Andrea H. Schneider-Braunberger – författare

Since its founding in 1881, H. Schmincke & Co has been a premier producer of artists’ paints. Artists such as Otto Dix, Emil Nolde and Oskar Kokoschka relied on Schmincke colours, as do many of today’s professional and amateur painters. This history of the company traces its development over four generations. It tells the story of H. Schmincke’s modest beginnings at the end of the 19th century and their first product: oil paint. During an era of unprecedented artistic achievement in Europe and America, the company added watercolours and pastels to its acclaimed line of products. This book also takes readers through the struggles of the Jewish owners during the Third Reich, and how the family rebuilt the company after its buildings were destroyed in the Second World War. Since then, the company experienced a successful expansion during the post-war decades as well as a downturn caused by the collapsing economy and family issues. Now in its fourth generation of ownership, H. Schmincke is thriving amidst global challenges and opportunities. Beautifully illustrated with artistic and archival images, this is a unique look behind the scenes of a company that has been committed to excellence in manufacturing—and to a rich engagement with the art world—for nearly 150 years.

The remarkable history of a shoemaking dynasty, which dates back to 1774.The remarkable story of a shoemaking dynasty that goes back to 1774 in the Hessian province, leads via an orthopaedic shoemaker's workshop in Frankfurt to the manufacture of the brand core, the footbed, and finally to the industrial production of a "German export hit" for millions of brand lovers around the globe. This book not only sheds light on the zeitgeist phenomenon that is BIRKENSTOCK but also provides an insight into the entrepreneurial energy behind the brand, which ultimately catapulted it into the league of global lifestyle brands. From a scientific perspective, the authors trace BIRKENSTOCK’s arrival in key sales markets and describe the cultural exchange that took place there. Special topics interspersed through the book round off the understanding of the industrial and contemporary historical context. This book is a profound, varied, and knowledgeable account of 250 years of history; coinciding with the 250th anniversary of the shoemaking tradition, it opens up a new perspective on a brand whose perception has often been characterized by clichés, prejudice, and misconceptions.