Technikatörténeti szemle 17. (1988-89)

TANULMÁNYOK - Wöller István: A magyar malomipar fejlődése és műszaki emlékeinek védelme

ISTVÁN WŐLLER: DEVELOPMENT OF THE HUNGARIAN MILL INDUSTRY AND INDUSTRIAL MONUMENT PROTECTION The first steam mill in Hungary was founded in 1839. Preceding it, water mills were practically exclusive. Rapid development took place in the second part of the 19th century, and Hungarian innovations such as the Mechwart roller mill and the Haggenmacher plansifter contributed to the world-wide significance of the Hungarian mill industry. With steam mills spreading, the small water mills gradually lost their importance. Many stopped operation; however, in the 20th century several hundred were still active. In 1950 the mill industry was nationalized and the small mills were stopped. As a result, most were ruined. Recently several organizations attempted to reconstruct those which could be saved and to utilize them for various — mostly touristic — purposes.