Beiersdorf. : The Company behind the Brands NIVEA, tesa, Hansaplast & Co

Everyone knows NIVEA. But only a few people are familiar with the Hamburg-based Company that created the'crème de la crème'and other successful Brands. The Beiersdorf story began in 1882. The firm lost its international business in two world wars and during the Nazi period it was exposed to anti-Semitic attacks. Beiersdorf had to start from scratch twice, and yet today it is a global player. Here for the first time, Alfred Reckendrees tells the fascinating story based on comprehensive archive material. He describes the economic challenges and political conflicts that the key actors had to overcome, and presents the Company strategies and reorientations, which are closely interwoven with Germany's multifaceted history. Today, you can find Beiersdorf Brands in every household. They include NIVEA, Hansaplast, 8x4, Eucerin, and La Prairie; also tesa, the adhesives specialist, belongs to Beiersdorf. Until the 1990s, the Company produced medicines and dressings as well. It all started in 1882 with a new plaster developed by pharmacist Paul Beiersdorf. Later, Oscar Troplowitz turned the small factory into a Brand Company with international operations. However, the US business, which generated most of the firm's profit, was confiscated during the First World War. After the war, Beiersdorf had to build up its international business again from scratch. In 1933, the executive board and shareholders protected the “Jewish” Company against anti-Semitic attacks by means of “self-Aryanization.” Beiersdorf survived the Nazi regime; it could even take advantage of the economic opportunities it offered. After the Second World War, the Company lost its international business for the second time. It was not until 1997 that Beiersdorf regained control of all the trademarks worldwide. Everyone knows NIVEA. But only a few people are familiar with the Hamburg-based Company that created the "crème de la crème" and other successful Brands. The Beiersdorf story began in 1882. The firm lost its international business in two world wars and during the Nazi period it was exposed to anti-Semitic attacks. Beiersdorf had to start from scratch twice, and yet today it is a global player. Here for the first time, Alfred Reckendrees tells the fascinating story based on comprehensive archive material. He describes the economic challenges and political conflicts that the key actors had to overcome, and presents the Company strategies and reorientations, which are closely interwoven with Germany's multifaceted history. Today, you can find Beiersdorf Brands in every household. They include NIVEA, Hansaplast, 8x4, Eucerin, and La Prairie; also tesa, the adhesives specialist, belongs to Beiersdorf. Until the 1990s, the Company produced medicines and dressings as well. It all started in 1882 with a new plaster developed by pharmacist Paul Beiersdorf. Later, Oscar Troplowitz turned the small factory into a Brand Company with international operations. However, the US business, which generated most of the firm's profit, was confiscated during the First World War. After the war, Beiersdorf had to build up its international business again from scratch. In 1933, the executive board and shareholders protected the "Jewish" Company against anti-Semitic attacks by means of "self-Aryanization." Beiersdorf survived the Nazi regime; it could even take advantage of the economic opportunities it offered. After the Second World War, the Company lost its international business for the second time. It was not until 1997 that Beiersdorf regained control of all the trademarks worldwide Das Hamburger Unternehmen Beiersdorf hat neben der "Crème de la Crème" NIVEA viele erfolgreiche Marken hervorgebracht. Dennoch ist es jenseits aktueller Börsenmeldungen kaum bekannt. Dabei ist es eigentlich erstaunlich, dass das international ausgerichtete Unternehmen zwei Weltkriege und den Nationalsozialismus überstehen und sich in der Bundesrepublik zum Global Player entwickeln konnte. Alles begann mit einem Pflaster. Der Apotheker Paul Beiersdorf legte mit ihm 1882 den Grundstein für die heutige Beiersdorf AG. Sein Nachfolger Oscar Troplowitz baute die kleine Fabrik zu einem international agierenden Markenunternehmen aus, das vor dem Ersten Weltkrieg einen Großteil seines Gewinns in den USA erzielte. Dann wurde das US-Geschäft wegen des Kriegs konfisziert; Beiersdorf musste international neu beginnen. 1933 versuchte der Vorstand, das "jüdische" Unternehmen durch "Selbstarisierung" vor antisemitischen Angriffen zu schützen und die wirtschaftlichen Möglichkeiten, die das NS-Regime bot, zu nutzen. Nach dem Zweiten Weltkrieg erlebte Beiersdorf erneut einen Rückschlag wie nach dem Ersten Weltkrieg? wieder musste man neu beginnen. Beiersdorf wuchs in den folgenden Jahrzehnten mit starken Marken wie NIVEA, tesa, Hansaplast oder La Prairie zu einer Weltfirma, deren Produkte in fast jedem Haushalt zu finden sind. Alfred Reckendrees erzählt erstmals auf einer wissenschaftlichen Grundlage die Geschichte von Beiersdorf. Er rückt handelnde Menschen in den Mittelpunkt, die Herausforderungen und die Konflikte, denen sie begegneten. Das Buch beschreibt Strategien und Neuorientierungen eines Unternehmens vom 19. bis zum 21. Jahrhundert, dessen Entwicklung die facettenreiche deutsche Geschichte wie kaum ein anderes Unternehmen spiegelt.0 Contents Introduction 1. Paul Beiersdorf. The “laboratory of dermatotherapeutic preparations” and the beginnings of the company 2. Leukoplast, Pebeco & Nivea. Branded products for the whole world 3. Reorganization and a fresh start. Trademark conflicts, new products, and new emergencies 4. Boycott, commercial success, and war economy 5. Products for everyone. Reconstruction, economic miracle, and a fresh start abroad 6. Strategic divisionalization. cosmed, pharma, medical, and tesa 7. Focusing on skin – worldwide Afterword for academic readers Appendix Notes Table 1: P. Beiersdorf & Co., 1890 to 1920 (in 1,000 marks) Table 2: P. Beiersdorf & Co. A G, 1924 to 1948 (in 1.000 RM) Table 3: P. Beiersdorf & Co. A G or Beiersdorf A G, 1949 to 1990, and Group sales 1953 to 1990 (in million DM) Table 4: Beiersdorf Group, 1989 to 2017 (in million Euro) Supervisory Board of Beiersdorf A G, 1922 to 2004 Executive Board of Beiersdorf A G, 1922 to 2004 List of Sources Bibliography Index of Persons Index of Companies and Public Institutions Index of Brands About the Book About the Author