Ludwig Buchholz Source: Ludwig Casimir Buchholz was born on March 4, 1822, in
Koronowo, from Carl Buchholz and his second wife, Ewa. He quickly learned the craft of tanning, and traveled through the whole
Kingdom of Prussia and several other countries to improve on his trade skills as a youngster. He founded in
Bromberg a small tannery on February 23, 1845, at
Jezuicka Street where he employed two people. Main production was focused on working cattle skins originating from Germany, with a yearly production not exceeding 100 units. After receiving tanning master graduation in 1855, he took part twice to the city industrial exhibitions (1855 and 1868). With the increase of production, the workshop had to be relocated to Przyrzecze street, along a
leat channel of the Brda river. In 1861, Ludwig Buchholz bought several parcels along the river, in the vicinity of
Schleusen and
Albert straßen (today's Garbary and Grottgera streets), designed for the construction of a larger leather factory. First buildings in this area were completed in 1862, in particular Ludwig's s villa, and at the end of the 19th century the tannery was operational. It was a large, fully mechanized company employing 170 people and processing 140000 skins per year. Ludwig Buchholz set up a residential building for workers, and in 1895 he celebrated company's 50th anniversary by refunding an important cash sum to all his employees. At that time, he also donated 10000
German gold mark to the city of
Bromberg, with specific guidances to use part of it for the relief of the poorest during Christmas period. The economic success of the tannery launched Ludwig Buchholz's social and political career: he had been a member of the City Council since 1858, and a member of the city
magistrate from 1874 to 1891. He was specifically active at the Income Tax Board and the Directorate for the Poor, but also a member of the board of several charity and charitable organizations. By and large, he was considered as a prominent industrialist and a wise
socialite. He also acted as a member of the local assemblies,
Poznan and
Bydgoszcz counties. He was honored with the dignity of commercial counselor (1872) and decorated the
Order of the Red Eagle- Knight 4th class (1895). Ludwig Buchholz died on May 25, 1900, in Bydgoszcz.
The Tannery The tannery was founded in 1845, by 23-year-old Ludwig Buchholz. The design of the factory complex was prepared by carpenter Heinrich Mautz. In 1862 a residential house and a few factory buildings were built, and by 1876 there 13 were standing on the plot. The factory was located at streets Garbary 2-8 and Grottgera 7-10. Its activity continued during the German
Occupation of Poland (1939–1945). After
World War II, the factory was nationalized and merged into the
Kobra with other local factories producing shoes. In 1956, the main local branch of
Kobra was located in Bydgoszcz, at Chocimska street. In the 1970s the facility produced daily 13 000 pair of shoes (mainly men's), including 1600 pairs for
uniformed services (
Polish State Railways, fire brigade,
national police and
paramilitary police).
Kobra used to export to
Great Britain,
Germany and the
USSR. The factory declined at the end of the 1980s, and eventually went bankrupt in 1992. The
Higher Pomeranian School of Tourism () has been established officially in Bydgoszcz, on April 26, 1999, and was listed in the register of non-state higher education institutions on June 10, 1999, (Nr.145). == Architecture ==