30 years later: Vetschau and the secret fabric production for Christo!

30 years later: Vetschau and the secret fabric production for Christo!

A fascinating legacy from the world of art celebrates its 30th birthday this year. On the occasion of the impressive covering of the Reichstag by the artist couple Christo and Jeanne-Claude, which took place from June 24th to July 7th, 1995, Brandenburg looks at a time when art and politics were closely intertwined. More than five million people visited the work of art, which the Berlin skyline shone in silver tones and the imagination of the visitors inspired. But it is less well known that half of the material for this iconic project was manufactured in Vetschau in the Oberspreewald-Lausitz, as [rbb24] (https://www.rbbb24.de/panorama/bagrag/2025/06/brandenburg- Reichtagsverbung-christo-tetschau-stoff) reported.

Die Spreewald-Planen GmbH from Vetschau received the major order for the production of the impressive plans that enveloped the Reichstag building. The managing director Dieter Wergula was made in contact with project manager Wolfgang Volz via a member of the Bundestag. The creative head Volz was invited to Vetschau within a very short time to discuss the detailed work. Wergula describes how the experience of the company in the assembly of large -scale planning was of enormous benefit. This also led to the return of many former employees who had not been employed for a long time.

The technical challenges

Before the turn came, Spreewald-Planen GmbH made it to the Soviet Union, but after the political turn, the number of employees was reduced from 200 to just 18. The big mission for Christo followed, which not only represented a financial rescue, but also a new beginning. Over 35 seamstresses worked for five months on the approximately 100,000 square meters of aluminum -coated polypropylene tissue, the seams of which achieved a total length of 22 kilometers. In June 1995, 61 tons of fabric were then transported to Berlin - a mammoth project that had to meet fire protection standards after a careful examination of the material, as wikipedia.

The covering of the public building was not only a marketing hit, but also a complex logistical masterpiece. In the implementation, 90 professional climbers who implemented the planning with skill and precision were involved. On the last day of the exhibition, 500,000 people flocked to the Reichstag, proof of the enormous interest in this temporary work of art.

sustainability in the art project

After the end of the project in 1995, however, for Spreewald-Planen GmbH there was a difficult time. The big orders failed to materialize and only isolated inquiries kept the company alive. An attempt to apply for a follow -up project by Christo in New York remained unsuccessful, which finally led to the conversion to the production of tent tarpaulins. The once flowering company had to register bankruptcy in 2006, which meant the end of 35 years of successful work.

Christo and Jeanne-Claude, however, will always remain influential figures in modern art history. Their ability to transform everyday objects into spectacular installations can still look outside the box today. Other known duo projects include the "The Gates" artwork in Central Park and the "Floating Piers" at Lake Iseo in Italy. Her art was always temporary and focused on the transience-a quality that experiences all the more appreciation, such as arte-conCreta.

A good 30 years after these historical events, the memory of the covering of the Reichstag remains alive. A light installation project to remember this work of art will be planned in Berlin in June 2025. This homage once again illustrates the close connection between art, history and identity in Berlin.