Historical Dye and Colorant Collection, Technical University of Dresden (c. 1900)

Characteristic of the intensification of German industrialization by 1900 was the arrival of industries that used scientific research for product development. The chemical industry was a pioneer in this field, as large corporations created their own laboratories to fabricate products for sale and to improve manufacturing techniques. Utilizing raw materials from Germany’s overseas colonies, and drawing upon a large contingent of well-trained chemists and engineers emerging from Germany’s technical schools, the chemical industry fused scientific knowledge with economic potential. The industry put itself in the service of diverse commercial sectors, transforming products ranging from military munitions to nitrogen-fixing fertilizers to textile colorants. By the early twentieth century, Germany was the world leader in chemical manufacturing.