Silesian weavers' uprising

This uprising, on the eve of the revolution of 1848, was closely observed by German society and treated by several artists, among them Heinrich Heine (with his 1844 poem Die schlesischen Weber) and Gerhart Hauptmann (with his 1892 play The Weavers).

[2] As a result, many hand weavers found themselves struggling to compete with the lower prices and higher output of factory-produced textiles.

Those who continued working in the cottage industry were forced to accept significantly reduced wages, often insufficient to cover even basic living expenses.

[3] The immediate trigger for the uprising was the refusal of factory owners to raise wages or improve working conditions despite the weavers' repeated appeals.

The Silesian Weavers' Uprising was one of the first major labor revolts in the German-speaking world and is often seen as a precursor to the broader social upheavals that would culminate in the Revolutions of 1848.

[5] The revolt drew significant attention to the plight of the working class and highlighted the growing tensions between labor and capital during the early stages of industrialization.

The event also inspired literature and art, most notably the poem "Die schlesischen Weber" ("The Silesian Weavers") by the German poet Heinrich Heine, which became a symbol of social protest.