“The story of Käthe Wohlfahrt’s beginnings has been introduced to the American public through various publications, including newspapers and magazines, drawing the interest of people throughout the country. The story is a fascinating study of what some might call coincidence and what others might call "what was meant to be”.
It all began in December of 1963, when my father’s American friends, an army officer and his wife, visited our home for the first time. They were fascinated with the customs of a German Christmas, which they had not experienced before. Of particular interest was a Christmas music box from the Erzgebirge region, a keepsake from my parents’, Wilhelm and Käthe Wohlfahrt’s Saxonian home in the eastern part of Germany, from which they fled in 1956.
This music box held special meaning for our family and, at Christmas time, had a place of prominence in our living room. We children were as fascinated by this musical piece of art as our American friends were, and we loved watching the Three Wise Men on the turntable revolve around the manger scene to the familiar sounds of "Silent Night”. Seeing how enamored his friends were with this lovely music box, my father decided that a music box just like it would be the perfect gift for them. When the Christmas celebrations were completed, he immediately set out to find a replica of that particular music box. Unfortunately, all Christmas merchandise in the stores had been packaged and stored away until the next Christmas season. He continued his search, and his efforts were rewarded when he found a wholesaler who still had some of these music boxes in stock. However, there was one problem. The wholesaler would only sell the music box in quantities of ten, no less. My father purchased the ten music boxes and gave one to his friends, who were elated with this late Christmas gift. When they learned of my father’s purchase, and the difficulties surrounding it, they decided to help him sell the remaining nine. They suggested he sell them door to door on the American military base, and he did. He had sold only six
music boxes when the Military Police took him into custody for soliciting on the base. However, the arresting officer was
so impressed by the music boxes that he suggested selling them at the bazaars of the American officers’ wives. A perfect idea! My father immediately applied for the proper license and made a temporary sales booth, offering music
boxes and more. He and my mother attended every weekend bazaar to the delight of many American shoppers. Their
Christmas items were very popular and sales soared! In March of 1964, my father and mother made the decision to
establish a new company that would sell Christmas items all year long ...
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