Trade disputes and police decrees: Greek merchants in Chemnitz city life around 1800
Lecture on 15 January 2020, 6 pm, City Archive
The first lecture of 2020 at the city archive will take place on Wednesday, 15 January at 6 pm in the city archive building, Aue 16. Speaker Dr Sebastian Liebold, historian and political scientist, will speak on the topic of trade disputes and police decrees: Greek merchants in Chemnitz city life around 1800 Admission is free.
When cotton replaced linen as a raw material, Greek merchants, including the ancestors of conductor Herbert von Karajan, skilfully supplied the up-and-coming Chemnitz textile market from 1764 with the blessing of Dresden's progress-oriented commercial deputation. Chemnitz entrepreneurs were reliant on the southern growth, had to contend with the monopoly position of the merchants, but sat down at the same table with them in the casino society. The Greeks became an integral part of Chemnitz city life and society for several decades. This episode illustrates new experiences with cultural diversity as migration increased during the period of early industrialisation, as well as questions of urban order and settlement policy.
The City Archive's lecture programme for 2020 can be found at www.chemnitz.de.