The ''Wiener Neustädter Lokomotivfabrik'' (Wiener Neustadt locomotive factory) was the largest

locomotive A locomotive is a rail transport, rail vehicle that provides the motive power for a train. Traditionally, locomotives pulled trains from the front. However, Push–pull train, push–pull operation has become common, and in the pursuit for ...

and engineering factory in the

Austro-Hungarian Empire Austria-Hungary, also referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Dual Monarchy or the Habsburg Monarchy, was a multi-national constitutional monarchy in Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. A military and diplomatic alliance, it consist ...

. During

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

the company produced armaments as part of Rax-Werk Ges.mbH which was associated with the

Mauthausen concentration camp Mauthausen was a German Nazi concentration camp on a hill above the market town of Mauthausen, Upper Austria, Mauthausen (roughly east of Linz), Upper Austria. It was the main camp of a group with List of subcamps of Mauthausen, nearly 100 f ...

History

In 1841 the Wiener Neustadt-Vienna railway line was open, and in 1842 the private railway Austrian Eastern Railway (''Wien-Raaber-Eisenbahn'' or ''Raaber Bahn'') was opened, by 1854 the Semmering railway was complete. Thus around that time a favourable situation existed for the creation of a locomotive production facility in Austria. In 1842 in Wiener Neustadt a locomotive works was founded by Günther Wenzel, engineer of the ''Wien-Raaber-Eisenbahn'' company, the ironworks-master Josef Sessler, Heinrich Bühler and Fidelius Armbruster. The plant was built on land to the north-east of Wiener Neustadt in part on an abandoned cotton factory, and partly on a rifle and metal finishing plant.

Sale to Georg Sigl

From 1845 the company was wholly owned by Wenzel Gunther; it was sold in 1861 to the ''Vienna Maschinenfabrik'' owner Georg Sigl who expanded it into the largest plant in the Empire. By 1870 the 1000th locomotive had been made and the workforce exceeded 4000. The product line was expanded to include printing presses and other machinery. In 1875, the company became an ''

Aktiengesellschaft (; abbreviated AG ) is a German language, German word for a corporation limited by Share (finance), share ownership (i.e., one which is owned by its shareholders) whose shares may be traded on a stock market. The term is used in Germany, Austria ...

'' (public company) named ''Aktien Gesellschaft der Lokomotiv-Fabrik vormals G. Sigl''

Austrian labor movement

The Wiener Neustadt Lokomotivfabrik played an early role in the Austrian labor movement; as a result of the March revolution of 1848 (''Märzrevolution'') a 10-hour day was introduced, but was withdrawn by and for the workers, but they were withdrawn in the course of counter-revolution. In 1865, the first Austrian Workers' Association was established in the locomotive works of Wiener Neustadt.

1914–1938

The tornado of 10 July 1916 destroyed much of the locomotive works. (see Tornado in Wiener Neustadt 1916 ''german language'') The workers became involved in the 1918 Austro-Hungarian January Strike alongside the more numerous workers at nearby Austro Daimler. The loss of crown lands by Austria after the First World War caused a great loss of production and as a consequence the workforce was reduced to a few hundred men. The

Great Depression The Great Depression was a severe global economic downturn from 1929 to 1939. The period was characterized by high rates of unemployment and poverty, drastic reductions in industrial production and international trade, and widespread bank and ...

and the overcapacity of four extant Austrian locomotive works now much reduced domestic market meant that 1930, the company ended in the hands of the Österreichischen Credit-Anstalt.

1938–1945

After the Austrian Anschluss in 1938 the factory was taken over by the German company

Henschel & Son Henschel & Son () was a German company, located in Kassel, best known during the 20th century as a maker of transportation equipment, including locomotives, trucks, buses and trolleybuses, and armoured fighting vehicles and weapons. Georg Ch ...

. To increase production of locomotives the factory was greatly expanded. From 5 May 1942 the former locomotive factory went by the pseudonym Rax Ges.mbH. and from 1943 the A4 ( V-2) missiles were made at the factory. The facilities were completely destroyed in 1945 by air bombings.

References and sources

References

Literature

* Franz Pincolits: ''Die Dampflokomotive. Geschichte der Wiener Neustäder Lokomotivfabrik.'' Weilburg Verlag, Wiener Neustadt. * Peter Zumpf, Richard Heinersdorff: ''Lokomotivfabrik Wiener Neustadt.'' Album Verlag für Photographie Helfried Seemann and Christian Lunzer OEG, Vienna 2008; . {{DEFAULTSORT:Wiener Neustadter Lokomotivfabrik Wiener Neustädter Lokomotivfabrik