Höpner paints

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The Höpner Lacke GmbH with seat in Niesky is one of the oldest producing paint factories in Germany .

history

Development of the Brethren Settlements

Höpner Lacke GmbH is one of the oldest paint factories in Germany, which has been subject to major upheavals in the course of its history. Today's company Höpner Lacke GmbH is not a direct founding of the Moravian Brethren , but rather its origins go back to their work. Right from the start, the Brethren supported private merchants in setting up commercial establishments. This gave the old Brethren settlements the character of craft settlements. The strong attraction that the Young Brethren also exerted outside Germany led to the influx of craftsmen from other European countries. In 1752 the Swedish locksmith Gabriel Hörnberg (1711–1792) settled in Niesky and from 1759 received the concession to trade in iron.

Start of paint production in Niesky - private company foundation

The origins of paint production in Niesky go back to 1787. The second owner of the iron shop in Niesky, Peter Birk (1740–1818), built a “fire-proof laboratory” here and boiled natural paint raw materials into products that were mainly used for coating metal products . The economic success of Peter Birk's business is not exactly proven. Entries in a cash book, which covers the years 1795–1817, are sometimes only kept very general, such as “Before goods”. This means that no detailed statements on the first paint factory in Niesky are possible.

Transfer to the property of the fraternal community

Since Birk had no offspring, paint production fell to the local Brethren after his death. With his death in 1818 it probably came into the hands of the Brethren, which the childless deceased had appointed as heiress.

Naming Birk & Co

Because of Birk's services to the business and the brethren, the company was named Birk & Co.

In 1803, Johann Gottlieb König (1771–1818), a trained tin caster, was the first manager to take over the management of the company. He worked as a trustee for the community. He received 300 thalers with free accommodation, wood, lighting and free garden use. During his tenure, the business grew steadily, so that an average surplus of around 250 thalers could be given to the Brethren. In 1810 his salary was raised to 400 thalers, making it equal to that of the community leader. After 37 years of service, Gottlieb König retired in 1840. His pension was 200 thalers a year. The inventory was also taken at this point. The directory includes colors and five different types of paint with little value.

His son, Wilhelm Friedrich König (1812–1862) succeeded his father in the management of Birk & Co. in 1840, which also developed positively under him in the years that followed, but Wilhelm Friedrich König, due to persistent alcohol problems, was his Relief from office: The administration has now notified the brother König of his dismissal. At that time, amber lacquer, coral lacquer, copal lacquer and damar lacquer were produced.

His successor was Friedrich Julius Höpner (1830-1892), a man of serious Christian disposition who paid special attention to the welfare of his employees. Since he had spent his childhood here and also completed his commercial apprenticeship in the “Gemeinladen” Riis & Co , the conditions in Niesky were well known to him. In 1879 he introduced Sunday rest in his shop, which was not a matter of course at the time: The Sunday sales could be stopped with fewer difficulties than we assumed; we are grateful to have the Sunday rest.

Paint production and coal trade - additional business from 1868

During this time a new line of business was established, the coal trade. The manufacture of paint took a back seat to the coal trade. "The coal business, which we have taken in hand since mid-1868, has improved a lot in the last year, from mid-1870 to 1871".

Naming Höpner & Co.

In 1884 the company name was changed to "Höpner & Co.". Friedrich Julius Höpner died in 1892.

Boiler factory built in 1892

His son Theodor Höpner (1859-1925) was now appointed to head the company. Various new buildings and modifications were carried out. The paint production was intensified again: “The change of 16,000 marks (in the inventory) is in the colors department, which will hopefully take on an even bigger post for the following. [...] If the manufacturing business can be better maintained for the episode, we hope to be able to show higher digits in lacquer and Siccatif. "

1893 Relocation to today's company premises

After a small fire, the varnish boiler was relocated to a plot of land in front of the town gates, where it formed the basis for today's varnish factory.

Transfer to the property of the Deutsche Brüder-Unität

In 1895, the constantly growing company was transferred from the property of the Niesky Brethren to that of the German Brothers Unity as part of a reorganization of ownership. The number of employees grew to over 100, and sales, which at the time of Friedrich Julius Höpner were around 200,000 RM, now rose to 1.5 million. In 1896 a new iron defeat was built.

