Chronological Table

Hermann Papst was born August 13, 1902 in Aussig, former Böhmen (today Ústí­ nad Labem CZ) as the first born son of Hugo Papst (1870-1941) and Else, © Fischer (1870-1951).

Birth of the twinbrothers Fritz and Hans.

Due to a new job his father takes on, the family moves to Vienna.

Hermann Papst starts studying at the higher educational school for applied electrical technologies "Wiener Technologisches Gewerbemuseum" (TGM) in Vienna.

First patent registration on the design of an electrical pendulum clock.

Graduation from the TGM with the general higher education entrance qualification.

Working as an inventor and designer for different companies in Berlin and Vienna Main Focus: Electric-motors, Automobil, carburator and suspension for two-wheeled motorized vehicles. Contract work for the patent broker Dr. Edward D. Feldman in Berlin, freelancer for the company DUAL Motors Ltd. London, in Berlin.

Christian Steidinger of the Steidinger Brothers company (later on DUAL), calls Hermann Papst to St. Georgen for the design of the gramophone's dual drive (spring loaded drive with electric motor.)

Marriage with Mathilde Steidinger (born March 16, 1898) in St. Georgen. Five children: Hans Dieter Friedbert (1932), Günter Helmut (1933), Georg Friedrich (1935), Hannelore Else (1937) and Ulrike Mathilde (1941). The family lives in Gerwigstraße 37 (at that time book-print workshop of Johannes Huß).

Basic patent for the rotating motor engine with external cage, the basis of the "Papst Motor" which became world famous.

In his script "Wirken und Werden der Volkswirtschaft" he tries to examine a solution for the world economic crises in the 1930s. He sends the script to the German government.

The invention and development of further products: Electric razor, Loudspeaker systems, one touch Phone dialing system (Telerapid).

Establishment of an independant Engineering-shop in St. Georgen for the developement of new designs. E.g.: Designs and Patents for the manufacturing of thin glass fibres, a gas turbine, method for colored television transmission, Injection and ignition device for piston engines, punctual light source, as well as loudspeaker prototypes.

His patented love overtone loudspeaker is used in large volume for the broadcasting tabletop radio "Volksempfänger". For the regional precision-mechanics industry he manufactures the first external rotor motors.

The engineering-shop is listed as a business "for the manufacturing of external rotor motors" at the town hall of St. Georgen.

Draft of an axial piston engine for airplanes (basis for the following wobbling disk engine development).

Small-volume production of external rotor motors for the regional industry.

After the end of the war improvised manufacturing of intermediary products like electrical stoves, immersion heaters and fishing reels. More office space is rented in the Karl-Maier-Straße.

Currency reform. Opportunities for entrepreneurial initiative open up supported by the Marshallplan (ERP1950). The manufacturing of motors starts with 9 employees.

Growing demand for the Papst-external rotor motor to be used as a constant and smoothly running drive for tape recorders (sound-tape, magnetic wire, magnetic tape).

Purchase of the buildings in the Karl-Maier-Street from the town of St. Georgen (former clock-factory Philipp Haas & Söhne)

130 employees Transformation to Papst Motoren KG (family partnership) Pioneer and exclusive supplier for direct drives (capstan) for tape recorders and studio devices, winding motors and indirect drives, e.g. for Dictaphones.

240 employees Large volume production for Grundig tape recorders Foreign sales representatives in France, England, Scandinavia, Benelux, Austria, Italy and Switzerland.

350 employees New manufacturing building with 6 floors in St. Georgen. Pioneering-company for external rotor motors for electric type writers of European manufacturers and drives for tape recorders.

Worker force availability in St. Georgen exhausted. Production commences in Herbolzheim: winding-manufacturing in rented premises.

Hermann Papst's first trip to the US. Papst's company delivers external rotor hysteresis synchronous motors to the US-manufacturer of high-fidelity gramophones with belt drive. Opening of a motor service for the US in Chicago.

Purchase of the A. Schindler GmbH Herbolzheim; Production there is extended to the incompass entire motor. All in all 800 employees, 20% direct export.

Hermann Papst signs development loans for over a million Deutsche Mark. Amongst other things for non-profit apartment construction for employees in St. Georgen.

Thanks to the broadening of the production program and market Hermann Papst can refuse the request for exclusive delivery of motors for tape recording devices to corowth Gundig and stays a neutral supplier. Papst-Motoren increasingly becomes a partner of the international IT Industry.

1000 employees Shade pole motors for consumer tape recording devices, collector motors for grid-independent gramophones.

Alternating voltage device fans in volume, radial fans. Fans sales-partner in San Francisco for the growing market of electronic-cooling in USA/Canada.

On Nov. 5, 1963 Mathilde Papst Wife of Hermann Papst exceptionally socially engaged passes away. She was a significant support through the commencement of the company.

Increse of capital to 2,5 Mio. DM and transformation to a GmbH & Co.KG. Hermann manages the company together with his sons Günter and Georg.

Hermann Papst marries his second wife, Hannah Jürgensen from Hamburg.

Hans Dieter Papst and Ulrike Papst withdraw as partner at their request. Remaining partners: Hermann, Günter, Georg and Hannelore Papst.

Celebration of the company's 25th anniversary at the Kurhaus in Triberg with all the employees.

