Lost Places Magazine 3

The recent history of the chemical factory Coswig began in 1950 in the GDR. Under the name "VEB Glühphosphatwerk Rüdersdorf" feed phosphates were prepared using the rotary kilns. The fertilizer-end product was also sold in the western states as foreign exchange earnings and achieved under the product name "Rükana" the international markets.

Until 1960 the factory was enlarged step by step and to be able to expand to cover the technical equipment to the ever growing demand for the chemical products.

In 1979 there was still a name change of the work by the integration into the "VEB Kombinat Agrochemie Piesteritz". In the same period, two new, almost 100 meters long rotary kilns were put into operation.

With the fall of the Wall and at a time of german reunification, the sales figures dropped dramatically. Through shady investors and meaningless utilization concepts, the work in 1999 had to cease production and file for bankruptcy.

Since then, several companies are trying to the demolition of buildings made of reinforced concrete and come here with the material and equipment used often reach their limits. It seems almost as if the building would defend themselves against their demolition. In the last 10 years was always started again with demolition work, which were then adjusted once again.

The various concepts of use of new investors fail all too often on the meter-thick reinforced concrete and heavily burdened by toxins floor.


Who wants to visit and take pictures of this terrain like should familiarize yourself with it, it can be very dangerous here. The danger of collapse of the subsections in the buildings and the heavily polluted by toxins areas of the site are just two points that we need to emphasize. Children and dogs have no safe place on this site. A tour should always take place only with escorts in case something unpredictable happens.

The reception with mobile phones is here, moreover no problem. The proximity to the parking of vehicles is sufficient.

With good planning, solid footwear and possibly one or another safety line with carabiner should be an exciting photo tour into the industrial past nothing in the way.