Dear friends of the Schwibbogen,
please allow me to briefly introduce you to the origins of the Schwibbogen and the tasks and goals of our factory.
The name Schwibbogen comes from architectural usage. It refers to a “floating arch” that stands freely between two sections of wall.
Whether this name also served as the inspiration for the arched tunnel entrance of the mines, known as the “mouth hole”, is quite likely, but cannot be proven with certainty. However, it is clearly proven that the Erzgebirge Schwibbogen has its origins in mining.
The oldest known Schwibbogen was made in 1778 by the miner S. F. Teller in Johanngeorgenstadt. Schanzbogen, around 1935 It shows the depiction of the “fall of man” of Adam and Eve and their expulsion from paradise, which is typical for the oldest pieces. These depictions remained the dominant motif for the following decades. It was only after about 1820 that a change occurred, with the miner himself becoming the dominant motif.
Since the beginning of the 20th century, the function, distribution and motif design of the candle arch changed significantly.
As a popular light carrier, it now also found its way into the Christmas rooms of the Ore Mountains. Since then, the metal “Schwarzenberger Schwibbogen” made for an after-work show in 1937 and the wooden “Seiffen Schwibbogen” designed by the then director of the Seiffen toy school, Max Schanz, around 1935, have gained particular importance. Its defining motif is the famous Seiffen church. Surrounded by small miners’ houses, it stands in the center of the arch in a snowy winter landscape. And this small “Seiffen Schwibbogen” became crucial for Klaus Kolbe’s further professional development.
Further development of the Schanzbogen by Klaus Kolbe in 1986 As a trained cabinetmaker, he decided in 1990 to set up a small, independent family business together with his wife, daughter and son-in-law and thus to take the plunge into the harsh conditions of the market economy. After training in drawing and painting with the artist Max Christoph, Klaus Kolbe finally wanted to pursue his real interests as an artisan.
The starting point for his new activity was the aforementioned “Seiffen candle arch”, which was only made by master wood turner Arthur Stiehl, who wanted to stop production. From him he acquired the rights to continue producing the arch, which has since formed the basis for the work of today’s factory. Klaus Kolbe’s main concern was to preserve this valuable product of Seiffen folk art for posterity and to develop it further in a meaningful way in the spirit of genuine tradition.
In 2000, granddaughter Jenny began training as a wooden toy maker in the company’s own factory. She then went straight on to study for a master’s degree, so that the company’s succession was secured. In 2012, grandson Robin, a trained mechatronics engineer, joined the company. The following pages of our new catalog will show you that Klaus Kolbe’s family still attaches great importance to maintaining the company’s image and traditions in continuing the company’s history.
A lot of creativity, a wealth of ideas and the fact that the factory is exclusively handcrafted and has highly motivated and qualified employees were the prerequisites for this. These candle arches are no longer just traditional light carriers at Christmas time, but their further developments also reflect the mining and cultural history of the Ore Mountains.
And with these small works of art, the entire Klaus Kolbe factory wishes you a lot of joy and contemplative hours.
Manufaktur Klaus Kolbe GmbH
Steinhübel 31
09548 Kurort Seiffen
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