Silesia, Serfdom, and Slavery

Abstract From the seventeenth to the twentieth century, Silesian linen production was closely linked to Atlantic slavery. Initially, Silesian linen was a commodity of varying quality, strategically adapted to either satisfy free consumers in Africa or serve as clothing for enslaved Africans or European colonists in the Americas. To keep their selling prices low, Silesian merchants adopted serfdom to exploit spinners and weavers. Later industrialists in the region relied on impoverished factory workers to manufacture competitive products, like tropical clothing for the colonies. This study contributes to a better understanding of the interconnectedness of the Silesian economy with Atlantic slavery by examining the practices through which Silesian actors shaped local conditions that became springboards for business opportunities related to slavery.