Gert P. Spindler

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Gert P. Spindler (born May 9, 1914 in Hilden ; † October 21, 1997 in Erkrath ) was a German textile manufacturer , publicist , management consultant , politician and patron of the arts .

Gert P. Spindler

Life

His full name was Gert Paul Spindler. His parents were Paul Spindler (1872–1949) and Meta Sondermann (1877–1957). The grandparents were Adolph Spindler (1839–1895) and Elise vom Baur (1835–1903) as well as Eduard Sondermann (1841–1898) and Ida Engstfeld (1844–1926). The Spindler family originally came from Franconia to the Hunsrück , from there to Kassel , and later to Elberfeld .

Gert P. Spindler graduated from the Hilden-Meide elementary school from 1920 to 1924 and then from the Helmholtz secondary school in Hilden until 1931 . In spring he started as an apprentice at his parents' textile company Kampf & Spindler in Hilden, where he worked in all departments. From 1933 to 1934 he attended the Zurich silk weaving school in Zurich . From 1934 to 1935 he did an internship at TF Firth & Sons in London, a manufacturer of carpets , upholstery and decorative fabrics. 1935 to 1937 compulsory service in the Wehrmacht . At the end of 1937 he returned to the Kampf & Spindler company in Hilden. Study of the production processes in dyeing and printing . On November 7th, 1938 power of attorney at Kampf & Spindler. From May 9, 1939 managing director and co-owner .

From September 1, 1939 to August 8, 1943 he was drafted into the Wehrmacht. Extensive own diary notes from his time in the Economic Staff East are available from the entire war period .

After the Second World War he headed the textile company "Kampf & Spindler", which he renamed in 1950 to "Paul-Spindler-Werke KG". On December 30th, 1970 the textile industry tradition in Hilden came to an end due to the textile sales crisis .

Entrepreneur

Gert P. Spindler's professional career was closely linked to the silk factory Kampf & Spindler, originally founded in Elberfeld in 1832, which was already based in Hilden when Gert P. Spindler was born. The company's founders were his great-grandfather Johann Christian Spindler (* July 27, 1801 in Kassel; † January 29, 1881 in Hilden) and Johann Wilhelm Kampf (* 1799 in Elberfeld; † August 10, 1875 in Hilden).

Gert P. Spindler's father, Paul Spindler (born February 25, 1872) was already the 3rd generation in the company's management and Gert as the only son was destined to lead the company in the 4th generation.

After the sudden death of his father on March 14, 1949, he took over the sole management of the semi-silk factory "Kampf & Spindler".

Organizational measures were necessary. Decision-making powers and responsibility were delegated from the sole managing director to the department heads. Gert P. Spindler initiated the management team into the management problems of the industrial company.

In the years 1950-1951 began with the establishment of its own Zellwollgarn - spinning the plan of his father into reality and incorporated the new operation in the company. On this occasion, the company, which had previously been run under the name “Kampf & Spindler”, was renamed “Paul-Spindler-Werke KG”.

The textile company "Paul-Spindler-Werke KG" had three locations in Hilden (from 1848 on Klotzstrasse, from 1931 on Hummelster- / Hochdahler Strasse, from 1937 on Walder Strasse) and branches in Baumberg (Monheim am Rhein) (1902 -1957) Nastätten (1908-1957) and in Gummersbach (1937 Sondermann & Co acquired until 1957)

In the following years he organized the softening of the vertical structure from the “chemical fiber spinning to the finished dyed fabric” by buying and selling semi-finished products or carrying out individual operations in external companies. This cleared the way for a redesign of the sales range and the involvement in export , which until then had been completely absent as a market.

Because of the textile sales crisis, the Hilden production facilities of the Paul Spindler Works also had to finally close in 1970.

The city of Hilden acquired the factory premises from the Spindler community of heirs and had all the factory buildings demolished. On the former site of the weaving and spinning mill (1848–1970) on Hofstrasse, today the city park and the Curanum senior citizens' foundation are located . Housing developments have arisen on the site of the former dye works (1931–1970) east of Hochdahler Strasse. The Itterpark industrial estate was built on the site of the former rayon spinning mill (1939–1970) on Walder Strasse . In the former administration building on Klotzstrasse, guests have been staying in the "Hotel am Stadtpark" since August 12, 1988.

Co-entrepreneurship

Gert P. Spindler caused a nationwide sensation when he installed an employee profit-sharing system in his company on January 1, 1951 . The “co-entrepreneurship” became known to the public as the “Spindler Plan”. The 2,500 employees in the workforce participated in a quarter of the profit. This was a practical realization of the community of achievement idea .

