Foundation and early years (1945–1950s)
The FISCHER company was founded in 1945 by Kurt Fischer in the village of Drebach (Saxony) in the Ore Mountains. From 1928 to 1933, Kurt studied in Berlin and became an aircraft engineer. In 1934 and 1935, he worked as a test engineer and head of flight testing at the German Research Institute for Aviation in Berlin – the cradle of German aviation. Kurt's greatest passion was aviation, to which he remained faithful throughout his life. He was also an active pilot, but during one of his test flights, an accident occurred after which he never flew again.
In 1936, Kurt Fischer was appointed to Hamburg to serve as technical director of the rapidly expanding Emil Scholz company, where he was tasked with organizing the production of flight instruments. In his memoirs, Kurt wrote that the company employed more than 600 people. In 1941, a branch office – Schimmelpfeng Gerätebau – was founded in Drebach in the Ore Mountains, but it was dismantled by the Soviet Army in 1945.
After Hamburg was destroyed by massive Allied air raids, Kurt Fischer also moved to Drebach with his family. Since 1945, the FISCHER company has been based in this village not far from the Czech border. Kurt and his wife initially planned to return to Hamburg, but ultimately decided to stay in the Ore Mountains. His wife's diary contains an entry from August 1945: "The Russians won't allow Kurt to keep his machines... Now he has to start all over again." And that's exactly what he did: In October 1945, he founded his own workshop, which will celebrate its 80th anniversary in 2025.
The first barometers were produced in the workshop as early as 1946, followed soon after by other meteorological instruments – all of which were characterized by their robust construction and high-quality workmanship. These products laid the foundation for the company's reputation as a manufacturer of reliable weather and climate measuring instruments.
In the early post-war years, the company remained a private workshop owned by Kurt Fischer. However, with increasing production and demand for the instruments, the need for expansion also grew. In 1958, with the participation of the GDR authorities, the company was restructured into Feingerätebau Kurt Fischer KG – a limited partnership with state participation. This period was marked by considerable growth: The company carried out extensive scientific and design work for the aviation industry, including the manufacture of microbarographs for monitoring pressure during aircraft landings and altimeters for avionics. These specialized and relatively rare instruments strengthened the company's position in the niche market of precision aerometeorological equipment.
Development in the 1960s
The Fischer family continued to contribute to innovation in the 1960s. The son of the company founder, Bernd Fischer, took over the management in 1963 and conducted intensive research in the field of hygrometry (moisture measurement). The result of this work was the further development of the Fischer hair hygrometer with impeccable accuracy, which earned the FISCHER brand an excellent reputation in this field. The reputation of Fischer's precision hygrometers remains unbroken to this day.
One of the company's most important achievements during this period was the invention of an improved aneroid barometer. In 1965, the company patented a unique, six-part aneroid barometer mechanism of its own design. This mechanism, consisting of six interconnected aneroid capsules, enabled exceptionally accurate measurement of air pressure. In 1967, this design was recognized for its technical excellence by the German Office for Measurement and Product Testing of the GDR. By the end of the 1960s, “K. Fischer” had gained recognition not only on the market but also in the scientific and technical community of the GDR.
Nationalization in the GDR (1972–1989)
In the course of the comprehensive nationalization of GDR industry, Kurt Fischer's company was expropriated in 1972 and converted into a state-owned enterprise. The company was renamed VEB Feingerätebau Drebach. Despite the change of ownership, the production of high-precision barometers, hygrometers, and other meteorological instruments continued at the same location. The well-known FISCHER brand also remained: due to international recognition and demand, the state-owned company retained the “Fischer” trademark. Products from Drebach were exported to other countries, and the brand remained present in catalogs and at exhibitions. This was a rare case in which the founder's name survived nationalization – proof of the good reputation that Fischer instruments had earned beyond the GDR by the early 1970s.
During the VEB era (1970s–1980s), the company participated in industrial exhibitions as part of the socialist economy (presumably also at the Leipzig Trade Fair) and supplied instruments both for the domestic market and for export to other Eastern Bloc countries and the West. Precision barometers and hygrometers from Drebach were used in weather services and industry. After 1972, Kurt Fischer was no longer the official owner of the company. Nevertheless, his innovations continued to be used and the family traditions were upheld – many employees, including family members, remained with the company and passed on their expertise to the next generation.
Modern history after 1990
After German reunification in 1990, the Drebach company was reprivatized and returned to the Fischer family. The company adopted its current name, Feingerätebau K. Fischer GmbH, and regained its status as a private family business. By returning the company to the founding family, the company was able to combine its rich heritage with a market economy. Leadership passed to a new generation of the Fischer family. In particular, Peter Fischer, a representative of the third generation, joined the management team (focusing on sales development) and continued the family legacy. He emphasized that every family member had contributed to the company's success: his father Bernd established the precision of hygrometers in the 1960s, while Peter joined the company with his training to expand its market presence.
In 1997, the company modernized its production facilities: a new, state-of-the-art manufacturing building was constructed in Drebach to increase efficiency and the quality of production. This enabled the company to maintain local production in Saxony while simultaneously increasing production volume.
The company grew steadily and established partnerships. One milestone was the collaboration with another renowned instrument manufacturer, G. Lufft. In 2012, Feingerätebau K. Fischer GmbH took over the production of Lufft's mechanical measuring instruments. In Essentially, the Drebach company took over responsibility for the manufacture of Lufft's classic analog products (barometers, hygrometers, etc.), as Lufft shifted its focus to electronic weather instruments. This step expanded Fischer's product range and united two long-standing traditions of instrument manufacturing (Fischer and Lufft) under one roof.
In 2015, Feingerätebau K. Fischer GmbH became part of ProInn Beteiligungen GmbH. Integration into a larger group of companies provided additional investment and business stability and opened up opportunities for further expansion of measuring instrument production. However, the FISCHER brand and the Drebach plant retained their independent identity. As part of ProInn, the company continues to produce under its historic brand name and maintains its tradition of quality.
Today, Feingerätebau K. Fischer GmbH is an active company with 80 years of history. Still based in Drebach, the company specializes in the manufacture of high-quality analog weather instruments. The products are sold worldwide, and the Fischer brand stands for German quality and craftsmanship. The company has successfully developed from a small post-war workshop into a modern manufacturer and has maintained its reputation over decades.
Leo Shirokov is a collector and restorer of antique barometers and other meteorological artifacts, as well as the founder and chairman of The Art of Weather Instruments Foundation.
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