the site face ongoing threats of demolition, the removal of later additions has revealed the impressive original scale of the production halls, allowing for renewed appreciation of the site’s industrial heritage.
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