Hans Imhoff
Encyclopedia
Hans Imhoff was a German
industrialist and businessman. He is founder of the Imhoff-Schokoladenmuseum
, which bears his name.
Imhoff was born in Cologne to Franz and Charotte Imhoff (née Gallé). After leaving Elementary School he then joined a Trade School, where he trained in Commercial and Vocational Studies. Imhoff founded a chocolate and sugar factory after the war, which became very successful. In 1972 Imhoff took over the failing Stollwerck
chocolate company, and managed to convert it into a successful business. He built up a European Chocolate group through acquiring other brands such as Sprengel
and Sarotti
. Imhoff retired from the company in 2002.
In 1993 Imhoff opened the Imhoff-Schokoladenmuseum in Cologne
which creates around 650,000 visitors per year. In 2001 the city of Cologne gave Imhoff an honorary citizenship.
Imhoff was married to Clare Gerburg Schmitt, with whom he had four children. He died on 21 December 2007 (aged 85) of an infection caused by lung inflammation.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
industrialist and businessman. He is founder of the Imhoff-Schokoladenmuseum
Imhoff-Schokoladenmuseum
The Imhoff-Schokoladenmuseum was opened by Hans Imhoff on 31 October 1993. It is situated in the Cologne quarter of Altstadt-Süd on the Rheinauhafen peninsula...
, which bears his name.
Imhoff was born in Cologne to Franz and Charotte Imhoff (née Gallé). After leaving Elementary School he then joined a Trade School, where he trained in Commercial and Vocational Studies. Imhoff founded a chocolate and sugar factory after the war, which became very successful. In 1972 Imhoff took over the failing Stollwerck
Stollwerck
Stollwerck GmbH is a German food company known for the production of chocolate. In 1998 it acquired Sarotti.In 2002 it was bought by the Barry Callebaut AG, who sold it in 2011 to the Baronie Groep in Veurne, Belgium.- History :...
chocolate company, and managed to convert it into a successful business. He built up a European Chocolate group through acquiring other brands such as Sprengel
Sprengel
Sprengel is a surname, and may refer to:* Hermann Sprengel , chemist* Karl or Carl Sprengel , botanist* Kurt Sprengel , botanist* Christian Konrad Sprengel , teacher, theologist and naturalist...
and Sarotti
Sarotti
Sarotti is a German chocolate brand owned by Stollwerck GmbH since 1998.-History:In 1868 Hugo Hoffmann opened a company to produce sweets. The location of this shop was in Mohrenstraße 10 in Berlin....
. Imhoff retired from the company in 2002.
In 1993 Imhoff opened the Imhoff-Schokoladenmuseum in Cologne
Cologne
Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
which creates around 650,000 visitors per year. In 2001 the city of Cologne gave Imhoff an honorary citizenship.
Imhoff was married to Clare Gerburg Schmitt, with whom he had four children. He died on 21 December 2007 (aged 85) of an infection caused by lung inflammation.
Literature
- Claus JacobiClaus JacobiClaus Jacobi was the editor of the German news magazine Der Spiegel from 1962-1968. He was arrested during the Spiegel scandal.-References:...
: Der Schokoladenkönig. Das unglaubliche Leben des Hans Imhoff. Langen Müller, München 1997, ISBN 3-7844-2650-6 (German)
External links
- Hans Imhoff obituary, Kölner Stadt-AnzeigerKölner Stadt-AnzeigerThe Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger is a daily newspaper published in Cologne, Germany, and has the largest circulation in the Cologne/Bonn Metropolitan Region...
, 22. Dezember 2007