Durable Glass Constructs of East Germany
Party Tricks and Gravity-Defying Glassware: The Unbreakable Superfest Glas
Got a crowd gathered? I've got a tantalizing trick up my sleeve. I present an unassuming, rather pricey antique glass—some may mistake it for plastic, but it's pure glass. It's the thinner version of a beer glass, which, upon dropping onto a hard surface, bounces off unscathed. It's the mystery of the Superfest Glas!
This remarkable glass, hailing from East Germany's German Democratic Republic (DDR), was produced during the 1980s. Legend has it that a frustrated Minister for Glass and Ceramics Industries, Werner Greiner-Petter, was served his beer in a paper cup at a restaurant. Realizing the dire shortage of beer glasses, he ordered the creation of a hardier, more lasting alternative.
After some experimentation in Bad Muskau, a patent was registered, and a massive industrial complex, named VEB Sachsenglas, was established in Schwepnitz. The complex was run by young engineer Peter Sonntag, who recalled the impressive infrastructure, including "big power lines, warehouses," and even an on-site daycare for the employees' children.
In this creative alchemy, the glasses were heated to 300 degrees, sprinkled with potassium nitrate, and cooled. The potassium nitrate initiated a chemical process that replaced ions and filled in micro-cracks. This process, it's believed, made them almost indestructible. But as with any innovation, there were occasional setbacks; the very first glass presented to Greiner-Petter shattered unexpectedly.
Superfest Glas came in variations: different shapes for beer, juice, cognac, champagne, and even flowers. Each beer glass was identical, embodying the modern, efficient, and monotonous East German aesthetic. The glasses were never sold in the West, as retailers saw no use for the unbreakable product under capitalism.
Owning a piece of this communist relic can be costly today. The glasses fetch quite the price on eBay or flea markets, around €10 for a small one. Mimicking the hardening process used in modern phones, companies have been attempting to perfect Superfest Glas' secret formula. However, marketing the product remains a challenge, as it may never achieve the success it might have had in East Germany's planned economy.
Despite its near-invulnerability, the glasses can still break, though not as easily as conventional glass. My overzealous kid has already broken a few in testing, proving that even the strongest glass has its limits. The glasses are only about 15 times harder than traditional glass, meaning, as with all materials, there are limits to their durability.
You can still find relics of the East German era today, like those sturdy refrigerators from the 1960s humming away. Perhaps one day, the Superfest Glas will return, but replicating such a remarkable invention proves to be as challenging as breaking the original.
The unbreakable Superfest Glas, a testament to East German manufacturing and technology, was born out of a crisis in the finance-strapped glass industry during the 1980s. This revolutionary glass, produced by VEB Sachsenglas under the guidance of engineer Peter Sonntag, stands as an emblem of innovation within the industry, despite facing occasional setbacks in its creation process.
