It is the year 1949. Germany is still feeling the after-effects of the Second World War. Bavaria is occupied by the Americans and the most important language for its citizens is English, of course.
Times are hard. Philipp Kreis, ex-officer and war survivor earns his livings with running a language school in Munich.
History
How it all began...
Kreis gives tuition using a system that he has developed himself, and even writes his own textbooks. However, in spite of the commitment and energy that he invests in his evening school, he still has to combat adversity that would seem banal nowadays. Energy is scarce and entire districts of Munich are frequently blacked out by power cuts, which is a fundamental problem for the evening school.
Philipp Kreis considers how to generate light independently of electricity.
With GAS, of course! But where could he find a gas lamp?
This where a need became a discovery, as so often happens in life. Pre-war gas lamps were no longer available, so the only solution was to build his own. Adequate quantities of town gas were available, and the gas pipes into the houses were still there. The street lighting was also supplied by town gas and the gas mantles that were required were therefore available.
Philipp Kreis considers how to generate light independently of electricity.
With GAS, of course! But where could he find a gas lamp?
This where a need became a discovery, as so often happens in life. Pre-war gas lamps were no longer available, so the only solution was to build his own. Adequate quantities of town gas were available, and the gas pipes into the houses were still there. The street lighting was also supplied by town gas and the gas mantles that were required were therefore available.
Of course, the windows of the Kreis language school, which were now brightly illuminated in the evening hours, attracted attention in the neighbourhood.
The gas lamps gradually became more interesting than the English courses on offer, and Philipp Kreis therefore began to manufacture and sell gas lamps. History took its course, and on 27th October 1949 Philipp Kreis registered his business.
In honour of the US president at the time, who gave considerable support to rebuilding Germany after the Second World War, Philipp Kreis named his youthful company Truma, which he considered to sound equally good in any language.
The gas lamps gradually became more interesting than the English courses on offer, and Philipp Kreis therefore began to manufacture and sell gas lamps. History took its course, and on 27th October 1949 Philipp Kreis registered his business.
In honour of the US president at the time, who gave considerable support to rebuilding Germany after the Second World War, Philipp Kreis named his youthful company Truma, which he considered to sound equally good in any language.
The first lamps were still being assembled in his own living room.
But demand soon became so great that the language school premises were needed – and even the language teachers helped to assemble gas lamps.
But demand soon became so great that the language school premises were needed – and even the language teachers helped to assemble gas lamps.
This is how the Truma success story started in the difficult living conditions of the harsh post-war era.
A company that still has no equal after more than 50 years was produced by the inventor’s genius, courage, extremely hard work and not least idealism and conviction.
A company that still has no equal after more than 50 years was produced by the inventor’s genius, courage, extremely hard work and not least idealism and conviction.
