Een suikerfabriek 1876 - 1884

Herman Salzwedel’s photograph shows a sugar factory, although we don’t know exactly when it was made. The image’s meaning lies in the contrast between the small local village and the large industrial factory. Factories like this one were often built during colonization of countries such as Indonesia, often by Dutch colonizers. These factories would use local labor and resources to produce goods for export back to Europe, leaving the local population dependent on this industry. The factory’s tall chimney seems to dwarf the rest of the village, showing a sense of domination of industry over traditional ways of life. To understand these social and economic dynamics better, we can consult historical archives, trade records, and colonial documents. Only by looking at these historical sources can we really understand the full story behind this image and the social conditions that created it.