1950: Foundation of the Offenbach Trade Fair is certified

However, by the time the company was properly founded in accordance with the law, the trade fair had already held two events. Its history actually began in October 1949, with an exhibition entitled "The Leather Goods Industry and the Marshall Plan" in the Theater an der Goethestraße.

A few weeks after the election of the first German Bundestag, this was intended to be both an exhibition of achievements and a sign of gratitude for the American ERP European Reconstruction Program. With the Marshall Plan, it had already given a recognizable helping hand to Offenbach's economy, which had been devastated by the war.

In cramped booths, 55 exhibitors filled the rooms and corridors of the theater. The stage was shared by two major companies, Karl Seeger and F. Michaelis. The ceremonial opening took place in the meeting room of the city council, which belonged to a school building opposite the theater. The most important speaker was the ERP special representative for the western half of Germany, an American named Colisson.

The exhibition was a success. It was still underway when the organizers realized that this could not remain a one-off event. In fact, just three months later, on January 28, 1950, they were able to open the first "Offenbach Leather Goods Trade Fair", this time with a ceremony in the Capitol cinema on Frankfurter Strasse.

There were now already 155 exhibitors, including the first four foreigners. The theater was no longer big enough. The companies also occupied the city council chamber, the TVO gymnasium next to the theater and the auditorium of the Werkkunstschule, today's Hochschule für Gestaltung.

It was a time of improvisation. Years of scarcity had taught them to make do. Rubble still lined the streets of Offenbach. But now the development of the trade fair was progressing so rapidly that it was an example of the economic miracle.

By the third trade fair in September 1950, with 318 exhibitors, the first exhibition hall was already located on Kaiserstrasse. The German Leather Museum had been located there in an old villa until 1938. However, the gymnasium and the Werkkunstschule still had to be used. But in 1951, Exhibition Hall 2 was completed. In 1953, Hall 3 was finished. In 1956, the transverse building of Hall 1 was given two additional storeys. However, this was initially followed by a break. Hall 4 was not built until 1980.

The halls have many fathers. One of them in particular became a legend in his own lifetime. This is the leather goods manufacturer Jean Weipert, who was known as "Marshal Forward" because he drove things forward like Marshal Blücher once drove his soldiers. He was breathing down the construction workers' necks with enticing free beer and flattering or harsh words, but always with rousing encouragement. They had to reckon with Weipert. He was never one to let anyone dawdle.

Weipert was a manufacturer and exhibitor, like all the other partners, with the exception of the city, district and IHK. For the most part, the trade fair belonged to those who exhibited there and wanted to create a platform for their interests.

For the anniversary year 2000, some restructuring was planned, as Ursula A. Diehl, spokesperson for the trade fair, explained at the time. The trade fair was to be renamed a limited company. The previous five years had been characterized above all by construction activities. The trade fair had spent a total of 20 million marks on the conversion of the halls. 'Ficke: "This was an unparalleled feat of strength. Our achievement was to keep the trade fair running despite the work." The focus is now on the "Messe 2000" concept, which had already celebrated a successful premiere at the last leather goods fair with the reorganization of the halls.

By Lothar R. Braun and Achim Lederle

Published in the Offenbach Post