Russian version

Karl Czischka

    EEditor's note: the following in formation on the Deutsche - Ziindholz-Fabriken Aktiengesellschaft Berlin, DZFAG (German Match Factories Corporation Berlin), has been taken from Die Deutsche Ziindholzzeitung (1921-1942), Deutsche Zundwarenzeitung (1929-1944), Materialsammlung, K-MRaschke and newspaper and other articles.

    The establishment of DZFAG in 1890 was masterminded by Hermann Priester in Leborc, whose factory was at that time not making matches but coal products. The trade mark register for 1886 shows that Priester had a factory for making coal briquettes and coal lighters. In 1890 the register states that he was producing and selling matches: The date when he began match making is therefore in doubt.

    Priester's acquaintance with the partner of the engine works A. Roller (G. Thieme), persuaded him to change his operation over to match production. The equipment necessary was provided by the Roller company, which since 1869, under the ownership of Ruhmer had been making match machines. In 1898 the Priester operation was converted into a corporation with a capital of one million Gold Marks. And in 1899 he bought the match factory of Adolf Schonfeld in Lauenburg/Elbe. The company was renamed Deutsche Ziindholzfabriken AG Lauenburg/i: Pommern.

    In 1900 the match factory of Tatarsky & Son in Vordamm/Pommem was bought, followed in 1902 by the purchase of the Diamond Match Co. in Mannheim/Rheinau.

    Between 1909 and 1910 Priester, together with General Director Neubronner of Union Augsburg, lobbied for the creation of a German match syndicate. At that time the project failed.

    In 1921 the DZFAG created the Zundholz-Verkaufs GmbH in Berlin. In January1924 the DZFAG changed their capital holdings to a Gold Mark base, reducing it from 48 million to 3,180,000. Between 1924 and mid-1926 there were further takeovers and amalgamations so that by June 1926 the Neuen DZFAG was made up of the following companies:

1. Deutsche Zündholzfabriken Ag Hamburg
2. Stahl & Nölke A.G. Hamburg
3. Mitteldeutsche Zündholzfabriken AG Hamburg
4. Friedrich Speitel AG Neustadt/Rennsteig
5. Königberger Zündholzfabrik AG
6. Niederdeutsche Zündholzfabrik Albrandt & Heltnorth GmbH Kassel /Niederkaufungen
7. Märkische Zündwarenfabrik Behrmann & Himmelhoch Henickendorf.

DZFAG
Norddeutschen Zündholz AG.(NDZAG)
Süddeutschen Zündholz AG. (SDZAG)
(The holding and export company AZEZ also continued to function.).

1. A.G. UNION with factories in Augsburg,Deggendorf,Habelschwerdt
2. Deutsche Zünholzfabriken A.G.  Factories: Lauenburg/Pommern, Vordamm, Mannheim/Rheinau
3. Stahl & Nölke A.G. Kassel factories: Kassel, Mainz/Kostheim
4. Anhaltische Zündholzfabrik Meintz & Bischof Coswig/Anhalt
5. Habelschwerdter Zündwarenfabrik Carl Grübel
6. Gadamer & Jäge Dittersbach
7. Fabrik chemischer Zündwaren Patschkau, Julius Huch Patschkau
8. F. L. Dietzel, Habelschwerdt
9. A. Järschke, Reichenstein
10. Adolf Schönfeld, Dampfzündholzfabrik F. Hack Nachf. in Lauenburg / Elbe
11. Westfälische Zündwarenfabrik Ahaus, Inh. Joseph Kurtz
12. Westfälische Zündwarenfabrik Spandau, Inh. Joseph Kurtz
13. Zündwarenfabrik Starcke & Co Meile
14. Chemische Zündwarenfabrik, Max Pohl & Söhne, Zanow
15. Zanower Zündwarenfabrik August Kolbe & Co. Zanow
16. Danziger Zündwarenfabrik C. Bunkowski, Danzig / Schellmühl
17. J. Ladendorff, Allenstein
18. F. Haurwitz & Co. Königsberg
19. Hannoversche Zündholz-Compagnie AG.Hannover
20. F. P. Hamberger GmbH, Rosenheim
21. Gebr. Müller in Regen
22. Johann Salm & Co Hitdorf
23. Gebrüder Jauch, Schwenningen
24. Zündwarenfabrik B. Benedick Albers-weiler
25. Otto Laddey, Zündwarenfabrik GmbH Gernrode
26. Chemische Fabrik Geiger & Braun Inh. G. Hueff, Pfungstädt
27. L. Reichenbach, Darmstadt
28. W. L. Schumann, Gernrode
29. Robert Schuster GmbH, Olbernhau
30. J. G. Reichhardt, Schmiedeberg
31. Friedrich Speitel. Neustadt/Rennsteig
32. Wilhelm Jäsche, Altberun
33. Chemische Fabrik GmbH Ziegenhals
34. W. Schröter, Wieda
35.  Wilhelm Tilly Nacht., Wolfshagen/Hara
36. Paul Tepel, Patschkau
37. J. Schäfer, Pfungstadt
38. A. Nöller, Pfungstadt
39. J. Gandenberger Pfungstadt
40. Otto Miram, Kassel
41. Sächsische Zündwarenfabrik Carl Meyer, Olbernhau
42. Robert Langbein, Riesa
43. Robert Langbein, Cursdorf
44. Dampfzündholzfabrik Gebr. Pötschke, Waldheim

1. Swedish group: Leborc, Lauenburg / Elbe, Mannheim / Rheinau, Ahaus, Berlin Malchow, Coswig / Anhalt, Kassel
2. Norddeutsche Zündholz AG Berlin: Sianow   (Max Pohl und Söhne), Gluchoazy, Gernrode
3. Süddeutsche Zündholz AG Berlin: Augsburg, Deggendorf-Marienthal, Bystrzyca
4. German group:
- Bauer & Schönenberger AG Schnellingen/Baden
- Christoph Büttel GmbH Pfungstädt / Hessen
- Gebr. Dietzel AG Meckesheim / Neckar
- Habelschwerdter Zündwarenfabrik Carl Grübel GmbH Bystrzyca
- Industriewerke F.P. Hamberger GmbH Rosenheim
- Johann Hubloher AG Grafenwiesen
- J. Ladendorff Olsztyn
- Sächsische Zündholzfabrik Carl Meyer Olbernhau
- Johann Wißler Groß-Ostheim bei Aschaffenburg
- Westerwälder Zündholzfabrik AG Altenkirchen
- Zündholzfabrik Albersweiler Benedick Haupt & Co
- J. M. Fitzen Hitdorf
- Johann Salm & Co. Hitdorf
- Julius Huch GmbH Paczkow
- A. Jaerschke Zloty Stok
- Rexroth-Lynen AG Michelstadt-Odenwald
- H. Hassenzahl Sohn Pfungstadt-Hessen
- Robert Langbein Riesa
- August Speitel Lichtenau

© Karl Czischka, 2006
Reprinted from "Alte Schachtel" newspaper, 2/2006
English version reprinted from "Match Labels News" № 356