Lisa Sommerfeldt

Women mostly worked at home on looms, while later on, men and children were mainly employed in textile factories. During the Second World War, forced labourers were exploited, and during the economic miracle, guest workers were brought into the country before the precarious work was finally outsourced to Poland and Bangladesh. How have globalisation and mass production affected textile manufacturing? Who bears the risk and who is entitled to profits, inheritance and capital? Interwoven in another narrative strand, we hear the choir of silkworms tell of their attempt to settle in Germany in the 18th century. This initially failed due to weather conditions, but was revived in the 20th century by the Nazis as a contribution by schools and retirement homes to the war economy in order to obtain parachute silk for the Luftwaffe.

Using the example of a fictional family of manufacturers, Lisa Sommerfeldt tells the story of the rise and fall of the great era of textile manufacturing in WEBEREI oder Die Erfindung des Bademantels (WEBEREI or The Invention of the Bathrobe). Based on German corporate history, a touching generational drama emerges that tells of changing times: from humble beginnings, the heady rise, the setbacks caused by wars and entanglement in National Socialism, exploitation and forced labour, to the effects of mass production and globalisation. At the same time, WEBEREI oder die Erfindung des Bademantels is a reflection on society and its connections, networks and dependencies. And on how everyone tries to earn money, find their place, be useful or even indispensable, network and make their own luck.