In 1845, the visionary Ferdinand Adolph Lange received a loan of 7,800 Thaler – a silver coin used throughout Europe for almost 100 years – in order to establish his watch manufactory. Ferdinand A. Lange was able to receive financial aid from the Royal Saxon Ministry of the Interior and was then able to hire 15 apprentices of whom he could train under his careful watch. As a result, Lange introduced the art of watchmaking to the region of Glashütte and sparked the development of a new industry in the area. The apprentices hired by Lange were locals from the Ore Mountains of Glashütte that were previously trained as stonemasons, woodcarvers, or straw braiders. They did not know anything about technical instruments and it took a great amount of patience and perseverance to properly train the apprentices in meticulous watchmaking techniques. With hard work and dedication, the company eventually flourished and established a new trade sector for the individuals residing in Glashütte.