Stiegelmeyer anniversaries in turbulent times

The Stiegelmeyer Group has often celebrated in turbulent times

125th anniversary

Online editorial team Stiegelmeyer

12/02/2024

If you want to celebrate an anniversary, you first have to agree on when your shared history began. At Stiegelmeyer, this is still a point of discussion even after 125 years. 1899 or 1900? When did it all start?

The company has a legitimate claim to both dates. It was in 1899 that Johann Stiegelmeyer started producing wire mesh mattresses at his parents’ home in Rödinghausen. But the company was not officially entered into the commercial register until 1 November, 1900, after the move to Herford. Right from the start, this presented Stiegelmeyer’s marketing specialists with a difficult dilemma. On the one hand, every company would be proud to say that its history can be traced back to the 19th century. On the other hand, the founding year, 1900, ensures wonderfully round figures for special anniversaries – such as a 100-year anniversary in the year 2000. In the end, Stiegelmeyer always opted to celebrate on the round-figure dates.

The town of Herford congratulated the company on its 50th anniversary in 1950 with a celebratory certificate.

Sometimes under difficult conditions. Although the Stiegelmeyer Group has experienced many good times during its long existence, the economic and political circumstances often turned out to be particularly challenging at regular 25-year intervals. The 1925 and 1950 anniversaries both landed in post-war periods. In 1975, the mood was subdued due to the oil price crisis. And even the current 125-year anniversary will fall within a period of political turbulence. The fact that we have always overcome the crises and that each new quarter of a century has brought new success stories speaks volumes for the company’s experience and drive.

There may have been a 25th anniversary celebration, but we have no record of this in our chronicle. Be that as it may, 1925 was a year that marked the beginning of a new era. This is when Albert Dörnte, a partner of Johann Stiegelmeyer and the company’s first patriarch, retired and passed the management of the company onto his son-in-law Dietrich von Hollen. As the first representative of today’s shareholder family, Kemmler, Dietrich von Hollen dedicated himself tirelessly to the job for 45 years.

Dietrich von Hollen, the company’s most influential managing director of the 20th century, was presented with the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany in 1957.

The first real anniversary celebration was for the 50th anniversary, in 1950. The company even tried to alter its address in Herford at the time by changing the street name from Annastrasse to Stiegelmeyerstrasse. Unfortunately, this was unsuccessful, but Stiegelmeyer showed its traditionally humane and caring side during the festivities by replenishing the in-house social fund that supports employees experiencing personal difficulties. Shortly before this, the introduction of the Deutschmark had resulted in a devaluation of the previous contributions. On the occasion of this anniversary, the management arranged for the first-ever company chronicle to be written in brief. Unfortunately, historical awareness then fell asleep again. It was only in 2016, on the initiative of the shareholders, that a comprehensive chronicle was published, which is now being updated for the anniversary year 2025. Today, Herford also boasts a highly professional, perfectly structured and air-conditioned archive.

In 1975, the mood was tense but the architecture colourful: the Stiegelmeyer exhibition harnessed the vibrant colours of the seventies.

The generous spirit of the 50th anniversary celebration was carried through to the 75th anniversary. Each employee received a bonus and, more significantly, the company donated 100,000 DM to German Cancer Aid in the ZDF-Gala “Treffpunkt Herz” TV show presented by Peter Alexander. The mood in the economically challenging 1970s was not so good, however. A memo from the management team to the employees stated: “Our company’s 75th anniversary on 1 November this year will not warrant a public reception or other festivities. From the company’s point of view, the economic and political situation in our country is too serious.”

As in 1925, a formative period in the company’s management also began in 1975: Dietrich Tabelander, who joined Stiegelmeyer in 1957 as an apprentice, was promoted to management. During his long period of service as managing director, up to 2002, many important decisions were made, including the acquisition of Burmeier and taking the first steps towards international expansion, with facilities in Poland, France and Finland.

A game of numbers in the year of German reunification: the managing directors planted a tree to mark the 90th anniversary.

90 years do not really count as a special anniversary, but in 1990, the year of German reunification, the mood was festive. The three managing directors at the time, Dietrich Tabelander, Willi Windmann and Hans Wöhrmann, had also worked out that, together, they had been with the company for a total of 90 years. Under the heading of “Coincidence or calculation?” they planted a tree together, and the event was documented in an advertisement.

The shareholders (from left) Stefan, Max and Anja Kemmler at the celebration of the company's 100th anniversary.

The 100th birthday, in the year 2000, was marked by a big celebration. These festivities started in the spring at the Altenpflege trade fair with personal congratulations from Germany’s Minister of Health at the time, Andrea Fischer. In November, an evening gala followed, with a show orchestra, singing and dancing late into the night. The photos of this party show how happily and passionately the Kemmler/von Hollen shareholder family participated in the festivities, and give a first indication of the most important development of the coming years: the return of the family to the day-to-day management of the company. Dissent and testamentary provisions within the family had prevented this from 1987 onwards and put the family in a difficult position in organisational terms. In 2000, however, Max Kemmler had successfully established the new wood manufacturing facility in Nordhausen, and his daughter, Anja Kemmler, was working in the management team. Later, in 2012, her husband, Georgios Kampisiulis Kemmler, took the Chair of the Management Board.

Good food, breathtaking acrobatics – the 100th anniversary was celebrated in style.

So, what kind of circumstances will prevail on 1 November, 2025, when the Stiegelmeyer Group turns 125? The economic challenges are just as great as they were at all the previous anniversaries. But the company has never been better equipped for the future than now: as a family-run business with all the advantages of great tradition and solidarity, as an international company with a friendly, modern workplace culture – and as a solution-focused supplier who always puts the well-being of its customers first. Looking back over the long history of our anniversaries, we can confidently say: “to be continued...”.