Ludwig Schunk

Ludwig Schunk ( born May 1, 1884 in Frankfurt am Main, † May 10 1947 in Heuchelheim in Gießen) was a German producer and co-founder of the company Schunk and Ebe oHG

The Schunk and Ebe oHG was founded in 1913 as a factory for the production of carbon brushes for electric motors and dynamos in Fulda, Hesse and moved in 1918 to Heuchelheim at casting to. To date, the company has developed into a globally active technology group of the Schunk Group.

The ancestors of Ludwig Schunk were firmly rooted and operated since the mid-18th century over several generations a Nagelschmiede in Büdingen in central Hesse room. His grandfather yet exercised this craft. The father Ludwig Schunk saw as the youngest of three children probably no way, once to take over parental workshop and moved to Frankfurt on Main, where he worked as a laborer in a graphic art institution among others. Ludwig Schunk grew up as the youngest of two children up in modest circumstances. Nevertheless, his family gave him the eight-year visit to a middle school, who graduated Schunk with good success.

From 1898 to 1901 Ludwig Schunk did an apprenticeship in an import company of leather machinery industry based in Frankfurt am Main and Boston, USA. Following his training Schunk worked until April 1, 1903 in his training company. Other professional experiences gained Schunk as a clerk in the purchasing department of an aniline and aniline dyes factory in Offenbach am Main. In 1905, Schunk decided to go to France to his language skills and his " world knowledge " to develop. Schunk dominated the two world languages ​​English and French and could not find as head of foreign correspondence in the electrical business in Paris a job.

This was followed by a six-year stay abroad, in which Ludwig Schunk met the production of carbon brushes for electrical machines. The future prospects of this industry led him a short time after his return to Germany to become self-employed.

In 1913 he founded at the age of 29 years along with the technician and machine builder Karl Ebe, who had also already gained experience in the carbon industry, carbon brush factory Schunk & Ebe oHG in Fulda. Karl Ebe died only a year after the company was founded.

1918 Ludwig Schunk shifted the company operated in rented rooms from Fulda to Heuchelheim at Giessen, where he was able to purchase the former Ausflugsgaststätte " Windhof ", which had sufficient space for installation of production equipment. Even in this early period were the establishment of the first representatives in various German cities and the establishment of the export business.

Ludwig Schunk was - as his successor later - looking to expand his business by diversifying into related areas of technology and secure. So he bought a 1923 carbon brush holder factory and integrated them into his Heuchelheimer operation. 1932, the production of sintered bearings was taken. The carbon program had previously been extended by products for mechanical applications. With increasing depreciation of the Reichsmark and associated strong inflationary tendencies, Schunk sought new markets in foreign markets, from which flowed lasting value foreign exchange. Through the promotion of the export business, he managed to avoid losses of substance of his company.

According to his social setting Ludwig Schunk had in 1940 the initiative for the establishment of a support facility taken their statutory goals were voluntary one-time or ongoing support from employees, former employees or their dependents in need of help, disability or old age. The facilitator should provide old-age pensions, widows 'and orphans' pensions or death benefits.

Ludwig Schunk had no children. His wife, who had been involved in building the company was, died early. The heirs of his deceased business partner had been resigned by him, so that he was the sole owner of the company 's assets. He decreed in 1938 bequeathed that this company assets should be put at the service of the employees. He specified this in a supplemental Testament in 1942 and set in train a support institution founded by him as heir. Model for Schunk was - his claims to be - the Zeiss'sche Foundation in Jena.

In the period 1936-1945 Ludwig Schunk held various public offices. Among other things, led Schunk, since December 1936, the " Section coals and brush ", one of 24 departments in the economic group electrical industry. Schunk was denied by the U.S. military authorities after 1945, access to the site and placed the company under fiduciary management. In the resulting proceeding launched Ludwig Schunk, however, was rehabilitated.

1947 died Ludwig Schunk, who had from his youth a labile health, at the age of 63 years due to heart failure. As decreed by him, the facilitator after his death heritage of the company's assets Schunk & Ebe was.

After the death of Ludwig Schunk Schunk & Ebe GmbH was founded, whose shares were now held by the will of the testator from the assistance unit. As now to shareholders they called Ludwig Schunk Memorial eV and since 1989 Ludwig Schunk Foundation.

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• Kauer Jens, Schunk & Ebe. Day of a global group 1913 - 1947, Giessen 1995 ( Edited by Oberhessischen Geschichtsverein casting eV)