A Kaposvári Rippl-Rónai Múzeum Közleményei 1. (Kaposvár, 2013)

Horváth J. Gyula - Eperjessy Ernő: Adatok a németlukafai üveghuta történetéhez

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Supplementary data for the history of the glasshouse of Németlukafa

J. GYULA HORVÁTH & ERNŐ EPERJESSY

In the 18th and 19th century at least 6 glasshouses were proven to exist in the forests of Zselic (in Somogy and Baranya counties). The founders of these were the local landlords (Festetics, Batthyány, Czindery etc.). The glasshouses were usually profitable for 20-30 years. The glassworkers were free industrial workers. The skilled workers were mainly Catholics from the German Sudetes mountains. The raw material used in the glass manufactures was potash, produced in the asher- ies by the so-called „ash-villains” or „ash-scamps” in the cleared wooded areas.

The most significant glasshouse was in operation between 1799 and 1888 in Németlukafa, side by side with faience manufacture (1840-1860). The raw material and the finished products were transported by Jewish traders. The Spitzer and Wohlheim firm has even

opened a splendid china shop in Pécs called „the storage of the Lukafa glass factory”. In the 1850’s the equipment of the faience manufacture was purchased by the Zsolnay-family to start the first production of the famous ceramic factory

The glass manufacturing and the ashery in the forest came to an end partially because of the more rational sylviculture and the more organized manorial agriculture. The glass workers moved to Ajka, Slavonia and to the neighbouring German villages and became hired in the manors as servants.

The manorial agriculture flourished in the first half of the 20th century. By the end of the 20th century Németlukafa became completely unpopulated and by 2010 the glasshouses and the faience factory were overgrown by forests.