The Germania Mills continued to produce fine products, including woolens, chinchillas, jerseys, suits, and overcoats during the first third of the 20th century. I didn't realize that throughout Germania Mills' history, only boys' and men's wear were produced. The period was marked by the expansion of its Holyoke Mills, acquisitions, and business outside of Massachusetts. Also, World War I, fluctuations in the woolen business economy, the Great Depression, and the deaths of key operatives all impacted the final chapter of the Germania Mills.
After the passing of Hermann and August Stursberg, the company was led by William Stursberg, the son of Hermann, who was President and Treasurer until his passing in 1932 at age 85.
In 1909, the Germania Mills was one of four Massachusetts woolen contractors to be awarded a government contract to produce cloth and army uniforms. Government contracts proved to be a successful facet of the business, continuing through the life of its successor, the Livingston Woolen Mills.
In June 1909, the company petitioned the city of Holyoke to repurchase land it had initially sold for a municipal sewer crossing. The city would profit from the sale, and the planned mill construction would not impact the city's completed sewer work. In August 1909, the deed for a strip of land on Berkshire Street was recorded, transferring the property to Germania Mills.
There were conflicting news articles about whether the building would be one or two stories tall. The building would provide approximately 40,000 square feet of space, be 120 feet by 220 feet, and be attached to its existing mill. The construction cost range shown was $50,000 to $100,000. The project was completed the following year.
Later in August 1909, Gustav Steinberg, the plant superintendent, visited Germany to view the latest equipment being designed and manufactured for the industry.
In late 1911, the Germania Company purchased the Berkeley Woolen Mills in Wales, Massachusetts, where 50 to 100 workers would be employed.
In 1912, there would be further expansion in Holyoke. S. M. Green designed plans, and a two-story shed was added. In 1914, a 60-foot by 181-foot one-story dye house was planned. Also, a one-story power plant, 60 feet by 100 feet, with a two-story addition, 24 feet by 33 feet, would be built. Casper Ranger Company would build the dye house.
During the late 1910s, the company produced for retailers and was awarded government contracts for olive and flannel soldiers' uniforms.
More mill capacity expansion in the city was forthcoming. In 1919, A four-story spinning mill was planned for the corner of Race and Berkshire Streets. A portion of the plant would be built on what had previously been a cow pasture, where aspiring baseball players had played some 20 years earlier. New machinery from Germany, delayed in delivery from Europe during World War I, would be delivered to the mill. This was to be a $150,000 project, part of an overall planned $1 million development of new buildings.
In 1919, 600 workers went on strike due to the elimination of a bonus system that had been in place for years.
In 1920, Holyoke Water Power Co. sold the 250,000 square feet of land north of Berkshire and west of Hancock Streets to Germania Mills. In effect, Germania Mills now owned all the land west of Race Street and north of Berkshire Street, bordered to the north and west by the Holyoke & Westfield Railroad. The land was purchased for potential future expansion.
In 1922, the German Evangelical Lutheran Church celebrated its 55th anniversary. It was mainly through the efforts of the late August Stursberg that the church was funded and built in 1867. The Stursbergs were instrumental in the immigration of many German families to Holyoke. Many settled in the area bounded by Adam, Park (now Clemente), and South Canal Streets, and found employment awaiting them in the Germania Mills.
In 1923, Germania Mills requested and was issued a permit to build a five-story mill building at Race and South Streets. The present one-story building would have four stories added. A power plant would also be added. The contract was awarded to Casper Ranger Company. The company increased its capital stock from $250,000 to $1,250,000 to fund its building projects and equipment purchases.
In February 1928, the company sustained $100,000 in damage to its picker room when a general-alarm fire raced through the building. Plans were made to replace the building after temporary quarters were established on the property.
As an aside, the company erected a ten-foot sign bearing the name Holyoke, with an arrow pointing toward Barnes Airport. This was constructed atop the mill building on the south Side of South Street. This was intended to assist aviators in reaching their destination.
In 1931, William Mauer, the company's General Manager, celebrated his fiftieth anniversary with Germania. As the two key corporate directors, Julius Stersberg Sr. and Albert Stursberg, resided in New York City, Mr. Mauer's on-site presence, management skills, and direction contributed to the business's success.
In 1932, William Stursberg, the long-time President and Treasurer, died. The company was in dire financial condition, having sustained a loss of over $800,000 in 1932. There were 800 employees at the time. In 1933, Albert Stursberg, nephew of the late William Stursberg and new corporate Treasurer, died at age 50.
Within five years, three other key corporate figures died: William's brothers Julius and Hermann Jr., and nephew Albert. There was a leadership void within the family's business hierarchy at a critical financial juncture during the Great Depression.
The company embarked on a well-planned transition to a new company. Germania Mills would cease operating. Its machinery and equipment related to woolens and worsted items were sold at public auction in 1933. The company discontinued its chinchilla line of goods and would limit sales to select wholesalers for specific retailers. The reorganized company would focus on yarn spinning and combing.
The remaining operation would move to the south side of South Street, and the older mill buildings, north of South Street, would be razed, except for the newer building built in 1928 after a fire. The mill building housing the former offices would be made available for sale, and if not purchased, it would also be razed.
The Livingston division of Germania Mills, situated in Washington, Rhode Island, would be consolidated into the Holyoke plant. The R. I. Factory's machinery and equipment were moved to Holyoke. Livingston division performed the weaving and finishing for the combed and spun wool yarn shipped from the Holyoke plant. All phases of production would now be centralized under one roof in Holyoke.
The old mill was demolished, and in January 1934, a half-million bricks, lumber, timbers, piping, etc., were placed for sale by the demolition contractor, who was still on the scene. Also in 1934, the Germania Mills Block on Park Street, one of the oldest and largest residential buildings in Holyoke, was sold to the Beverly Realty Co. The Germania Mills Block for company workers was constructed in 1867.
The hierarchy of leadership for the newly formed Livingston Woolen Mills included;
Herbert J. Stursberg, Treasurer, uncle of Julius H. and Laird Stursberg
Laird Stursberg, Director, Julius H. Stursberg's younger brother, Lowell Textile College
William Mauer, General Manager, position held at former Germania Mills
C. Robert Wilhelm, Veteran Master Mechanic, position held at former Germania Mills
Newspapers.com (paid subscription): Citations: Holyoke (Massachusetts) Transcript & Transcript-Telegram; Boston (Massachusetts) Evening Transcript; publication dates and pages are shown.
Holyoke - Chicopee A Perspective, Ella Merkel Dicarlo, Publisher Transcript-Telegram, Holyoke, Massachusetts, 1982
History of Massachusetts Industries, Orra L. Stone, Chapter XXVII-Holyoke, 1930
Ancestry.com (paid subscription), Price & Lee City Directories, Holyoke, Massachusetts.
Germania 
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