Who or what is iMUSEt? Stands for “Industrial Museum Schönebeck – Experience - world Technology“. Our private people group is a registered association, independent from town, area and government. Shortly after political changing in East Germany we started this idea, but in this time too many bureaucracy and lack of understanding bordered us and only in ammunition company a small company museum was build up. All died this time.
Now we founded us 26.10.2010, are 30 private people, bought 4 historical technical buildings from town gas company, started to collect the last pieces from our historical technical equipment and reached our first opening step in April 2013. This was and is the last chance to save our history for us and our children!
Why we founded iMUSEt? Town and old district area around Schönebeck has a very famous but in most of cases unknown technical history. So we had and have as samples ⦁ the oldest and ongoing producing chemical company of Germany founded from discoverer from metal Cadmium Mr. Carl Hermann, now named “Hermania – Dr. Schirm GmbH”, ⦁ the oldest and ongoing producing primer, ammunition and explosives company of Germany, founded from Mr. Sellier and Mr. Bellot, now named “Nammo Schönebeck GmbH”, ⦁ the most modern car producer from Germany in 1900, founded from Mr. Siegel, ⦁ the most modern bicycle producer in 1900, this time and now named “Weltrad”, ⦁ the biggest tractor producer from Germany between 1950 and 1989 well known with their RS-09 and ZT 300 ⦁ well known agriculture service companies like “Maisan” = “Cargill”, “Prowiko” ⦁ the former US – company NARAG (“National radiator AG”) as foundry for boilers and radiators and “Furnace company Calbe ⦁ the “Junkers” – company as landing gears producer for aeroplanes during second world war …. Mainly during gone socialistic time this proud history become forgotten and now most of people of our county do not know what really base their parents and they have. Our school childs know nothing any more. Finally the marketing factor from this history is not known and used from many of our actual existing companies.
How we handle our iMUSEt-work? Our financial pocket is Zero – we have only our enthusiastic targets, our own work and friends. During last 3 years we developed a lot of understanding in our area companies’ management and so we have approximately 70 sponsors now. In our not good industrial developed area everybody gives what he can. Some help us with 1 day work others with 500€ up to 10.000€. Some help with a long going contract some from year to year – how their actual business is running or extras. Based on good contacts of our president (former president of Ammunition Company) we got sponsorships from Belgium, Finland, Poland and Sweden too. A special thanks to Dr. Georg Plenikowski, President of Nammo, for sharing this picture with NRAblog. From left to right: Plenikowski, NRA Executive Director of General Operations Kayne Robinson, Deputy Executive Director Andrea Cerwinske, NRA President Ron Schmeits, and  ANSCHÜTZ's  Dieter Anschütz. Plenikowski and Anschütz met with NRA executives, talking about the firearms industry and competitive shooting. County helps today with 3 free of charge worker (former unemployed persons).
How is the iMUSEt-strategy? 1. We try to change, build up, renovate and to establish the collections and the exhibition rooms inside ourselves together with our sponsors. We do it step by step – how we can get and do it. 2. The renovating cost for the historical buildings/roofs/facades outside (2,5 mio€) we see as task/subsidy work for our government, state, state banks and lottery company. We know this can be only a year’s project.
How we handle the youth – work? Beginning with our foundation we found a school (“Lerchenfeld – Schule” = “Larks Field School”) with very enthusiastic director and teachers. So they founded the “iMUSEt – Larks”, they help us with work and we help them with interesting education.
Our contact dates and bank accounts Dr. Georg Plenikowski, President of iMUSEt, logople@aol.com, Tel. +49-171-7127932 Rainer Ulbrich, Vice-President of iMUSEt, ………………, Tel. +49-3928-401163 Our adress: Industriemuseum Schönebeck e.V., Ernst-Thälmann-Straße 5a, 39218 Schönebeck Actual opening time: April to Ocober, Saturday and Sunday from 2 to 7 pm, groups and school classes are welcome every day and every time after application Bank account: Salzlandsparkasse, IBAN DE 37800555000300011261, BIC NOLADE 21 SES
This was the base for wider actions. Now we work together with 3 schools and this will grow. One of next heavy targets is to renovate fourth building “Schaltwarte” = “Switch Control Room Building”. There we have 3 floors and the 3. Floor our youngsters will get for an “Experimental Room” and there they can make parties too so they like.
How we developed and what successes we have? 2013 – only one year after getting buildings – we had our first partly opening of our main exhibition hall with 7 product groups, made first events and the entrance area was repaired with 80%.
2014 – one year later – we had our full opening with main hall; we had renovated the base floor of our Lecture – “Villa of industry and commerce”, meeting point for Schönebeck area companies and event point with 80% - all in old historical style.
Entry area of main exhibition hall, coffee room and emporia of main exhibition hall are finished by 95%.
This year opened the exhibition part machinery and tools and just now we build up The only one exhibition in word for “Ammunition – Ammunition technology – Weapons”, based on 185 years old and ongoing producing ammo company “Nammo Schönebeck GmbH” in Schönebeck, going over two floors including our old lead shot tower
What is running actual and next? Actual our free space area is in preparation to exhibit big old tractors outside under roofs. For September we plan the “2. Schönebeck Historical Tractor Show” with guests from whole Germany.
We started to prepare rebuilding of second big, old exhibition building “Switch Control Room Building”. Very big changings in all floors are to do, in 3. Floor youth club will be.
This exhibition hall will be used mainly for history of companies from towns around Schönebeck but for some of old tractor factory too. Parallel we prepare to apply and attack for state and government subsidies for facades and roofs of our buildings. But not to forget: During all this we will have a lot of events.
What kind of help we need? 1. Historical exhibition objects (machines, devices, tools, products, furniture) from Schönebeck area Every hand and work 2. Money to pay work and specialised companies (heavy steel constructions, concrete saws….) 3. Money to buy back lost exhibition objects. 4. Money for co – financing our roofs, windows, facades of our historical buildings