Theodor Höpner devoted himself particularly to training his apprentices. In 1902 the company established its own apprenticeship school. In 1908/09 a new factory building was built on the site of the property by the railway. The paint production included oil paints, spirit paints, polishes, asphalt paints, oil paints and the white enamel paint Leukosa, which had been produced since 1906 .

In 1912, the paint factory was administratively separated from the iron business.

The First World War meant an interruption of the previously favorable business development. Theodor Höpner resigned from office in 1919. The business was now run by Karl Leukefeld (1871–1938) until his death. In 1932 the company was converted into a GmbH. Since then, sales have doubled, new sales areas have been opened up and modern manufacturing processes have been developed. In order to save raw materials from overseas, synthetic and oil-free varnishes and paints were produced and successfully introduced.

Grasping tongs and copal melting kettle approx. 1925

At the end of 1938, Karl Leukefeld, who had significantly advanced the company's development, died. At that time, the paint factory building covered 1426 m², the area of ​​the land 14,300 m². The workforce consisted of 11 workers, 11 employees and 4 travelers. After Karl Leukefeld's death, his son Karl-Werner Leukefeld (1901–1958) took over the management of the company as technical director and Henry Weiß (1900–1985) as commercial director. At that time, oil varnishes and anti-rust paints, colorless and colored spirit varnishes, polishes, paint strippers were produced; furthermore synthetic resin lacquers, nitrocellulose lacquers and marking paints. Geographically, the sales area essentially comprises central and eastern Germany including Stettin and East Prussia, as well as the eastern areas, Warthegau and eastern Upper Silesia.

During the Second World War, the company essentially had to carry out military tasks. The company Höpner & Co was classified as an important military operation. This meant the allocation of certain raw materials and some protection from being called up:

“The world war broke out and put a line under this promising development. More and more employees and workers were called up for military service and it was only with difficulty that the company could be maintained with older people, apprentices and female workers. Since the paint industry is almost exclusively dependent on foreign raw materials, the war brought about a complete upheaval in manufacturing. Linseed oil and shellac, of which there were considerable supplies, had to be given to the war societies, which later drove their usury with them. Eventually the manufacturing program melted down to some highly questionable products. "

The company Dr. Beck & Co., Berlin, relocated part of their production of electrical, insulating, cable and impregnating varnishes here from the war-threatened capital in 1942. Henry Weiss was drafted into the military in 1944. He returned from political imprisonment in 1948, but was no longer appointed as managing director. Werner Leukefeld continued to run the company alone until his death.

In 1945 the center of Niesky was badly destroyed. Since the paint factory was on the outskirts, further production could nonetheless be secured.

On September 30, 1949, the company was converted from a GmbH to a general partnership, with the Deutsche Brüder-Unität as the sole owner.

At the beginning of the 1950s, Georg Nischwitz (1883–1964), whose paint factory “Silesia” had been expropriated, joined the company as an accountant. In 1958, after Werner Leukefeld's death, he took over the management of the Höpner & Co. company. The decline in sales and the lack of a qualified paint technician threatened the company's existence.

The paint factory in socialism

One of the most astonishing economic privileges that the Brethren enjoyed during the GDR era was the continuation and maintenance of their economic operations. This also included the paint factory Höpner & Co. in Niesky.

In 1961 Joachim Schmidt (1931–1998) took over the management of the paint factory. The technical equipment and the product range have been reorganized. Oil paints, nitro clear paints, bitumen paints, special thinners, latex paints, latex adhesives, car paints, metallic paints, copal paints, phenolic resins and toy paints were produced. The socialist planned economy and the allocation of raw materials impaired production from time to time. At the end of the eighties, Joachim Schmidt began looking for his successor. This could only be found in 1990 with Christian Weiske.

