Hannoversche Gummiwerke Excelsior

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Factory premises around 1910, trade marks and “Excelsior” pneumatic tires, engraving on a printed invoice

The Hannoversche rubber works Excelsior were a rubber processing company in Hannover-Limmer , in the 1928 Continental AG aufgingen. The company Hannoversche Gummiwerke Excelsior goes back to the oldest rubber goods factory in Hanover, the Gummi-Kamm-Comp, founded in 1862. It experienced its heyday as a manufacturer of technical rubber articles and tires between 1890 and 1928 with up to 6,000 employees. Then it went on in the Continental Gummi-Werke AG Hanover. Production at the company's Limmer site began in 1899 and ran for 100 years until 1999.

The extensive production halls were then largely demolished. In addition to the striking, listed water tower , the administration buildings and a multi-storey former production wing along the branch canal to Lindener Hafen have been preserved. The 170,000 m² site is to be converted into residential use as the “ water town Limmer ”.

history

Hannoversche Gummikammfabrik 1862 to 1883

Hannoversche Gummikamm Comp., Factory 1862 in Striehlstrasse / Nicolaistraße

The company goes back to the Hannoversche Gummi-Kamm-Comp., Which is known as the oldest rubber goods factory in Hanover. April 1862 is given as the foundation date. At this point in time, the company had already existed for a few years as a manufacturing operation, which had been founded by Johann Louis Martiny as a comb sawmill and was relocated outside of the then urban area to save taxes. In 1862 they moved into new premises in Striehlstrasse ( Hannover-Mitte ). a. were equipped with their own steam engine with 6 HP power ( city ​​map Hannover plan from 1873 grid square F2, Meyers Konversationslexikon 1895, grid square C3). At the end of 1862, 80 people were employed, the company had grown into a large operation by the standards of the time.

In addition to the traditional material horn, hard rubber was used, then known as ebonite. Initially, this material was obtained from England, until the expansion of the company made it possible to manufacture it from raw rubber. As a manufacturing company, the technical knowledge was expanded so that the usual start-up difficulties with the then new natural product rubber were quickly overcome. The incorporation of the Kingdom of Hanover into the Prussian state expanded sales opportunities from 1866 onwards. The company grew rapidly in the following years and expanded the production program to include costume jewelry (brooches, arm rings, fashionable combs, fibulas, etc.), medical-hygienic articles and smokers' articles (including mouthpieces for the French Bryère pipes). After just a few years, production was expanded to include two washing mills for raw rubber and two mixing mills and a 40 hp steam engine.

Hannoversche Gummikamm Comp., Factory 1892 in Striehlstrasse / Nicolaistrasse

The company's founder, Johann L. Martiny, left in 1865 with the conversion to "Hannoversche-Gummi-Comp. OHG ”and the associated capital increase from the company, but remained connected to it, as the later events in 1871 when the Continental AG was founded showed. The businessman Otto Stockhardt as well as the bankers Moritz G. Meyer and his brother Ferdinand Meyer join as partners. The company was briefly referred to as the "rubber comb" in the following years. The company continued to grow in the following years and was converted into a stock corporation in 1883. In the 1890s, the expansion options on the traditional company premises were exhausted. The company now had 1,100 employees. A new company site was developed in Hanover-Limmer and the company headquarters relocated. The previous company premises were sold.

Interrelationships when the later Continental AG was founded in 1871

Hannoversche Gummiwerke, hard rubber comb

In 1871 the three partners of "Gummi-Kamm" took part in momentous negotiations following the bankruptcy of another rubber goods factory. The result was the founding of Continental-Caoutchouc- & Gutta-Percha-Compagnie AG, the forerunner of today's Continental AG , in whose share capital of 300,000 thalers the three shareholders held 80,000 thalers (26.7%). With this participation, which came about through the mediation of the company founder of the Hannoversche Gummi-Comp., Johann L. Martiny and his son, a secure influence on the newly founded company was initially achieved - also through personal presence. Otto Stockhardt remained a member of the board as a supervisory board delegate for several years. In addition, a separation of the main production areas was agreed: The “Hannoversche-Gummi-Comp. OHG ”should continue to produce the traditional hard rubber goods. The new Continental-Caoutchouc- & Gutta-Percha-Compagnie AG (“Continental” for short, because of the initial production program also “Gummi-Ball”) was supposed to exclusively produce soft rubber products. This separation lasted until the 1890s.

