On Traces of history

Why Ernst Müller came to Münchenstein

 

The fact that Münchenstein became interesting as an industrial location for companies at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century has not only to do with its proximity to Basel and its emerging chemical industry, but also with the clever development of public transport in the Birstal.

 

Münchenstein on a postcard, photograph taken around 1916 (Image: Bürgergemeinde Münchenstein).

 

After the end of the Sonderbund, a revision of the Federal Treaty of 1815 is initiated. This gives rise to the Federal Constitution of 1848. In 1874, the total revision of the Federal Constitution gives citizens more civic rights (freedom of trade and commerce, freedom of religion, freedom of establishment, right of referendum).

Many sources portray the period around the turn of the century from the 19th to the 20th century as the period in which modern Switzerland is shaped. It is the time of the great industrial pioneers and the great pioneering deeds, such as the construction and expansion of the railroad and road network, the founding of the technical universities and the expansion and promotion of general education. New industries emerge. In Basel, the first chemical factories are put into operation. Machines and watches become sought-after export items.

 

Münchenstein secures railroad line on its side of the Birs river

And this export is torpedoed in 1870 by a war between Germany and France, the waterway across the Rhine is blocked. After the war, which lasted barely a year, Alsace was assigned to the German Empire. This is problematic for the Swiss, as the direct export routes to France and thus the connections to the French railroad network are now interrupted. A new, direct route to France is found along the Birs via Porrentruy.

In the political debate about where exactly the railroad line should be laid, Münchenstein is energetically involved in the debate. The simpler route would have taken its way from Basel along the Birs via Reinach and Aesch to Angenstein. In cooperation with Arlesheim, where industry is already located, the people of Münchenstein can ensure that the railroad line is built on "their side" of the Birs.

After this decision, Münchenstein begins to grow strongly, which is noticeable, among other things, through immigration of workers and employees and the nearby Baden and Alsatian hinterland. Thus, in addition to the proximity to Basel with its prospering chemical companies, the expansion of public transport with a railroad line, the Jura line of the Jura-Simplon railroad, is the basis of this growth. This transport connection makes the Basel-Münchenstein-Arlesheim-Dornach axis extremely interesting for industries and businesses. In 1870, the Portland cement factory Brentano und Co. comes to Münchenstein.

For the planned Basel-Delsberg railroad line, the Birs river has to be crossed in Münchenstein. The project envisages a single-track railroad bridge. In 1874, the Jura-Simplon Railway awarded the contract to build the bridge to Gustave Eiffel's company. At that time, Eiffel had already planned and built four larger railroad viaducts in France.

With the opening of the Basel-Delsberg railroad line in 1875, numerous factories settle in the vicinity of the Münchenstein railroad station.

  • 1894 R. Alioth & Cie. factory (which merges with BBC in 1911).
  • 1897 Elektra Birseck, which first purchases electricity from Alioth
  • 1899 Gebrüder van Baerle with soaps and chemical-technical products

 

The Birseckbahn brings relief for local traffic

Around the turn of the century, the communities of Münchenstein, Arlesheim and Dornach were no longer satisfied with the eight to nine trains a day offered by the Jura Railway. The distance to the nearest train station is also too long for the people of Arlesheim. Thus, the Münchenstein-based electricity company R. Alioth & Cie. decides to submit a concession application for the construction and operation of a tramway.

In 1902, the Basel-Arlesheim tramway (Birseckbahn) is built through the new industrial district. Along the Birseckbahn, Münchenstein expands further in the direction of Basel. Soon after the opening of operations, the line capacity has to be increased by upgrading to double track; the Birsbrücke-Münchenstein section makes a start in 1903.

 

The Birseckbahn BEB with open summer trailer at the stop Münchenstein Dorf, with the restaurant Tramstation and to the right of it the store of the Birseck'schen Consum-Gesellschaft. Photo taken around 1910 (Image: Bürgergemeinde Münchenstein).

 


Ernst Müller's success leads to lack of space in Kleinhüningen

Meanwhile, Ernst Müller's Blechwarenfabrik is running smoothly - and in terms of capacity, sometimes at full capacity. With the series production of tinplate cans for the rapidly growing chemical industry in Basel, he discovered a real gap in the market. Despite the First World War (1914-1918), production in Kleinhüningen is modernized. After the end of the war, space is definitely too tight. He explores suitable locations with good transport links, primarily in the immediate vicinity of his Basel customers. There are a few interesting locations, and the outcome of the search is still open at the beginning. And then he comes across an empty, small factory in Münchenstein - with land reserves.

After the First World War, the Münchenstein industrial area continues to grow. New companies - as mentioned also this one of Ernst Müller - move here:

  • 1916 Gebrüder Ackermann with stamped articles for electrical apparatuses
  • 1918 Aluminum pressing and rolling mills
  • 1922 Ernst Müller Blechwarenfabrik
  • 1922 Duty-free warehouse of the city of Basel

 

The road bridge over the Birs at Bruckgut, on the right the railroad bridge. The Birseckbahn is still single-tracked on the road bridge. Photo taken around 1920 (Image: Bürgergemeinde Münchenstein). In 1922, a new bridge for the railroad alone is built in place of the narrow Birsbrücke in Münchenstein, which is used by streetcars and cars. From 1925, the whole line between Neue Welt and Brown Boveri is double-tracked.

 

 

With the purchase of the property of the Ackermann brothers

Ernst Müller Blechwarenfabrik comes to Münchenstein

Back to 1916 - to an upstream story that is closely interwoven with the history of the Ernst Müller Blechwarenfabrik. In handwritten notes by Otto Schmucki, director of the Brown Boveri branch, which he wrote for the publication "Chronik von Münchenstein: Kapitel Gewerbe & Industrie", the fate of the Ackermann brothers is described. A certain Ernst Müller also appears in the text. Here is the original text:

 

"Lured by the economic boom of the war, in 1916 the Ackermann brothers from Basel built a small two-story factory between the Münchenstein station and the streetcar line to manufacture stamped articles for electrical apparatus. Mainly sheet metal fittings for electrical lines were stamped and pressed. The business seems to have done quite well for a while as a result of the shortage of such details caused by the war and the material freeze. There were a number of presses in operation and up to about 40 men and women were employed in the factory. With the end of the blockade, foreign countries flooded Switzerland with such articles, which, favored by the exchange rate conditions, eliminated any prosperity of domestic production. Probably too late, the owners looked for a change to more lucrative articles, so that due to lack of sales and money, this factory had to be closed down in 1920 with considerable losses.

After the factory had stood empty for some years, Mr. Ernst Müller acquired it in order to take up and operate the manufacture of metal goods and stamped articles there."

(Original text and picture material: Bürgergemeinde Münchenstein)

 

Ernst Müller signs the purchase contract on April 11, 1922. The property in Münchenstein with 42 acres cost 550,000 Swiss francs. This marks an important milestone in the company's history. Thanks also to the good connection to the rail network of the Jura-Simplon Railway, several 10,000 drums and containers leave the Münchenstein factory every year.

 

Rail car fully loaded with Müller containers.