Theodor Friedrich Wilhelm Märklin

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Theodor Friedrich Wilhelm Märklin (born April 2, 1817 in Tieringen near Balingen , † December 20, 1866 in Göppingen ) was a German entrepreneur and founder of the Märklin toy company .

Life

Märklin doll kitchen

Märklin learned the profession of bottle maker and settled in the Württemberg town of Göppingen in 1840 , where he received civil rights in 1856. In 1859 he married, possibly in his second marriage, Caroline Hettich (1826-1893) from Ludwigsburg, a relative of the economist Friedrich List . The marriage produced four children, including the sons Eugen (1861–1947) and Karl Märklin . In the same year, Märklin went into business for himself as a master bottle maker and opened his own workshop in which, among other things, he manufactured tin goods, dollhouses and kitchens. Therefore, 1859 is considered to be the year the toy manufacturer Märklin was founded . His wife took over the sale by traveling on a sales tour through southern Germany , Austria and Switzerland . Caroline was one of the first female sales representatives and was characterized by organizational skills and excellent sales skills.

From 1866, after the company founder's early accidental death, his widow initially continued to run the company. Caroline remarried two years later, but her hope that her new husband would support her in the company was dashed. Her grown up sons did not seem to be interested in the family business either. Only after their husband died in the 1880s did their sons Eugen and Carl Märklin take over the management of the company, which initially operated under the name Gebr. Märklin .

Others

Today Märklin products are exported to over 80 countries around the world. The company's headquarters are in Göppingen, with another production facility in Győr, Hungary .

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