Hannoversche Gummikamm AG 1883 to 1912

Washing of raw rubber at the Excelsior plant in 1912
Hannoversche Gummikamm AG, factory in 1899 at the new company location in Hanover-Limmer
Around 1910: The building group on the triangle of Wunstorfer Straße, sketched almost expressionistically from a bird's eye view , with the waterways stub canal Hannover-Linden and Leineabstiegskanal , including the trademark with the Hanoverian three- leaf clover and rubber products such as toys or a comb from the Gloria brand ; Four-color back cover of Illustrirten newspaper , special title Hannover and border areas , of 20 April 1911 with the artist's signature graphic artist Änne Koken over Imprint

Hard rubber can be used in a variety of ways, as it does not conduct heat or electricity and is easy to work with, as it becomes soft and pliable at 70 to 100 degrees, but regains its original strength when it cools down. A considerable expansion of production was achieved in the 1880s with insulation components for the booming telegraphy and telephony industry, which were marketed as "Gloria-Isolit" and "Eisengummi" (for battery boxes, among others). In the course of the conversion of “Gummi-Kamm” into “Aktiengesellschaft Hannoversche Gummikamm Co. AG”, Continental AG held discussions in 1883 about a merger of the two companies. For both companies the development into a “powerful diversified rubber company” could have resulted, for the “Gummi-Kamm” the strengthening of the financial strength would have been advantageous in this way. The industrial management was claimed by the executive board of Continental AG, Siegmund Seligmann , who also had the initiative for the talks. The solution did not come about. As a result, "Gummi-Kamm" expanded its production to include soft rubber goods, in particular bicycle tires, and later also car tires. As early as the 1880s, bicycle tires were successfully produced, initially made of solid rubber, from 1888 briefly as so-called cushion tires made of foamed rubber, and from 1890 as tubular tires. Compressed air tires with air tubes were added in 1892, making the "Gummi-Kamm" one of the first producers, albeit a little later when Continental AG started production and was later unable to catch up with its technological and sales lead.

With the start of soft rubber production, the production agreement of 1871 was broken, but further strategic alliances were formed. For example, Continental AG committed itself not to produce any surgical products or articles for electrical purposes. In return, the "Gummi-Kamm" canceled the production of soft rubber articles and play balls. In contrast, both companies were allowed to manufacture rubberized fabrics, whereby the "Gummi-Ball" had to pay three percent of the associated sales to the "Gummi-Kamm". In 1893 the two companies came to a sales convention for bicycle tires, which from then on took place on a joint account at a ratio of 30:70 (“rubber comb” to Continental AG).

  • Terry glove "Gloria"

  • Battery box

  • "Excelsior" bicycle tires

  • Soft rubber toys

  • Quality certificate

Hannoversche Gummiwerke Excelsior AG 1912 to 1928

"Excelsior Pneumatic" poster;
around 1910, printed by Hollerbaum & Schmidt, Berlin
Share over 1000 Marks in Hannoversche Gummiwerke Excelsior AG on September 27, 1920
Hannoversche Gummiwerke Excelsior AG Hannover-Limmer, 1912 for the 50th anniversary

For the 50th anniversary in 1912, the company name was changed to "Hannoversche Gummiwerke Excelsior AG" in order to get a concise name, which was also successful because from then on the company was known as "Excelsior", in Hanover also as "Die Ex". The name "Excelsior" had already established itself as a brand name for tires.

Looking back, the economic situation can u. a. This can be seen from the dividend, which averaged 10% up to 1892, rose to 17% with the manufacture of bicycle tires (1893 to 1905) and then averaged 23% by 1913. However, the time before the First World War was marked by significantly increasing domestic and foreign competition with corresponding “bargain prices”. The outbreak of war interrupted this development, which then began all the more violently.

Comb tailoring at the Excelsior factory in 1912
Hannoversche Gummiwerke Excelsior car tire production

With the outbreak of the First World War, production was geared towards goods essential to the war effort, especially tires and medical articles. When many company employees were called up for military service, organizational problems arose which were offset by the increased use of women. The lack of raw rubber led to a reduction in quality due to the use of recycled rubber ("regenerated").

After the end of the war there was considerable pent-up demand for consumer goods made of rubber and for tires, as their production was restricted due to the war and the quality had decreased due to the increased use of recycled rubber. The production facilities were badly worn, the production methods inefficient. The company management reacted to these circumstances by expanding the production facilities in Hanover-Limmer. The administration building was extended and a new vulcanization hall was built. 1920-1922 [the architect] was based on plans Franz-Otto Lutz "the imposing four-storey Produktionsbau the branch channel Linden built the impressively the classical -looking industrial architecture of the period around the First World War, showing off." The number of employees rose to almost 6,000 workers and employees by 1922.