Economically difficult years followed for Höpner Lacke GmbH, which was created in 1991 through a conversion declaration by the shareholder. In 1993 Christiane Fiebrandt was appointed managing director for the commercial area and Christian Weiske for the production area. In addition to the remediation of contaminated sites and the dismantling of old facilities and buildings, a new tank system was built in 2000 and a new hazardous materials warehouse in 2007.

Organization as of 2016

Today Höpner Lacke is a business enterprise of the Evangelische Brüder-Unität, Herrnhuter Brothers Congregation in the legal form of a GmbH with 10 employees.

literature

  • Henry Weiss; Memories of an old paint salesman, partial print in color and paint, 91 Jg. (1985), pp. 536-539, Vincentz Verlag Hannover, partial print typescript 1985, Unitätsarchiv, no sign
  • The curriculum vitae of his brother Friedrich Julius Höpner, who passed away blissfully on June 29, 1892 in Niesky, Nachrichten aus der Brüdergemeine, 74. Vol. (1892) pp. 585-596, Unitätsbuchhandlung Gnadau publishing house
  • Theodor Höpner / Gustav Wieland: Report from the paint factory Höpner & Co., Niesky. About the course of the business period 1912/1914, October 15, 1914 Unitätsarchiv, DUD 3685
  • Theodor Höpner. From the life of a brotherly merchant. In Hernnhut, vol. 58 (1925), pp. 341/342, 349/350, Verlag Missionsbuchhandlung Herrnhut
  • Henry Weiss: Review of the history of the company Höpner & Co. Lackfabrik GmbH Niesky, on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of service on February 9, 1938, typescript 1938, private ownership, copy in the university archive
  • From the history of the business of the German Brothers Unity. Höpner & CO., Hardware; Niesky O.-L., in Herrnhut 73rd Jg. (1940), pp. 205-206
  • From the history of the business of the German Brothers Unity. Höpner & CO., Lackfabrik GmbH; Niesky O.-L., in Herrnhut 74th vol. (1941), pp. 14-15
  • Theodor Buck: As an apprentice at Höpner & Co. in Brüderbote No. 243 (1963) pp. 25-27
  • Ricardo Macnack: Internship in Niesky in Brüderbote No. 410 (9/1983) pp. 18-19
  • Joachim Schmidt: 200 years of paints from Niesky. In: Bulletin of the trademark association paints and varnishes of the German Democratic Republic, issue 69 (1987)
  • Sketches and portraits from the Upper Lusatian Heideland, Niesky * Rietschen * Rothenburg, Volume 1, 1992, p. 102 Publicon Verlags GmbH, Freiburg i. Br.
  • Höpner & Co paint factory. In: District Office (Ed.): Regio Wirtschaftsjournal for the Niesky & Weißwasser district. Niesky 1993, p. 12 with another illustration on p. 11
  • Commercial register, paint + varnish 99th year 9/1993 p. 822
  • Joachim Schmidt: Excerpt from the report on the 1993 annual financial statements by the outgoing operations manager Joachim Schmidt before the shareholders' meeting of Höpner & Co. on June 1, 1994, Herrnhuter Bote 01/1995 pp. 8–11
  • Christian Weiske: Höpner Lacke GmbH in Niesky, Herrnhuter Bote 06/2002, pp. 11–12
  • Rüdiger Kröger, Peter Vogt (eds.): 225 years of paint production in Niesky (= writings from the Unitätsarchiv , Volume 4), Comenius-Buchlung GmbH, Herrnhut 2012.
  • A Surinamer in the GDR, (Diary of an internship from 1982-1983 in socialist East Germany), Leipziger Universitätsverlag, 2015
  • Hedwig Richter; Pietism in socialism - The Moravian Brethren in the GDR, organizational chart p. 299, Verlag Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht GmbH & Co.KG, Göttingen, 2009