Co-determination

The co-determination and codecision rights, “partnership instead of class struggle” were introduced between management and workforce . At that time, these agreements went far beyond what was later enshrined in the Works Constitution Act for the entire economy .

publicist

Gert P. Spindler founded the weekly magazine "DER FORTSCHRITT" in autumn 1949. He saw the need for the voices of citizens in general and of individual groups particularly affected by the unfortunate outcome of the war to have an opportunity to make themselves heard in the nascent new state building.

Business consultant

The Federal Association of Employee Participation was founded in October 1950 by a group of entrepreneurs led by the textile manufacturer Gert P. Spindler as a working group to promote partnership in the economy (AGP). The founders' concern was to establish a society of stakeholders as the “third way between capitalism and socialism” through the participation, shared responsibility and financial participation of employees in the profits and capital of the company. In 1970 the AGP had over 200 member companies. In 2015 the AGP celebrated its 65th anniversary.

Political and social engagement

In addition to his entrepreneurial activity, Gert P. Spindler was also involved in politics and journalism after 1945, especially for the balance of social and human tensions after the war (refugees - locals, employees - employers) and for reconciliation with the opponents in the last war.

Spindler became politically active after 1945 by co-founding the "Tatgemeinschaft Freie Deutscher", a collection of mainly displaced Germans who sought non-party political mandates. As an unlicensed group, it could not exercise the arithmetically won mandates and therefore challenged the election to the first German Bundestag.

Art patron

On the initiative of Gert P. Spindler, who had already supported the headquarters of the Baukreis in Hamburg, the workshop group “ Der Baukreis Hilden” was set up. The private art school was located from 1947 to 1953 in the previously unused skylight hall of the Kampf & Spindler company, on the corner of Klotzstrasse and Hofstrasse.

Private life

Gert P. Spindler married Wiltrud Fischer (* March 6, 1919, † 1986) in Rüdesheim on April 25, 1942 . The two children Claudia (* February 24, 1943) and Frank Paul Friedrich (* April 1, 1946) emerged from the marriage. Her Spindler villa was in today's city park. The music school moved into the villa in the park from 1978 to 1992. Since September 1, 1992, the children of the “Kindergarten im Park e. V. ”with the groups“ Itterbonbons ”and“ Kinderkiste ”.

Fonts

Monographs

  • Gert P. Spindler: The benefit state: Proposal to reorganize our political, social and economic order . Komet Verl. (Wilh. Hagemann), Düsseldorf, 1948, 118 pages, DNB idn = 576472611
  • Gert P. Spindler: The Human Deed - Reports from the War Time , Komet, Düsseldorf 1948.
  • Gert P. Spindler: The problem of co-determination. Statements and suggestions from the employers , May 1950, 22 pp.
  • Gert P. Spindler: Circular for information Working group of independent entrepreneurs / Working group for the promotion of partnership in the economy e. V. (AGP) , November 5, 1950, regarding "co-entrepreneurship"
  • Gert P. Spindler: The co-entrepreneurship. The third way to economic participation . Memorandum to the legislators "1951, 7 pages
  • Gert P. Spindler: Entrepreneurship: From class struggle to social balance . Kinau, Lüneburg, 1951, 118 pages, DNB idn = 454790996
  • Gert P. Spindler: Promotion of thinking through competition , in Mensch und Arbeit 5, 1953, issue 3
  • Gert P. Spindler: Partnership instead of class struggle: 2 years of co-entrepreneurship in practice . Kohlhammer, Stuttgart; Cologne, 1954, DNB idn = 454791003
  • Gert P. Spindler: Gert P. Spindler, diary notes, letters, newspaper articles , Paul-Spindler-Werke KG 1956 monograph with the identification 72200493, 55 pages.
  • Gert P. Spindler: The production changeover of the Paul-Spindler-Werke KG, the decision of February 6, 1957 , Paul-Spindler-Werke KG 1957. Individual edition with the reference number 72200513, 50 pages.
  • Gert P. Spindler: Development and design of the Spindler works: [For the 125th year. Anniversary] . Paul Spindler-Werke KG, Hilden, 1957, 211 pages, DNB idn = 576472603
  • Gert P. Spindler: New answers in social space: Guiding principles for entrepreneurs . Econ-Verlag, Düsseldorf; Vienna, 1964, 411 pages, DNB idn = 454790988
  • Gert P. Spindler: Practice of partnership - experiences and insights of an entrepreneur . Econ-Verlag, Düsseldorf; Vienna, 1970, 264 pages, ISBN 3-430-18671-4 , DNB idn = 458190217
  • Gert P. Spindler: Public Relations, task for entrepreneurs . Herder and Herder, Frankfurt (Main), New York, 1974, 256 pages, ISBN 3-585-32019-8 , DNB idn = 750068558
  • Gert P. Spindler: Hilden model for internal communication , Spindler Public Relations, Hilden 1978.
  • Gert P. Spindler: The company in a critical environment: Public relations between power and People . Wiesbaden, Frankfurter Allgemeine (FAZ); Frankfurt and Gabler, 1987, 412 pages, ISBN 3-409-19105-4 , DNB idn = 880061987
  • Ed. U. Red .: Gert P. Spindler: Spindler Prize Economy made understandable . Self-published by GP Spindler, Erkrath-Hochdahl, Heinrich-Heine-Str. 31, 1988, 58 pages, DNB idn = 880724234
  • Gert P. Spindler: Under the spell of current events - A life in the 20th century. Observations, experiences, actions , Erkrath 1993.
  • Gert P. Spindler: The Spindler model - memories of an entrepreneur , Universitas, Munich 1994, 280 pages, ISBN 3-8004-1306-X , DNB idn = 941119912