During this time, the strong domestic and foreign competition had fully developed again - as before the First World War. During the period of inflation and the global economic crisis, it led to company takeovers and collapses, which also affected the "Excelsior". The renovation and expansion investments of "Excelsior AG" in the 1920s were financed by a total of 6 capital increases. At the beginning of 1922, Continental AG succeeded in acquiring more than 25 percent of the share capital and thus becoming the determining major shareholder of "Excelsior AG".

From November 1922 there was an open defense and takeover battle after Continental AG had been offered a further 25 percent of the share capital of Excelsior AG via a banking group. In March 1923, the Excelsior board of directors undertook the “desperate attempt” at an extraordinary shareholders' meeting to limit the supremacy of Continental AG by issuing preference shares with extended voting rights. This was rejected by Continental AG, so that the Executive Board came to the conclusion that Excelsior AG had largely lost its independence.

Continental AG subsequently acquired additional shares in Excelsior AG, so that the two company boards reached an agreement in autumn 1927 on the merger, which was approved by the General Meeting of Excelsior AG on December 10, 1928 and took effect retroactively as of January 1, 1928 .

After the merger - branch of Continental AG until 1999

After the merger, the Excelsior plant in Hanover-Limmer became a subsidiary of Continental AG and, with the same production program, placed under the central organization. The established brand names, especially “Excelsior” for tires, were retained. The sales structures also remained independent in order to sell the large number of manufactured products with their special requirements in a suitable manner and to maintain buyer loyalty as far as possible. Extensive restructuring and rationalization measures were implemented in the plant, including the determination and evaluation of performance according to the Bedaux system .

The costing and accounting, which was previously assigned to the technical management, has now been assigned to the commercial division - as at Continental AG. During this restructuring there was considerable resentment and resistance to the rationalization measure, which resulted in a wave of layoffs, especially among the employees. In the Continental Corporation, which had taken over other companies at the end of the 1920s, between 1929 and 1931 there was a cut in staff from 18,200 to 11,000 employees and workers, i.e. by around 40 percent.

Period of National Socialism - 1933 to 1945

In 1939, Continental AG's Limmer plant had 4,100 employees. Due to the war, the production program was limited to rubberized fabrics, surgical goods and hard rubber products such as battery boxes, fuel tanks, heels and soles for shoes, and it was switched to products essential to the war, especially gas masks. From 1944, so-called “ foreign workers ” were increasingly employed in the Limmer plant of Continental AG.

A first barrack camp on the company premises was largely destroyed by allied air raids by incendiary bombs. There were no deaths. In the summer of 1944 it was rebuilt with ten residential barracks and designed for 1,220 slave laborers . The warehouse managers were assigned to the manager of the German Labor Front (DAF), the unified association of employees and employers. The monitoring of this forced labor camp was the responsibility of the security of the Continental works.

Memorial stone to the Hanover-Limmer subcamp on Stockhardtstr./Sackmannstr.

In June 1944, the Hanover-Limmer subcamp was built as a subcamp of the Neuengamme concentration camp - one of seven such camps in what is now the city of Hanover. It had up to 1,000 female prisoners who, among other things, were deployed in the neighboring Continental plant in 12-hour shifts. Towards the end of the war, the satellite camp was largely cleared in early April 1945. The prisoners who were fit to march were herded into the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in a three-day march .

A local initiative founded in 2008 tries to incorporate the historical memory into the planned “water town Limmer” in a suitable way.

Post-war period - 1945 until closure in 1999

Contiwerk Limmer in Limmer on the Linden branch canal , 2008

The Limmer branch was largely spared from war damage during the Second World War, so that production could start up again shortly after the end of the war - initially severely limited. The occupying powers ordered the production of urgently needed products such as suction cups and hygienic and medical articles. The scarcity of raw materials meant that the processing of scrap rubber was further intensified. Rubber mixing was concentrated in the Limmer branch for all three Hanover plants. The administration and accounting departments were relocated from the main plant in Vahrenwald, which was significantly destroyed in the last weeks of the war, to the Limmer branch. This resulted in a great shortage of space, so that production rooms were also converted into offices.

After this reconstruction phase, the Limmer branch was expanded to include a new rolling hall, a factory hall for floor coverings ( Floorflex ), an energy center and facilities for the mold and machine factory that manufactured production machines and devices for the other plants. The training workshop was attached. Around 1970, 950 people worked in the machine and mold factory and the associated branches. In 1999 production was shut down.

The former company premises are now integrated into various tours on the subject of "Industrialization using examples", such as the "Canal Route". In this connection of former and existing industrial areas with the transport routes inland waterway and rail, the change in the direction of "transport" can be experienced in a very small space.