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Höpner Co., to the Royal District Court Niesky, May 15, 1900, note in the header "Founded 1787" Archive Höpner Lacke GmbH.
  2. ^ Höpner Co., to the district court Niesky, November 28, 1929, note in the header "Founded 1787" Archive Höpner Lacke GmbH.
  3. ↑ From the curriculum vitae of Peter Birk, manuscript (autograph), Gemeinarchiv Niesky, PA II, R.7.3.
  4. ↑ Review of the history of the company Höpner & Co. Lackfabrik GmbH, Niesky on the occasion of the 40-year service anniversary, on February 9, 1938 typescript, 1938 (private property, copy in the premiere)
  5. ^ Cassa book Peter Birk, started May 28, 1795, Gemeinarchiv Niesky, VAR 16.1.c.
  6. ↑ From the history of the business of the German Brothers Union. Höpner & Co., Eisenwaren, Niesky, OL In: Herrnhut., 73rd Jg. (1940), pp. 205/206.
  7. ^ From the curriculum vitae of JG König, typescript (copy), undated Unitätsarchiv R.22.152.19.
  8. ↑ Gemeinarchiv Niesky, VA, R.14.E.2.
  9. ↑ common archive Niesky, VA R.14.E.6.
  10. ^ From the biography of WF König, manuscript, 1862, Gemeinarchiv Niesky, PA II.R7.19.
  11. ^ Minutes of the Niesky Conference of Elders, June 23, 1855, UA. R.6.B.b16.c.
  12. ^ From the biography of FJ Höpner, printed by Paul Jenke, 1892, Niesky; The same print with marginal changes in Nachrichten aus der Brüdergemeine, Vol. 74 (1892), pp. 585-596.
  13. ^ Report 1877/79, Niesky, June 30, 1897, Gemeinarchiv Niesky, VA.R.14.E.5.
  14. ^ Report on the two-year accounts 1869/71 Niesky end of June 1871, Niesky community archive, VA, R.14.E.5.
  15. ↑ From the life of a brotherly merchant, printed in Herrnhut, vol. 58 (1925) pp. 341/342, 349/340.
  16. ↑ Copy of the entry of power of attorney at the royal district court June 16, 1892, Archive Höpner Lacke GmbH
  17. ↑ Infertion fee bill of the Royal Treasury of the German Imperial and Royal Prussian State Gazette of July 22, 1892, Archive Höpner Lacke GmbH.
  18. ^ Announcement, newspaper Volksfreund from Upper Lusatia July 20, 1892, Archive Höpner Lacke GmbH
  19. ↑ Public Gazette No. 26, supplement to the Liegnitz government gazette, June 25, 1892, Archive Höpner Lacke GmbH
  20. ↑ Höpner's report on the course of the business period 1892/94 of the Höpner Co., Unitätsarchiv DUD 3684.
  21. ^ Partnership agreement of May 10, 1932, Archive Höpner Lacke GmbH
  22. ^ Letter from the Finance Directorate of the Deutsche Brüder-Unität to the Niesky District Court, November 18, 1938, Archive Höpner Lacke GmbH.
  23. ^ Letter from the Finance Directorate of the German Brothers Unity to the Niesky District Court, November 18, 1938, Archive Höpner Lacke GmbH.
  24. ^ Henry Weiss: Review of the history of the company Höpner & Co Lackfabrik GmbH, Niesky on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of service, January 9, 1938, typescript 1938, private ownership, copy in the university archive
  25. ^ Unitas Fratrum, Herrnhuter Studies, p. 66, eds. Mari P. van Buijtenen, Cornelis Dekker and Huib Leeuwenberg, Rijksarchief in Utrecht 1975.
  26. ^ Letter from the Finance Directorate of the German Brothers Unity to the State Government of Saxony, Herrnhut, August 24, 1950, Höpner archive.
  27. ↑ Hedwig Richter: Pietism in Socialism - The Moravian Brotherhood in the GDR. Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, Göttingen 2009, p. 300.
  28. ↑ Granting power of attorney, letter Finance Directorate of the German Brothers Unity, 15. January 1961, Archive Höpner Lacke GmbH
  29. ↑ Sketches and
    portraits from the Upper Lusatian Heideland, Niesky * Rietschen * Rothenburg, Volume 1, 1992, p. 102 Publicon Verlags GmbH
  30. ↑ Commercial Register B of the Dresden Local Court, HRB 7343, 2015.