Hans Dieter Papst takes over the management of the Patent department and creates an extensive portfolio of patents.

After all the years of promoting and managing the company Hermann Papst begins to work mostly on his constructive and creative ideas. He focuses on his research department and on the further development of the wobbling disk motor.

Workforce-potential in Herbolzheim is exhausted. Commencement of a production in a rented rooms in Spaichingen.

Increase of the liable equity to 7 Mio. DM. Dr. Gerhard Schätzle joins the company as another director. New building the for plant in Spaichingen. In total 1200 employees, 37 Mio. Annual turnover with a production of 6000 motors/fans per day.

Motors for selectric type writers, Main supplier for IBM Europe.

Annual turnovers up to 40 and 52 Mio. DM Representatives in Australia, South Africa, Israel, East Europe and the first licensors in Japan.

Electronic commutated disk rotor motor as direct drive for HiFi-record players for Dual.

Pioneer in electronic fans with external rotor motor.

Hermann Papst presents his air-ship concept at the Naval Post Graduate School in Monterey/California in the presence of representative of NASA, US-Naval academy, MIT and the US-Department of Transportation.

Sales subsidiaries Moteurs Papst s.r.l. and Papst Motor SA. set up in France and Spain. Papst Motor Corporation is the motor-sales subsidiary in the US.

The first construction stage of the new plant of the company in Herbolzheim (die-casting) shows first results. Acknowledgement at the competition "Industry as part of the town", official opening with a belated party for Hermann Papst's 75th birthday with the whole stuff.

Annual turnover 78 Million DM.

Supply of electronical commuted external rotor and internal rotor motors for video recorder, Dictaphones and harddisc removable storage; External rotor motor for high speed printers for IBM-mainframes.

The German government awards Hermann Papst the federal cross of merit.

Expansion of Papst Motors Ltd. (Sales subsidiary) in Great Britain; Share in Pamoco, Italy.

Increase of the internal rotor-, shaded pole and capacitor motor production in Herbolzheim. Custom order for stators in Hungary, basis for the upcoming expansion.

Pioneers with the electronical commutated Hightech-Motors for harddisc storagedevices. 1350 employees, 100 Mio. annual turnover. 30 Mio. units (Motors and fans) built and sold.

Hermann Papst passes away May 6, 1981.

Papst-Motoren introduces the term Mechatronics combining "Mechanics" and "Electronics" as a generic term for innovative Papst-products.

Establishment of the Papst-Mechatronic Corporation in Newport/Rhode Island (USA) as a production- and sales site with emphasis on fans for cooling of electronic devices and Hard Disk Motors.

Moving into the completed plant in Newport (USA).

New building and concentration of all local production activities in Herbolzheim. Festive inauguration of the new building with all employees of the company group.

1500 employees; 143,4 Mio. DM annual turnover. 50 Mio. Units (motors and fans) produced.

Pioneer with 3-inch electronic fan in large volumes for personal-computers. Papst exclusive supplier for world market leader IBM.

At the city hall of St. Georgen the sculpture "St. Georg fighting a dragon" by Emil Jo Homolka put up with the inscription: "In remembrance of the company founder Hermann Papst (1902-1981) and his wife Mathilde (1898-1963)."

Fan Agencies in Asia: in Hongkong, Taiwan and Korea.

The company receives several quality awards from large companies. AT&T, Oklahoma (USA), certifies Papst-Motoren as first European supplier of the manufacturer of digital telephone head offices.

Enlargement of the head office and the development section in St. Georgen, Introduction of the multi-fan series.

The reserve capital of the GmbH & Co. KG is increased to 20 Mio. DM.

Electronic-mini fans for the climate control in vehicles (sensor fans).

One for electronic fans with temperature controlled air- and noise regulation ("Variofan") Production of HD storage motors and fans in Singapore for the Asian market.

1437 employees; 188 Mio. DM annual turnover On 35000 m² plant surface and 110000m² property production, development and administration occur.

Joint Venture with Minebea Co. Ltd. Tokyo for the development and manufacturing of Hard-Disk-Drive-Motors at the plant in Spaichingen and for the later production in large volumes in Thailand.

1050 employees (GmbH & Co. KG) The Papst-group reaches consolidated 187,6 Mio. DM annual turnover; 50000 units per day. 60% of the revenue are from direct deliveries abroad.

Sale of the company The "Deutsche Bank" and the other house-banks force the family shareholders to sell their shares, without taking account of the economic situation in total and the hidden reserve/assets of the company.

Georg Papst establishes Papst Licensing GmbH with the help of his brother Hans Dieter Papst as employer. This company monetizes their own patent rights as well as those of others.

The town consul of St. Georgen decides to name the street that accesses Papst Motoren GmbH property, after Hermann-Papst-Street.

The "Mathilde Papst Haus" for assisted living, which was sponsored by Günter Papst, is inaugurated in the presence of the prime minister of Baden-Württemberg, Erwin Teufel.

Opening of the exhibition about the work and life of the inventor and entrepreneur Herman Papst in the house Mühlegg in St. Georgen.

Papst Licensing GmbH & Co. KG moves from Spaichingen to St. Georgen into the newly constructed office building and the renovated house Mühlegg (registered landmark).