Re-use: Wasserstadt Limmer

Demolition work, 2009
Facades of the listed buildings of the former Conti factory in Limmer, 2009
View over the site, 2015

After the closure of the Limmer plant by Continental AG in 1999, the buildings were initially retained. In the following years, the younger building wings were first torn down. In 2009 a large part of the historical building complex was blown up.

The water town Limmer is to be built by Günter Papenburg AG on the largely cleared area . The plans presented in 2013 for the first construction phase comprised 2,000 residential units on around 80,000 m². Due to a lack of public participation and too dense development, the development plan was rejected by the district council.

In 2014 the city administration of Hanover presented a new concept with up to 2200 residential units for 5000 residents. There were objections to this from parts of politics and citizens. A new public participation process has been running since autumn 2014. In May 2015, targets between 1,000 and 1,800 residential units were discussed. In August 2016, the Council's Building and Environment Committee decided to build fewer than 2,000 apartments for well over 3,000 people. In the first phase of construction near the old village of Limmer, for which it was decided to display the plans for public participation, 20% social housing was planned. After preparatory work on the property and the construction of a concrete plant by December 2017, the construction of the first houses should take from 2018 to 2019. [outdated]

Publications

  • Anniversary commemorative publication: Hannoversche Gummiwerke Excelsior AG, commemorative publication for the 50th company anniversary , self-published, Hanover 1912
  • Hannoversche Gummiwerke Excelsior, Aktien-Gesellschaft, Hannover-Limmer (pocket calendar), documented from 1921 to 1923, so that publication was discontinued. DNB 367995050

literature

Web links

Commons : Hannoversche Gummiwerke Excelsior  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c d e f g h i j Hans Theodor Schmidt: The Excelsior AG - Hanover's oldest rubber goods factory , tradition: magazine for company history, 8th year, pp. 24–43, 1963
  2. ^ A b Hans Theodor Schmidt: Continental - A Century of Progress and Achievement, 1871 to 1971 , company publication for the 100th company anniversary, self-published, Hanover 1971
  3. ↑ a b c d Anniversary commemorative publication: Hannoversche Gummiwerke Excelsior AG, commemorative publication for the 50th company anniversary , self-published, Hanover 1912
  4. ↑ a b c d e f Paul Erker: From national to global competition - The German and American tire industry in the 19th and 20th centuries , Schöningh-Verlag Paderborn, 2005, ISBN 3-506-71788-X
  5. ↑ Ilse Rüttgerodt-Riechmann
  6. ↑ Rainer Fröbe et al .: Concentration camp in Hanover - concentration camp work and armaments industry in the late phase of the Second World War Publications of the Historical Commission for Lower Saxony and Bremen 35: Sources and studies on the general history of Lower Saxony in modern times; Vol. 8, two-part, Verlag August Lax Hildesheim 1985, ISBN 3-7848-2422-6 , out of print, kept in libraries
  7. ↑ The working group . kz-limmer.de. Archived from the original on September 14, 2013. Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Retrieved June 21, 2013. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.kz-limmer.de
  8. ↑ Industriewege-Hannover: Continental-Gummiwerk Limmer . industriewege-hannover.de. Retrieved June 21, 2013.
  9. ↑ Demolitions of historical, former production buildings: demolition on March 18, 2009 on YouTube , demolition on April 18, 2009 on YouTube , demolition on June 20, 2009 on YouTube
  10. ↑ Limmer - So it goes on with the water city. In: Hannoversche Allgemeine Zeitung. Retrieved May 27, 2015 .
  11. ↑ Construction project in Limmer - Wasserstadt plans go back to zero. In: Hannoversche Allgemeine Zeitung. Retrieved May 27, 2015 .
  12. ↑ Public participation | Water City Limmer | Citizen participation & engagement | Politics | Living in the Hanover Region | Hannover.de | Home - hannover.de. In: www.hannover.de. Retrieved May 27, 2015 .
  13. ↑ Numbers mentioned for the first time - Wasserstadt should offer space for 3000 people. In: Hannoversche Allgemeine Zeitung. Retrieved May 27, 2015 .
  14. ^ Hannoversche Allgemeine Zeitung, Hanover, Lower Saxony, Germany: Decision about the start in the water town Limmer - HAZ - Hannoversche Allgemeine. In: Hannoversche Allgemeine Zeitung. Retrieved November 6, 2016 .
  15. ^ Start of construction of the water town in spring | Water city of Hanover. Accessed December 6, 2017 (German).


Coordinates: 52 ° 22 ′ 55.6 "  N , 9 ° 40 ′ 39.5"  E