Heřmanova huť

Heřmanova huť – a glassworks that became a historic icon as one of the most significant producers of pressed glass in Czechoslovakia – has its story intertwined with its founder, Carl Anton Stölzle. A native of Hranice in southern Bohemia, Stölzle pursued glassmaking from an early age, gaining valuable knowledge through study and practice, which he utilized to establish his own glass production. Throughout his life, he gradually leased and acquired glassworks, starting in Joachimsthal and Schwarzaue, and later in Old and New Nagelberg, where he passed away in 1865. His sons then took over, renaming the company to C. Stölzle's Söhne.

At the start of the 20th century, the Stölzle family faced growing demands for expansion and production in new facilities. They chose a site named Heřmanova huť, where the former ironworks Hermannshütte, originally named after its founder Hermann Dietrich von Lindheim, already stood. In 1907, a modern glassworks was thus established, marking a new chapter in local glass production. Pressed glass production began here in 1910, and over the following years, Heřmanova huť produced a wide array of glass products – from cut and blown glass to intricate pressed utility glass pieces.

With the onset of World War II, the glassworks found itself under the pressures of wartime economies, requiring not only alternative materials but also workforce reorganization. In 1942, some furnaces were shut down due to worker shortages, as many were conscripted into war industries. The plant also pivoted toward war-related production, including glass bottles and containers for military needs. After the war, in 1945, nationalization absorbed the glassworks into the United Czech Glassworks state enterprise, starting a new phase of its existence.

During the 1950s and 1960s, Heřmanova huť adapted to modern trends, gradually introducing mechanization and automation. In the early 1960s, as the glass industry transformed and sought new directions, glassmakers, designers, and technicians collaborated to create glass with unique shapes and high functional value. Pressed glass at that time became not only a practical household addition but also an aesthetic element that gained admiration from a broad audience. Thanks to its advanced design and color variety, Heřmanova huť’s glassworks reached global exhibitions, such as the 1958 World’s Fair in Brussels, where it achieved great success.

The first new designs were created by designers Václav Hanuš, Jiří Zejmon, František Zemek, and Miloš Filip. The “second wave” of designers, who started working at the glass design center after completing their studies, included Rudolf Jurnikl, Vladislav Urban, and František Vízner. One of the youngest designers, Pavel Pánek, joined the team in 1969.

Pressed glass from Heřmanova huť in the 1960s evolved into an object of high design culture. The glassworks created pieces that were both functional and affordable, making them accessible to a broad segment of society. This unique combination of practicality and beauty transformed the perception of pressed glass, which stopped being merely a substitute for luxury glass and became a valued item in its own right.

Unfortunately, the period of splendor and acclaim for pressed glass from Heřmanova huť came to an end in 2002, when production was halted. Despite this, Heřmanova huť remains an icon of Czechoslovak glassmaking, a testament to a unique era of production that combined craftsmanship with technical progress and a creative spirit that continues to inspire enthusiasts and collectors worldwide.