For Björn Köhler, the start of production in his factory this week could not have been better after a short summer break. For the third time after 2012 and 2014, Eppendorfer wins the “Free Press” audience award in the “Tradition and Form” competition, which the newspaper has been donating as a special prize since 2009. In other words: from 1772 readers …
For Björn Köhler, the start of production in his factory this week could not have been better after a short summer break. For the third time after 2012 and 2014, Eppendorfer wins the “Free Press” audience award in the “Tradition and Form” competition, which the newspaper has been donating as a special prize since 2009. In other words: 323 of 1772 readers were of the opinion that the Köhler band “Ore Mountains Allstar Band” was the most successful of the ten nominated competition entries. A total of 18 companies submitted 19 works for the industry competition, which is being held for the 27th time. Nine were eliminated after the first round of evaluation by the jury. Ten were still in the running for the grand prizes and the three-week reader survey.
This year it was extremely close in the top places. “Madame and Monsieur” from the Füchtner company in Seiffen received only 13 votes less than Köhler’s band. The wood sculptor Jesko Lange from Zschorlau received another twelve votes less for his carved miner.
At first, Björn Köhler can hardly believe that his white-bearded musicians have won the race. “This year there were really really good works submitted and nominated by the jury. I didn’t think that my band would prevail with this diversity, especially since it appeals to younger target groups,” admits the master turner. “But that also shows me how deeply rooted our craftsmanship is with the people, especially here in the region. I see the readers’ vote as an appreciation of our work.”
When Björn Köhler looks back on his beginnings as a self-employed master turner on January 1, 1989 in a one-man business, he himself sometimes gets queasy. “I had nothing! My first workshop was the garage of my parents, who did not work in this branch themselves.” Four days after the fall of the Berlin Wall, conscientious objector Koehler was drafted into the construction service for six months. He signed off the workshop again and started again exactly on the day of monetary union, on July 1, 1990, “with constant doubts as to whether that was the right step at that time,” he admits today. “I didn’t earn anything for the first three years. Fortunately, my parents helped me, and my future wife as a nurse had at least a regular income.” In 1994 Köhler went to the first trade fair in Frankfurt am Main. He went to markets and dealers all over the republic and handed out his business cards. “Since I didn’t even have my own phone, it had my parents’ number on it, under which I could be reached for one hour a day. I still remember the three-digit number 592 today.” It wasn’t until 1995 that the company had its own telephone connection. “Today I sometimes long for this inaccessibility,” says the master.
With six employees and the first apprentice from 1995 onwards, the production capacities in the parents’ garage were completely exhausted. The first new building was financed with a loan of 420,000 marks, which was followed by a further investment on the site of a former chess piece factory in the mid-2000s.
Björn Köhler conquered the hearts of customers and, above all, of a younger clientele as early as 1995 with a modern nativity scene that was unprecedented at the time, which is still a big hit – despite the steadily growing competition from his seemingly inexhaustible series of new Santa Clauses, which has long been are the hallmarks of the manufactory. Around 350 different items leave the workshop every year. With an annual turnover of 2.5 million euros and 46 employees, it is one of the big names in the industry today. Wife Peggy has also been working here for a number of years, as has Björn Köhler’s parents, who are pensioners (79 and 82 years old) who help out when they need a man.
That was always the case in Corona times. At times, half the workforce was in quarantine. “But we continued to produce without a break, everything in stockpile – without a day of short-time work and without major advance orders from dealers. That paid off last November and December.” The company achieved 75 percent of annual sales in these two months. “And that with closed shops. The rapidly increasing online trade was hardly manageable. I hired three people for it because we weren’t prepared for it and we never wanted to,” says the master, who is inspired by customers, retailers and trade fair visitors are missing. It was also not entirely clear whether and how much his black-clad musicians would hit.