Editorships

  • Gert P. Spindler with Devere Allen, George Catlin, Vera Brittain a. Sheila Hodges: Above All Nations , Harper & Brothers, New York 1949
  • Gert P. Spindler with E. Guilleaume: Memorandum to the German people for the formation of an imperial constitution according to the people [1. Draft], 74 pp., Undated 1951.
  • Gert P. Spindler with E. Guilleaume: Co-determination of the companies. Memorandum to the legislators on the question of the formation of a Federal Economic Council . 1951, 11 pp.
  • Gert P. Spindler with Wolfgang Walter: Development and design of the Spindler-Werke , Paul-Spindler-Werke KG, Hilden 1957
  • Gert P. Spindler: Codetermination is different , in Die Zeit No. 46 of November 12, 1965.
  • Documentation about the community of free Germans. Introduced and commented on by Gert P. Spindler, co-initiator and co-founder of the Tatgemeinschaft Freier Deutscher , July 25, 1988, including circulars, pamphlets, programs, reports, also to contest the election to the first German Bundestag in 1949, content up to approx. 1955.
  • Gert P. Spindler: Journal Tatgemeinschaft Freier Deutscher published in Düsseldorf No. 1 1949 - 45 1951, ZDB Idn = 5356398

Lecture scripts

  • Gert P. Spindler: A citizen in the Third Reich . Lecture Rotary Club Hilden-Haan on July 30, 1981 12 pages
  • Gert P. Spindler: Economic Staff East. It happened 40 years ago . Lecture Rotary Club Hilden-Haan January 5, 1982 14 pages.
  • Gert P. Spindler: Company management and partnership . (Lecture before the German Society for Business Administration in Düsseldorf on February 21, 1957), Working group for the promotion of d. Partnership in d. Wirtschaft, Hilden, 1957, 19 pages, DNB idn = 454791011

Articles and records

  • Gert P. Spindler: Tasks of the “Kulturbund” , unity among young people? Cultural preservation? Old generation? Tradition ?, Rheinisches Volksblatt, Düsseldorf, May 20, 1932.
  • Gert P. Spindler: Collection of writings and letters during his military service 1939–1943 in the East Economic Staff .
  • Gert P. Spindler: 1944/45. The end of the war in Hilden [manuscript. noted diary entries: For Hildener Jahrbuch (April 1986)], 8 pp.

literature

  • Wolfgang Wennig: History of the Hilden industry, from the beginnings of commercial activity up to 1900 , Hilden City Archives, 1974
  • Rolf Jessewitsch (Red.): History of the textile industry , City of Hilden, 1990
  • Otto Blume, Ingrid Heidermann, Elfriede Kuhlmeyer, Economic Organizational Paths to Common Ownership and Common Responsibility of Employees , Research Reports of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia No. 678, Westdeutscher Verlag Köln and Opladen, 1959, Chapter III Federal Republic of Germany, 1. Paul-Spindler- Werke KG pages 307–327.
  • Beate Baldow: episode or danger? The Naumann affair. Diss. Phil. FU Berlin, Berlin 2012, p. 70 ff., Fu-berlin.de (PDF).

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c d e f g GERT P. SPINDLER , Paul-Spindler-Werke KG Hilden, laudation on the 25th return of the day on which Gert P. Spindler joined Kampf & Spindler as an apprentice, 55 pages. with photo., Paul-Spindler-Werke KG, print: A. Bagel, Düsseldorf 1956
  2. ↑ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Institute for Contemporary History - Archive holdings Spindler, Gert P. Signature ED 425 ( Memento of the original from February 21, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.ifz-muenchen.de
  3. ^ A b Co-entrepreneur Gert Spindler , in Die Zeit, February 8, 1951
  4. ↑ More participation for better capitalism - 65 years of the Federal Association of Employee Participation - AGP, Kassel October 23, 2015
personal data
SURNAME Spindler, Gert P.
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Spindler, Gert Paul
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German textile manufacturer and social politician
DATE OF BIRTH May 9, 1914
PLACE OF BIRTH Hilden
DATE OF DEATH October 21, 1997
Place of death Erkrath