Technisches Museum Papiermühle Niederzwönitz

About the museum

The paper mill in Niederzwönitz was first mentioned in 1568, when it appeared in the town's court book (Gerichtsbuch) in connection with a land purchase. In 1624 it burned down after an accident and was rebuilt. From 1660 tenants operated the mill, which at times was one of the privileged paper mills of the region. Today it is the only surviving paper mill in the Erzgebirge (Ore Mountains) and is considered the oldest paper mill still in existence in Germany.

In the 1840s the operation was converted into a board factory: a board machine replaced the old stamping mill, and the building received its characteristic slate-covered drying loft. The weather vane from 1868 marks the end of these works. Under the Wintermann family, the machine park grew by 1928 to include an edge runner mill (Kollergang), a wet press, a ball digester, and a drying channel; mainly gray board and hard board were produced from waste paper. Production was discontinued in 1972.

Even before the sale to the city of Zwönitz, there were plans to preserve the ensemble as a technical monument. After several years of restoration work, the demonstration plant opened in 1984, and its machines are shown during tours. Between 2018 and 2020 the building was renovated and modernized; since July 2020 the new permanent exhibition has focused on the working and living world of the factory-owning family in the 1930s. Since 2019 the paper mill has been an associated site of the UNESCO World Heritage property Montanregion Erzgebirge/Krušnohoří.

Highlights

• Oldest surviving paper mill in Germany, first mentioned in 1568
• Working machine park of the board factory, including a board machine and ball digester
• Hand papermaking in the papermaking workshop
• Living quarters of the factory-owning family in the 1930s
• Associated site of the Montanregion Erzgebirge World Heritage property

Permanent exhibition

• Papiermühle und Pappenfabrik der Familie Wintermann – The permanent exhibition shows the machine park and the working and living conditions of the factory-owning family in the 1930s.

Founded

1984

Operated by

Stadt Zwönitz (Museumsverbund Heimatwelten Zwönitz)

Admission & discounts

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The ground floor is step-free; the other rooms can be experienced through a multimedia tour by smartphone or with a virtual reality headset.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Hands-on stations

Family ticket, workshops, and holiday programs in the papermaking workshop; visitors can try papermaking themselves (advance registration required).

Getting there & parking

The museum is on the Niederzwönitzer Straße in the district of Niederzwönitz.

Amenities & dining

• Museum shop

The museum sells books published by the house and playing cards from the paper mill. The "Gasthof zur Linde" (about 100 m away) is open Friday through Sunday.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit