A brief journey through time covering 100 years of Wolf’s family history in endoscopy.

"It all started with an idea"

The history of endoscopy from the start of the 20th century is synonymous with the history of the Wolf family. Throughout, tradition, innovation and progress are very closely interlinked. The name Wolf stands for a century of expertise in endoscopy.

It all began in Berlin on 15 January 1906. It was then that Brückner & Wolf, the electromedical equipment and instruments factory, was established. In the same year it was renamed "Georg Wolf GmbH, electromechanical appliances and instruments factory". When Georg Wolf, one of the oldest names in the history of endoscopy, laid the foundation of his own company in Berlin, a new and innovative era in endoscopy began. From small beginnings the idea grew and quite quickly took shape of developing and producing endoscopic equipment for the up-and-coming medical sector. Courage to pursue his own path, experience and entrepreneurial drive, combined with well-trained and committed staff, smoothed Wolf’s successful way forward.

The objective was to make people’s bodily cavities easily visible in order to be able to help them more quickly and effectively by a more precise and reliable diagnosis. In therapy too, the aim was to successfully carry out patient-friendly and progressive new treatments using "endoscopic" operations.

Georg Wolf, who was leading the company to worldwide recognition, very rapidly succeeded, in collaboration with well-known doctors, in developing, manufacturing and, as for example in the case of the world-famous Wolf-Schindler gastroscope, successfully marketing throughout the world numerous types of endoscopes of excellent quality and considerable ease of use. Entrepreneurial courage, drive, ideas and inventive genius in pursuing new ways forward, growing experience, product know-how and a highly-qualified, constantly growing employee base and worldwide clientele, established the first-class reputation of the Georg Wolf GmbH company and its quality endoscopes, recognized throughout the world. In 1945 the Georg Wolf company was sequestrated.

Richard Wolf, endowed with a unique head start of over 40 years experience from his parents’ business, initially worked as a designer. After the death of his father in 1938 he became partner and managing director. On 15 January 1947 Richard and Annemarie Wolf founded the new company Richard Wolf GmbH in Knittlingen which is famous for Goethe’s character Faust. With tried and tested staff of many years standing who had already proved their competence and commitment at Georg Wolf GmbH, they were able to achieve a seamless continuation of the company’s worldwide successes in developing and creating medical endoscopy products.

Richard Wolf continued the tradition of his father and, in Knittlingen, also laid the foundation for a modern, forward-looking endoscopy business. Alongside him Mr. Herbert Schubert, "one of the Berliners", played a decisive role in shaping the new beginning and, as the plant manager, was given general commercial power of attorney in 1958. His name is closely linked with outstanding growth in general and the new, innovative products of the Richard Wolf company.

After the death of Richard Wolf in 1958, his widow Annemarie Wolf took over his position as partner. She continued the business on her own and, shortly before her death in 1968, set up the Richard and Annemarie Wolf Foundation, contributing the shares of Richard Wolf GmbH to the foundation. In 1969 Mr. Herbert Schubert became managing director and a member of the foundation’s board of management. His entrepreneurial commitment, highly motivated employees and the quality of Wolf’s instruments led the company to grow and prosper.

In an environment of trust and collaboration with doctors and medical science, outstanding ideas emerged for the development of new products, innovative concepts for complex systems and the highest levels of functionality and usability for well-proven endoscopes and systems.

Richard Wolf GmbH grew to become one of the leading and most important manufacturers of endoscopes, enjoying world standing and international recognition. This is thanks to Mr. Herbert Schubert, an outstanding figure in the world of business with decades of creative commitment, as well as to his motivating leadership and the high level of regard shown by customers throughout the world.

The creative period of senator e.h. Dr. med. h.c. Herbert Schubert is also part of the success story of Richard Wolf and its employees and the subsidiary firms bought or established during this period.