The sons start working for the company

The sons start helping early

During the immediate time after the war, the German Reichsmark is not worth much. Trading food and exchanging certain goods is a welcome alternative. To at least support the family with a small “income”, Hermann Papst starts manufacturing wooden pot mats, which are quite popular and practical. His 10 to 14-year old sons assist him by drilling, cutting to length and assembling the parts. Through this kind of work they support their father quite early, even if it is only in small things.

The Sons succession in the family firm

It is quite common that the interim of the founding generation to the successors in a family-enterprise is not always that easy. A new period of time requires new rules and abilities, which are not always accepted by the founder of the firm, who is proud of his achievements and finds it difficult to be introduced to a new way of thinking by his successor. The successor on the other hand has a hard time to prevail. This classic constellation between founders and successors only applies in part to the Papst-Family. The high standards of the parent’s example are not easily achieved by their children. But they have been taught the principle of “Having to do something to become something” very early as children who experienced a time of war.The two managing partners of the Papst-Motoren GmbH & Co. KG. The sons Günter Papst und Georg Papst around 1985. The two managing partners of the Papst-Motoren GmbH & Co. KG. The sons Günter Papst und Georg Papst around 1985.

The two managing partners of the Papst-Motoren GmbH & Co. KG.


The sons Günter Papst und Georg Papst around 1985.

The son’s achievements and further growth of the company

The second oldest son Günter joins the company right after his commercial apprenticeship as the sales director. His brother Georg takes over the leadership of the technical department after finishing his studies in electrical engineering at the university of applied technology in Karlsruhe. His oldest son Hans Dieter Papst starts working for the company as the head of the patent-department, after his studies in electrical engineering at the technical university of Stuttgart and after working for another electronics corporation for seven years.

During the 1960s Hermann Papst slowly retreats from participating in the daily business of the Papst-Motoren KG and starts working on development projects, for which he was too busy before. His decision to create an independent research department is mainly influenced by seeing how his sons relieve him from many of his duties. Hans Dieter Papst and Ulrike Papst reject to become partners because of their Christian calling. That reduces the circle of family partners to the company’s founder and his children Günter, Georg and Hannelore.

In the 1970s Günter Papst, Georg Papst and Dr. Gerhard Schätzle (who is not part of the family) manage the company together. Part of the inner management circle are the heads of the branches for development, production controlling, material economy, human resource, sales and the managers of the factories in St. Georgen, Herbolzheim and Spaichingen.The Papst-Motoren GmbH & Co. KG management team at a negotiation in the USA in 1980: From right to left: Dr. Gerhard Schätzle, the sons Günter Helmut and Georg Friedrich Papst

The Papst-Motoren GmbH & Co. KG management team at a negotiation

in the USA in 1980: From right to left:

Dr. Gerhard Schätzle, the sons Günter Helmut and Georg Friedrich Papst