The Herbsts. Unfinished Stories

Newly discovered archive materials used to prepare the exhibition allowed us to tell the history of two generations of the Herbst family, which exerted significant impact upon the development of Łódź. The exhibition in Herbst Palace Museum unconventionally leads us through the history of palace owners set against the background of the history of Łódź at the turn of the 19^th and the 20^th centuries. The title „Unfinished Stories” makes references to both family links with the city broken by historic events and to still continued studies on the history of industrial Łódź.

The flourishing of the Łódź industry turned a small settlement of Łódka into one of the most powerful industrial cities in Europe of the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries over only several decades. Such a dynamic development enabled some families, the Herbsts included, accumulate huge fortune within a relatively short time.

The Herbsts were not only active by taking care of their business and amassing wealth. Both Edward and Matylda engaged themselves in public and charity activities. They supported new hospitals, donated significant amounts for the construction of churches of various religions and were actively involved into the life of the city.

The exhibition tells the story of the Herbst family and presents the reality  of the industrial city, in which they lived on photos and films. The idea of the exhibition preceded with detailed research works was developed by the curators.