The chronicle of Eger Tobacco Factory

The cigar factory

He suspected that vine- growers were to blame for fanning the flames, for having recovered from the devastation of the philoxera disease they made every attempt to challenge the factory to win over working hands for their fertile vineyards. The factory drew many workers from the vineyards. Even the deputy lieutenant said reproachfully that ever since the tobacco factory came into being there has been a “continuous lack of housemaids”. The factory was new, most factory girls and women had traditionally worked in vine growing, and were unaccustomed to factory work and discipline. Many left the factory in the spring, resigned and reapplied in winter. Initially they were taken back, as it seemed cheaper to re-employ trained women. Producing cigars, like most industrial work, was a monotonous, manual job. The tobacco came largely from Hungarian tobacco exchanges; Szabolcs, Debrecen, Szülök and Tisza tobacco was used for ordinary (weaker quality) cigars, while quality cigars were made of Brazilian, Sumatran, and Cuban tobacco. In the preparatory phase the bales of tobacco were opened. Opening up the very often dusty and gritty bales of tobacco counted among the most trying physical jobs.