Two years ago he was inspired by the recognition of the Ore Mountains as a World Heritage Site. “I wanted to make that known and thought a couple of musicians should trumpet it out into the world.” So that they don’t come as a band from the provinces, he has given them a name that is based on the English term for the Ore Mountains. “The figures are my turned reference to the Erzgebirge,” says the Erzgebirge. And why are they all old, white-bearded gentlemen? “After all, I’m already a bit old,” says the 56-year-old and strokes his gray five-day beard.
By the way, all musicians have real role models. The guitarist stands for a Freiberg friend who makes music with the “Miners”. “The one with the white guitar is Helmut Joe Sachse. And the band’s singer, the ‘Frollein’ with the red hair, really exists: in a band in the region. She just doesn’t know yet that I’m using her as a model have. But at some point I’ll tell her. “
Like many other manufacturers, Köhler relies on the passion of many people to collect. This also applies to his Erzgebirge band, which he wants to constantly expand and which will probably advance to become a big band. An accordion player and a trombonist already exist on paper.
Because the production, which is now spread over four locations, has long been calling for expansion, Köhler has decided to make a final major investment – although none of his children who have emigrated to Lower Saxony want to succeed him. He is currently investing 2.5 million in a new production site and has also acquired a toy factory in Eppendorf that has been closed for nine years. Half of the sum has already been spent. The renovation is underway. At the beginning of 2022, Köhler wants to concentrate the entire company with all production areas there. “The objects that become available are sold, one thing remains my ideas and design workshop,” reveals the entrepreneur, who is still his own designer to this day, although he never studied at a university.
Since 1995 he has already won five main prizes in the “Tradition and Form” competition for his special work. Only this year three professional colleagues were able to score even more with the jury.
All award winners of the competition “Tradition and Form 2021” will be presented to the public for the first time at the “Cadeaux” trade fair in Leipzig from September 4th to 6th.
Further special prices
The award for excellent maintenance of tradition goes to the wood turnery Dietmar Wolf in Eppendorf, owner Tobias Wolf, for the smoker Ruprecht (natural) by designer Heinz Wolf. The first generation from 1961 is still in production today. Heinz Wolf’s son Dietmar continued the series and began to introduce new professions to smokers.
The prize of the Erzgebirgssparkasse goes to the company Walter Werner Kunsthandwerk in Seiffen, owner Siegfried Werner, for the figure series “Erzkumpel” and “Wismutkumpel” by designer Siegfried Werner. The first five ore miners from spring 2020 represent the miners of the 1950s and 1960s. In 2021, the range was expanded to include another five ore miners.
The young talent award of the Association of Erzgebirge Craftsmen and Toy Manufacturers goes to the Halle student Emma Brix for her balance game “BluffBlocks”. Weights were built into the wood, which means that the center of gravity of the building blocks can be shifted. This allows them to be stacked and moved in an amazing way. They seem held together by magic.
The Kathrinchen Zimtstern association in Olbernhau around chairwoman Kerstin Drechsel receives the award from the district administrator of the Erzgebirgskreis. He is heavily involved in promoting children and young people. Together, the members initiate projects that make children strong, courageous and imaginative – just like the turned model Kathrinchen Zimtstern.
The special prize for life’s work (posthumously) is awarded to Max Schanz (* 1895 in Dresden, † 1953 in Seiffen). Schanz shaped the professional profile of the wooden toy maker like no other: from 1920 as a teacher, designer and director of the toy schools in Seiffen and Grünhainichen. His 125th birthday was the occasion for his grandchildren to publish a book entitled “Max Schanz, Toy Figures in the Ore Mountains”.
These readers won
The main prize, a modern pair of angel and miners from the Erzclique series by Emil A. Schalling in Seiffen, goes to Karin Haas in 08112 Wilkau-Haßlau.
Four other prizes in the form of turned beehives for smoking by Dregeno Seiffen have won: Sonja Feiler in 09599 Freiberg, Christine Büchner in 09573 Augustusburg, Werner Geyer in 08233 Treuen and Angelika Wittig in 08066 Zwickau. The prizes will be delivered in the next few days.