** Tins of Taste Museum ** within NationalBreadMuseum.org
GERMANY - Haeberlein-Metzger Lebkuchen Company
The earliest Lebkuchen sold in tins, that I'm aware of, began in the 1890s, and then these two separate (at that time) Lebkuchen companies followed suit. I've been told that each company sold Lebkuchen in a tin(s) under each individual name prior to their merger in 1920. I'm hoping that some day there might be a historian - antique professional - or someone motivated by this Tins of Taste project, who lives in Germany, can read German, and would love to research with whatever resources are available in order to learn of more accurate tin history regarding the Lebkuchen companies, and to share that information with me for the world :). Donna Kozak, Founder
2019
A TIMELINE OF THE HAEBERLEIN-METZGER LEBKUCHEN COMPANY
Their home page (https://www.haeberlein-metzger.de/) ~ ~ ~ a link to "About Us" (https://www.haeberlein-metzger.de/ueber-uns) gives the full story of the following. Here's the short of the time line:
Heinrich Haeberlein company ~ ~ ~
1810 ~ Johann Caspar Schores owns a gingerbread
bakery."
1840s ~ Johann's son, Martin, begins making chocolates.
1846 ~ Johann's son-in-law, Heinrich Haeberlein takes over; redesigns the company
1876 ~ moves into a new factory building & now uses machines
1886 ~ There's a fire, factory destroyed, builds a 3-story this time.
FG Metzger Gingerbread Shop ~ ~ ~
1598 Hans Baum started making gingerbread
in the suburb of Wöhrd.
At some point in the next 100+ years, gingerbread maker, Friedrich Gotthelf
Metzger from Dinkelsbühl took over.
1816 Metzger married the widow of
the gingerbread maker Michael Bühler in Nuremberg. This laid the foundation for
Metzger's company.
At some point in time the factory was relocated to Rathausgasse (see photo below, left),
& his son Johann Georg Karl took over. (Note: This had to still be in the 1800s.) He transitioned it to industrial
production (i.e. made by machines).
On June 5, 1920, the two companies H. Haeberlein and FG Metzger merged to form Haeberlein-Metzger AG.
1976 Theo Schöller acquired Haeberlein-Metzger as part of the "biscuit" division of Schöller-Eis Lebensmittel KG.
1999 The Lambertz Group took over Schöller, & continued to run Haeberlein-Metzger as an independent brand. (Note: A great decision!)
In 2008, I got the postcard on the left (E6,50), & the tin on the right (E6,00), on eBay. Prices included postage inside Germany because a friend was living there for awhile. It was a blessing to have family & friends there, which I need again :) . . . If someone in Germany would volunteer to receive my eBay pkgs. & ship to me once every year - I'd pay the postage - email me, Donna, at breadmuseum@aol.com .
Every Lebkuchen company has its own recipe/s for its Lebkuchen products. The kinds & % of nuts are a factor, as are the kinds & amounts of dried fruits (if any), plus the spices, honey, & other ingredients to create the varieties.
And as far as tins go throughout the past years, there are times when the company will put out a tin with just the F. G. Metzger name on it (e.g. tins in the shape of a "book" in the photo), but I don't know if any of the tins of recent years have only had the Haeberlein name. That name always seems to be in combination with Metzger.
Today the H-M brand is only sold to the trade. Lambertz, the parent company/owner of H-M, has a retail line to sell & ship to individuals, & includes "some" of the H-M tins, but not all! That makes it difficult because the H-M tins & chests are then only sold in Germany as far as I know, possibly in shops, plus they would also be at the H-M booths at the Christkindlmarkts throughout the country. Therefore, many aren't available in the U.S. unless through an importer, or a family/friend who lives there (as in the military) & would send to you.
ARCHIVE of Haeberlein, Metzger, and Haeberlein-Metzger tins (dose) and chests (truhen)
Regarding the following . . . round, square, hexagonal (6 sides), octagonal (8 sides), or other tins classified as a 4-, 5-, 6-, or an 8-stuck tin means there are that many Lebkuchen cookies inside. In English, the German "stuck" rhymes with American English "spook." The most common is the round, 6-stuck tin. (This is not a complete inventory of all the H-M tins in the core collection. As time is available, more will continually be added.)
Tins are photographed first with the cover which determines shape and some of the size. Then, beginning with the seam on the left, and turning the tin clockwise, the sections or panels are shown.
2021 & 2022 Christmas seasons --- one of the loveliest - EUR 15.42 in Germany (all EUR prices are w/out shipping);
called Imperial Box in 2021 & Kaiser Can in 2022. Has a double paper label on the bottom. (ToT #3823 & #3952)
2022 - The Book Box with the F. G. Metzger name, but the H-M logo. (brown this year)
2022 - The F. G. Metzger dose (i.e. tin)
1987:
1986:
1983:
Years Unknown: Therefore, 1980 or before.
Years Unknown: Therefore, 1980 or before.
