Christian Mansfeld was born on December 19, 1819, in the village of Priesdorf, a village in Anhalt, which was then hardly a hundred inhabitants. Christian Mansfeld went to the apprenticeship to become a master of masters in Leipzig after attending the local village school, where he also expanded his general education through self-study.

 

After completing his apprenticeship, he went on a journey through southern Germany, France and Switzerland. After returning to Leipzig, he found employment in a bridges and decimal scales building. He saw at an exhibition in Leipzig an American sewing machine, which at the time was revolutionary and was regarded as a miracle of technology. He tried to look behind the technique of the sewing machine and built himself such a sewing machine.

 

In 1853 Mansfeld completed the first sewing machine made in Germany. 

 

In 1855, however, Mansfeld combined with the locksmith Theodor Orth under Theodor Orth & Co..

 

In 1861 he began his own company "CHN. MANSFELD" in Leipzig-Reudnitz with the initially manual work.

 

In 1868, Mansfeld began the construction of special sewing machines for shoemakers and saddlers, which became groundbreaking for the leather processing industry. 

 

Since 1869 factory construction of sewing machines. 

 

In 1881 Mansfeld arranged his company a iron foundry.

 

In 1886, Mansfeld celebrated the 25th anniversary of the company's existence and the completion of the 25.000th sewing machine.

 

As early as 1889 a further expansion had to be made by annexing an extensive building.

 

On July 4, 1893, his eyes closed to eternal slumber, sincerely mourned by all who had ever approached him in life. He was a self-made man in the word of the most important importance, one of those fortunate natures who is the solution to the difficult tasks of life, and who find the spiritual power of excitement in new activity. He left his work to his two sons, Gustav and Hugo, who continue his creation in his sense and with the equally fortunate success. With the growth of the business, it was divided into the three divisions: Paper processing machines, shoe manufacturing and sewing machines, motors. The construction of paper processing machines, which soon became the main product of the company gained a world reputation. Mansfeld invented and designed numerous machine tools, which he successfully introduced on the German and international market. 

 

In 1905 a special building with spacious wardrobe, laundry and bath rooms as well as a dining room was listed.

 

On the whole, the company in 1911, employed a staff of about 700 heads, and the factory had about 520 machines in operation. The annual production was about 6.300 machines. The fact that the Mansfeld machines have always been recognized as quality and high-performance machines is proved by the many awards. On September 30, 1911, the company of Chn. Mansfeld celebrated the 50 th anniversary of its existence.

 

In the course of the relocation to Paunsdorf in the years 1911 and 1912, the factory halls with a volume of approx. 50.000 m² were built on the Riesaer Strasse, where initially around 1.000 people found work there. 

 

In the war years the halls of the armaments industry, unfortunately, also served with forced laborers. During the DDR, the VEB Leuchtenbau was located in the factory. 

 

In 1996 the production in the halls was discontinued.