Hofmann & Sommer - For 110 years Proven from Thuringia

The history of the company Hofmann & Sommer began in the 17th century. At that time so-called "Königseer" or humpback pharmacists spread “Olitäten” from the Thuringian Forest in many parts of Europe. Olitäten described natural remedies for the ordinary people which were predominantly made from medicinal plants, herbs and spices of the Thuringian Forest. These burnt waters, juices, oils, balsams, resins and suspensions were produced for centuries mostly in family laboratories.

From this tradition in the 19th century Königsee developed to a significant site of early industrial pharmaceutical production in Thuringia. Traditional recipes have been combined with the findings of phytopharmacy. When the company Hofmann & Sommer was founded in 1906 numerous companies and pharmacies in the town and the surrounding villages manufactured drops, ointments and other remedies. Today Hofmann & Sommer is the only representative of this once great traditional profession in the city Königsee.

The expansion of the company from a laboratory business towards a medicinal products manufacturer well-known beyond the borders of East Germany began in the 1950s. The product range has been constantly changed and expanded and more well-known brands such as Sepso® J, Melival® Valerian Tincture and TATAR® elixir of life were manufactured by Hofmann & Sommer. Despite the positive development the company lost its independence in 1972 and became fully nationalized under the name "VEB Pharmazeutika Königsee". This changed with the German reunification and the subsequent re-privatization under the traditional name Hofmann & Sommer. Thanks to the commitment of Ms. Barbara Fischer, nee Hofmann and granddaughter of the founder and her authorized representative and current CEO, Dr. Ernst-Josef Strätling the re-privatization could be completed by 1993.

 

A new beginning was done

This combines one of the East German success stories that have made the company known far beyond the borders of Thuringia. Thanks to the commitment and competent company management under Dr. Ernst-J. Strätling the company evolved from a small family business to a modern pharmaceutical company. Starting with ten employees and only a few licenses in 1993, he worked continually on the repatriation of the former trademarks of the traditional company Hofmann & Sommer. In the subsequent years this task was successfully completed and other traditional brands could be acquired.

With contract manufacturing for leading retail chains and other pharmaceutical companies as well as manufacturing of homeopathic preparations the company was able to develop two other important segments shortly after the re-privatization. The range of services includes the manufacturing, filling and packing of various liquids, ointments and other pharmaceutical products even in small batches and creative packaging. In the field of homeopathy approximately 2000 different formulations and complex compositions can be prepared. Today nearly 300 homeopathic practitioners and many German pharmacies are partners of the company.

Through acquisitions and start-ups a group of companies has been developed around the mother company Hofmann & Sommer over the last two decades. Backed by a special research and development department  the product and service range as company group could be significantly increased and more than 80 jobs could be created and saved in Thuringia. In recent years the volume of sales also increased many times. Not least because in addition to traditional herbal medicines and antiseptics also homeopathy products, cosmetics, medicinal baths, food supplements and since 2014 foods are part of the company's portfolio.

Self-confident the company can look back on 110 years of company tradition. Moreover in today's company philosophy the preservation of the tradition of the Thuringian Olitäten production continues. Our company motto: "We have kept it - because it has been proven" clearly shows that even with „old known“ you can break new ground.

 

Your Thuringian company Hofmann & Sommer