More + Poland

Collection 2 > Germany

Influence of 2 world wars

The German ceramics industry flourished around 1900, especially in regions such as Bavaria, Thuringia and Saxony. After World War II, Thuringia and Saxony were part of the German Democratic Republic (GDR). During that regime, the focus was on the production of functional and affordable ceramics, in line with the socialist ideal. Luxurious or decorative "bourgeois" products were considered undesirable and largely banned. As a result, many designs became standardized and the industry lost some of its creative freedom. From that time on, private ceramic factories were expropriated and transformed into Volkseigene Betriebe (VEB). After the fall of the Berlin Wall and German reunification in 1989-1990, a wave of privatisations followed. Some former owners got their factories back, while other VEBs were sold or closed. Machines and patents from bankrupt factories were often bought cheaply by "West German" or foreign competitors and disappeared from this part of reunified Germany. Yet part of the German ceramics industry managed to hold its own. Classic brands such as Meissen (former VEB Staatliche Porzellan-Manufaktur Meissen) survived and focused on high-quality ceramics, while smaller manufacturers introduced modern designs. Today, German ceramics tradition combines craftsmanship with innovation, but the industry is much smaller than in its heyday around 1900.

And now for the piggy banks: It may happen that certain piggy banks first existed without a brand (that was not unusual, piggy banks were and are a 'side issue') and later the same piggy bank with a VEB brand, which was mandatory in the GDR.

The “green series” from Thüringen

These piggy banks are from Thüringen and where produced in de 1920's. They were used as genuine piggy banks to collect coins in, but even more often to put them in a collection in the showcases of the middle and upper classes in those years. All of them are green glazed (not the pigs), that’s why this type of piggy banks is known as the ‘green series’. It is not quite sure who produced them, because of the lack of a hallmark. Experts have reason to believe that Conta und Böhme from Pößneck (Thüringen) made them.

5 small wallets with piggy's inside. From Thüringen, about 8-13 cm length/high.

Former GDR

This series comes from the former GDR and was widely sold in the Netherlands. That's why, when I first started collecting, I assumed they were Dutch, until I discovered a piggy bank from this series with an origin sticker. This shows you how important those stickers are, so NEVER remove them. Specification of these piggy banks: Gray background, motifs from stripes to flowers, trumpet nose (example Gouda?), mostly flat ears. Dating: 1950-1980. They were made by Philipp Griebel Gráfenroda and from 1972 it was VEB Gräfenroda Terrakotta GDR. Those from my collection have no stamps, some do have (remnants of) labels.

Philipp Griebel Gráfenroda was a major player when it comes to the production of garden gnomes. But not the only one, as I discovered. A temporary ban on the production of garden gnomes, which were not needed under socialism, by the Ministry of Economic Affairs in Thuringia was followed by the permission to resume production, but initially only for export to "bourgeois-capitalist foreign countries" and later - only to a very limited extent - also for the domestic market. During the GDR era, most garden gnomes were produced for export to West Germany. New facilities were built in the 1960s and the garden gnome factory employed approximately 20 people at the time. The company was nationalized in two steps in 1972 and changed its name to VEB Gräfenroda Terracotta after the merger with Balzer & Bock. In its home country of the GDR, the garden gnome became a much sought-after rarity, traded under the counter and a valuable exchange item for holiday spots.

And more GDR

VEB Gräfenroda Keramik was (as far as I could find out) the largest producer of garden gnomes in the GDR. The original company “Thoonwaarenfabrik Philipp Griebel” had been doing this in Gräfenroda since 1874. The term "Ton" (or "Thoon) means "clay" or "loam" and "Waren" means "goods". Together it denotes clay products such as pottery, ceramics, pots, tiles, tableware, and other objects that are made from clay and fired in a kiln to harden them. These factories were especially important in the 19th and early 20th centuries, a period when ceramics and earthenware were widely used for both domestic and industrial applications.

After the fall of the Wall, Philipp Griebel became independent again. The company produces individually made ceramic garden gnomes and piggy banks and sells them online, among other things. The museum about the history of garden gnomes is also located on the company premises in Gräfenroda. Since January 2021, the traditional company and museum has been continued by Helma Ortmann and Heidrun Viehweg under the name “Zwergstatt Gräfenroda”.

Import in the former GDR

In this section examples of exchange between former communist "utopia's": In the communist countries the marginal production capacity was a big problem. In a way entrepreneurs were creative to buy the missing products or parts from college communist “utopias”. Not aware of this I always thought that some of the here shown piggy banks that were bought in the GDR were also produced there. Until I decided to ask a native speaker in my home town to translate the label on two of these piggy banks. And found out they were originated in Troyan, Bulgaria.

Johann Maresch and Bünzlau

Johann Maresch's piggy bank comes from the 'Siderolith - Majolica - Terracotta - Fabrik'. Located in Aussig an der Elbe in the then Kaisertum Österreich, Königreich Böhmen. Nowadays Now Ústí nad Labem, Czech Republic. You will also see piggy banks from Bünzlau (at least) from before 1945.

The best-known companies from Bünzlau before 1945 are Reinhold & Co., Julius Paul & Sohn and Werner & Co. German Bunzlauer Keramik was produced until 1945. This tradition was later continued in Germany in the pottery village of Fredersloh in Moringen. After the Second World War, Bunzlau (Boleslawiec) was within the Polish borders. Based on the assets of the pre-war factories, Polish companies began to operate, continuing the Bolesławiec tradition. That is why Poland as a label on my website is classified under Germany.

Hugo Reinhold's ceramics workshop was founded in 1897. In 1904 it was converted to industrial production. In 1910 the name was changed to Bünzlauer Keramische Werke Reinhold & Co. From 1937 the new owners were K. Klein and R. Günther and the company was renamed Klein & Co. Feinsteinzeugfabrik. So where I indicate Reinhold it could also be Klein & Co.

Poland: Boleslawiec (Bunzlau)

Most of the Polish pottery industry is located in Boleslawiec (former German Bünzlau). Two factories dominate the 40 other: State factory Zakłady Ceramiczne "Boleslawiec" and Ceramika Artystyczna a private company. They also make pig piggy banks, with plastic stoppers. Authentic piggy bank pigs (without cap) I have from 2 smaller pottery factories: WIZA, now called Ceramika Boleslawieka (WIZA) and DANA in 1975 founded by Janusz Jakubowski and stopped around 1992. The DANA brand still exists.