Chronicle of the Wiedemannschen Druckerei AG

1673
Johann Ritter founded the first book printing company in Saalfeld.

27.05.1687
Johann Ritter got book printer at court and received the printing monopoly for the dukedom Saxony-Saalfeld.

1710
The privilege as printer at court has been given to his son-in-law Johann Samuel Müller from Saalfeld.

1714
After the death of Johann Ritter Gottfried Böhmer from Rudolstadt took over the company. The diploma stated that Gottfried Böhmer is allowed to print all religious and worldly papers, writings and books in foreign and German language.

1743
Johann Christian Otto Wiedemann (son in law of G. Böhmer) took over the company.

1774
Johann Michael Gottfried Wiedemann took over the company (1774-1810).

1810
Johann Friedrich Christian Wiedemann took over the company (1810-1841).

1841
Johann Wilhelm Anton Wiedemann took over the company (1841-1873).

1873
His son-in-law Albert Müller took over the company (1845-1895).

1880
Start of the production of the first colour printings to be burned on porcelain. Movement to a new factory building at the Georg- (Kelz)street 22.

1893
Destruction of the factory after a big fire, later reconstruction, except one building, which contains the photographical department, the factory burned completely down. The whole machinery, archive, paper warehouse and a big stock of lithography stones have been destroyed. The damage amounts to US$ 300.000 which was a huge sum at these times.

1895
The sons Max, Paul and Fritz Müller continued the business.


01.04.1910
Affiliation of the lithographical company Schlick & Schmidt. s.d.). After an argument Schlick & Schmidt sold to the Wiedemannsche Druckerei.

1913
Bankruptcy. The jew Dr. Leo Gutmann took over the company and founded a joint-stock-company with himself as the principal share holder. He left Germany in 1933.

1919-1921
Wiedemann printed the inflation and transition money for Saalfeld.

1922-25
Enlargement of the factory and concentration to lithography. 221 employees, 6 mechanical presses, 14 hand presses, 10 other machines. Printing of stamps, food cards, transition money. Construction of a new paper warehouse.

1927-1933
New economically problems resulted in the temporarily closing of the factory and release of 134 employees. Herman Diemert became the new director in 1928.

1933
After the Nazi seizure of power the current owner Leo Gutmann had to give up the factory step by step. The director Diemert took over 30% of the shares first and later all.

1935-1937
Again the printing company had to stop their payments. Bankruptcy and partial close down. Only a few printing jobs were still done, instead bags for flower and vegetable seeds have been produced.

1939-1946
The premises were leased to the shoe factory Emil Neuffer Pirmasens. Hermann Diemert was observed by the GESTAPO.

1945
In December Diemert had been dispossessed but remains director. A laundry where built on the premises which worked for the Red Army at the beginning. The company were changed into a limited partnership but still got hardly printing jobs.

1949
Hermann Diemert went to West Germany.

1951
The factory became part of the public company VEB Abziehbilderwerke Leipzig, Nerchau, Saalfeld producing ceramical decals. 1967 has the name been changed into public company (VEB) Technodruck and the name Wiedemann disappeared. The company produced lithography decals. The daily output was up to 40.000 printing sheets. Book and offset printing were handed over to the VEB Ernst Thälmann in Saalfeld. At the end of the 50tis 8 lithography machines were available. The company specialized in ceramic colour print for the porcelain industry.

1952
After liquidation of the Holdhoff & Co. company the staff and orders were taken over.

from 1971
Change to silk-screen-print technique with 4 machines with drying channel. The factory had 62 employees and out of it 70% females.

arround 1975
The Technodruck company was included to the combined collective Feinkeramik Kahla.

1985
In the night of the July 1st the factory has been damage by arson.

1990-1993
Managed by trustees. Change to a limited liability company (GmbH) and since 1993 working under the name of Wiedemannsche Druckerei again. Several changes in the ownership, many dismissals.

2000
Taken over by the Koenitz Porzellan GmbH.

2005
28 employees, 4 printing machines with drying channel, monthly performance approx. 50.000 printing sheets.

2023
Festive for 350 years of Wiedemannsche Druckerei in Saalfeld.

 

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