Flinke Hände - Die Frauen der Filmfabrik Wolfen

HTWK Library Lobby

“You couldn’t see a thing; you had to feel your way around your neighbors a bit…” Statements like this one from chemical plant worker Edda Koch describe a world all its own. For over 85 years, the Wolfen Film Factory was the place where thousands of women lived and worked. Under the ORWO brand, the factory grew to become the largest women’s workforce in the GDR. The “dexterous hands,” as they were called back then, were well-suited for the delicate work with photographic materials.

How did they cope with a daily routine that took place in a three-shift system and in almost complete darkness? How was social life organized at the film factory, and where did the workers live? The exhibition focuses on the experiences, emotions, and work of these women, offering a glimpse behind the scenes of the film factory.