Editing Aalen (section)

==== Industrial Revolution ====
[[File:Aalen nach 1861.jpg|thumb|Railway station and town after 1861]]
Before the [[Industrial Revolution]], Aalen's economy was shaped by its rural setting. Many citizens were pursuing farming besides their craft, such as [[Tanning (leather)|tanning]]. In the mid 19th century, there were twelve tanneries in Aalen, due to the proximity of [[Ulm]], an important sales market. Other crafts that added to the economy were [[Weaving|weaving mills]], which produced linen and woolen goods, and baking of sweet pastry and gingerbread.<ref name="bauer122">{{harvnb|Bauer|1983|p=122}}</ref><ref>{{Cite EB1911 |wstitle= Aalen |volume= 1 |page= 2 |short=1}}</ref>

In Aalen, industrialisation was a slow process. The first major increase was in the 1840s, when three factories for [[Nail (fastener)|nails]] and some other factories emerged.<ref name="bauer122"/> It was the link with the railway network, by the opening of the [[Rems Railway]] from [[Cannstatt]] to Wasseralfingen in 1861, that brought more industry to Aalen, along with the royal [[steel mill]] (later ''Schwäbische Hüttenwerke'') in Wasseralfingen. The Rems Railway's extension to Nördlingen in 1863, the opening of the [[Brenz Railway]] in 1864 and of the [[Upper Jagst Railway]] in 1866 turned Aalen into a [[railway hub]]. Furthermore, between 1901 and its shutdown in 1972, the [[Härtsfeld Railway]] connected Aalen with [[Dillingen an der Donau]] via [[Neresheim]]. Part of becoming a rail hub entailed more jobs based on the rail industry. These included, a maintenance facility, a [[Railway roundhouse|roundhouse]], an administrative office, two track maintenance shops, and a freight station with an industrial [[branch line]]. This helped shape Aalen into what today's historians call a "railwayman's town".<ref name="Hafner Stadtführer">{{harvnb|Hafner|1989|p=5}}</ref> Starting in 1866, the utilities in town all began to be upgraded. Starting with the Aalen [[gasworks]] which were opened and [[gas lighting]] was introduced. Then in 1870, a modern [[water supply]] system was started and in 1912 the [[mains electricity]]. Finally, in 1935, the first electrically powered [[streetlight]]s were installed.<ref name="bauer122"/>

[[File:Aalen-um-1900.jpg|thumb|left|Aalen by 1900]]
To fight housing shortage during and immediately after [[World War I]], the town set up barracks settlement areas at the ''Schlauch'' and ''Alter Turnplatz'' grounds. In spite of the industry being crippled by the [[Great Depression]] of 1929, the public baths at the Hirschbach creek where modernized, extended and re-opened in 1931.<ref name="Hafner Stadtführer" />