HATS OFF: The German Hat Museum

History of the Factory

Lindenberg's largest hat factory—the Ottmar Reich company—was declared bankrupt in 1997, and the town inherited the factory site. The boiler house and just one of the factory buildings were preserved, while all other buildings were demolished. The industrial monument is regarded as an important contemporary example of industrial hat production in Lindenberg. Almost 1,200 people worked there at its peak, making the building itself the first and largest exhibit.

The business can be traced back to brothers Konrad (1802–80) and Ottmar (1822–72) Reich. Konrad worked for many years as a speculator, buying the cheapest woven straws available and having them made into hats, which he then sold at markets for a profit. Later, his sister-in-law, Theresia Reich (1826–94), took over the business and ran it successfully, and in 1838 her sons founded the Ottmar Reich straw-hat factory.

The business continued to grow and prosper. In 1886, another building was built, soon to be followed by a bleaching plant, dye plant, steam boiler with a boiler house, and an office building. The Reich company also set up its own accommodation for its workers.

Working at Home

The whole family helped, but it was mainly the women who sewed through the night, making hat after hat.

Child Labor

Children were often involved in the sewing process. They were set a target, with their mother determining how many meters of straw the children needed to braid each day.

Industrialization

The first hat factories were established in 1830, and by 1900 there were already 34 straw-hat manufacturers in Lindenberg and the surrounding area, including 14 hat factories with a total of 3,000 workers.

In 1931, almost 8 million hats were produced in Lindenberg over the year, including 5 million men's hats. Amid the peaceful Allgäu region lay Germany's mecca for men's hats: the "little Paris" of the hat fashion world.

Trade and Export

The prepackaged hats were taken by horse and cart to the train station and loaded onto carriages.

They were sold in regions as far away as the USA and South America.

The Decline of the Lindenberg Hat Industry

In the 1920s, the straw-hat industry was in crisis. Companies tried to counteract this in the following decades using felt, leather, acrylic fibers, and fur, and they achieved this with some success. Nevertheless, hats were much less involved in the fashion of the '60s and '70s, which forced long-established businesses to halt their production. The hat industry lost its key status in the Lindenberg economy. Today, only one famous hat factory remains in Lindenberg, belonging to the company Mayser GmbH & Co. KG.

The Matelot

The number one exported product, which achieved record sales, was the matelot hat. One million matelots were shipped out around the world. Active trade relationships existed with South America, the USA, and the whole of Europe.

The Matelot

With its unique shape and huge popularity, this hat has many names, including matelot, boater, basher, skimmer, and canotier.

The Matelot

A precisely cut brim and flat crown are its main features, as well as a thick ribbon with a side loop. It can be sewed or pressed together from braids.

The Sailor Hat

This straw hat was produced by the Ottmar Reich company for the imperial sailors of Emperor Wilhelm II.

Ladies' Hats

Around 1910, the first cloche hats for ladies were produced, which fit snugly on the head and were worn low on the forehead. Their shape extends the slim and sporty silhouette of new women's fashion, which became the new beauty standard in the 1920s.

The Top Hat

The Fedora

The Panama Hat