Chemiewerk Rüdersdorf/ Chemical Factory
Chemiewerk simply means ‘chemical plant’ in English, this site was originally a cement factory which opened in 1899 but ended up being a contributor to the Nazis in WW2.
The Preußag company (now known as the TUI group) took over in 1939, and later produced synthetic bauxite (aluminium ore) this went on to be used in the production of aircraft for the Luftwaffe therefore the site was vital for the Nazi’s war effort.
The Soviets dismantled the plant after the war and its final purpose was to once again produce cement. Two more kilns were added in 1972 and production continued up until 1999 when the factory’s long history came to an end and the gates where closed for good.
Like other sites nature is slowly claiming the site back, the birds certainly enjoy nesting in the dizzyingly high perches.
​More recently the factory has been used for a fair bit of filming for some big screen hits such as ‘Enemy at the gates’, ‘The hunger games mocking jay’ and ‘Monuments men’. It has also been used in the TV series ‘homeland’ and a Ramstein music video.
