Ruth Müller: From the wool mouse to the voice of the workers in Delmenhorst

Ruth Müller: From the wool mouse to the voice of the workers in Delmenhorst

The story of a brave woman who fought for equality and justice at the workplace becomes alive through Ruth Müller's life. She was one of the many textile workers at Nordwoll in Delmenhorst, a place where working conditions in the 1960s were anything but fair. The noise, dust and the heat shaped the everyday work of the employees, and in particular women were difficult to assert themselves in a world of work dominated by men.

Ruth Müller, born in Silesia in 1922, got to know the value of hard work early on. During the Second World War, she worked as a welder at an aircraft manufacturer before setting her in Delmenhorst. Here she started working at Nordwoll in the 1960s, where she experienced the challenges of industrial work up close. The large machines where she stood were not only tools, but also a symbol for a time when women often had to fight for their livelihood.

The hard facts of the factory life

It was a time when industry flourished in Germany and workers were desperately sought. Ruth Müller, who was 25 years old when she started at Nordwoll, quickly had the experience that the payment was not depending on the hour, but was based on the amount of goods produced. "People here had to work hard and were exposed to health risks," explains Maike Tönjes from the Northwool Museum. The processes were brutal: several machines had to be served at the same time, and workers often suffered from health problems. Dust and high temperature in the halls led to exhaustion and effort, especially for women who often earned less for the same work.

ruth, shaped by her experiences and the injustice she observed decided to change something. She fought against the discriminatory wages that women often sorted into lower wage groups. In addition, she actively campaigned in the works council and became a voice for her colleagues. Their commitment not only corresponded to a personal concern; It was the struggle for the dignity of women who were often dismissed in industry as "wool mice". This degradation was insulting for Ruth and her colleagues because they did not recognize their hard work and the associated physical challenges.

a legacy of strength and inspiration

Ruth Müller's commitment was not unnoticed. However, the closure of the Nordwoll in the 1980s did not mean the end of her work. Instead, she turned her energy and commitment to maintain the history of the factory. After retirement, she campaigned for the establishment of an industrial museum that recognized the memories and the importance of the textile workers. She led groups through the exhibition and told about the hard conditions and her passion to promote equality at the workplace. Your stories are not only memories, but also an urgent call to future generations to work for what is right.

Ruth Müller's life is an example of how the struggle for justice and recognition in the workplace is still relevant today. At a time when women still fight for the same payment and the same rights, their inheritance remains alive. It shows that change can assume and that the courage to work for your own beliefs works through times. Even if the north wool's machines have now been silent, the struggle for justice in the halls of the museum and in the memory of those who knew and appreciated them.