The story
History
The first Sauer company was founded in 1751 by Lorenz Sauer in Suhl in the duchy of Saxe-Hildburghausen, this locality being known as Waffenstadt Suhl in the past because of its many gunmakers. J.P. Sauer & Sohn is the oldest recorded gun maker in Germany.
In 1815 Johann-Gottlob Sauer started managing the firm; in 1835 Johann Paul Sauer became manager. In 1840 that Johann Paul and his son, Lorenz Sauer created the new name and trademark of J.P. Sauer & Sohn.
Timeline (highlights)
1751 — Company founded by Lorenz Sauer, producing mostly military arms for a long time.
1774 — Lorenz found partner, company now is "Lorenz Sauer und J. S. Spangenberg. Coop."
1811 — Sauer becomes first company to provide firearms to a German government (Saxony).
1815 — Johann Gottlob Sauer assumes management.
1835 — Johann Paul Sauer assumes management, founds his own workshop in 1836.
1839 — Johann Paul partners with Ferdinand Spangenberg, company is "Spangenberg & Sauer".
Read the full text
1840 — Johann Paul Sauer and son Lorenz create a new name and trademark J. P. Sauer & Sohn.
1844 — Luxurious double-barrel musquets (early shotguns), hunting arms become more important now.
1849 — Coop with Spangenberg and Heinrich Sturm, company now "Spangenberg, Sauer u. Sturm, Suhl".
1873 — Johann Paul Sauer and his sons Rudolf and Franz found the company J. P. Sauer & Sohn.
1879 — Company patents backloading rifle.
1880 — Company starts hunting rifle manufacture in Berlin, as there is more and more demand now.
1881 — Patents for innovative "Drilling" (combination gun), won a Gold Medal at World Exhibition.
1882 — First produced product catalogue known, Rudolf and Franz Sauer owners of the company.
1884 — Branch "Vereinigte Waffenfabriken H. Pieper, Lüttich und J. P. Sauer & Sohn, Suhl" opens, Berlin.
1891 — Patented extractor for folding guns and patent for an expanding bullet.
1893 — Company makes first real shotgun, coop with "Krupp" for steel for special rifle barrels.
1894 — Franz Sauer is now the sole owner of the company.
1898 — First Sauer semi-automatic pistol introduced.
1902 — Company patents a kick-bolt action.
1909 — Patent for single trigger design for double guns.
1904 — Franz Sauer's son Hans becomes partner of the company.
1911 — Franz Sauer's son Rolf-Dietrich becomes partner of the company.
1915 — Company introduces the Model 25 Drilling.
1922 — Shotgun model "Habicht" (Hawk), first typewriter "Stolzenber-Fortuna" produced.
1924 — Franz Sauer dies.
1930 — Model 30 Drilling introduced, also in "light steel".
1931 — Model 31 "Bockbüchsflinte" or "Bockdoppelbüchse"/cape gun introduced.
1932 — Model 32 Drilling created, subsidiary in Berlin is closed because of Great Depression.
1933 — Model 33 "Bockflinte" (over/under shotgun), also as "Bockbüchse" and "Bockbüchsflinte".
1936 — Models 36 and 37 'Kipplaufbüchsen' created, trigger devices for double guns, double safety.
1938 — Safety device for drilling guns to choose which barrel to use.
1941 — Sauer produces military arms almost exclusively again until end of war, e.g. "Karabiner 98k".
1941 — The "Drilling M30" ("Luftwaffedrilling") for airplane crews, made by Sauer & Sohn in Suhl.
1945 — Factory taken over by Soviets, production resumed for war reparations, Hans Sauer captured.
1948 — Communist regime in DDR (East Germany) is established, Rolf-Dietrich moves to West Germany.
1950 — Fortuna (ex Sauer), Ernst-Thälmann-Werk (ex Haenel), Merkel, Greifelt merged to "MEWA Suhl".
1950 — Rolf-Dietrich Sauer sells rights so a new enterprise in BRD (West Germany) is being formed.
1951 — Newly established "J. P. Sauer & Sohn" in BRD, first in Düsseldorf, year later Eckernförde.
1953 — In East Germany, VEB Ernst Thälmann Works still using "Sauer" brand name on their products.
1966 — In West Germany, "Sauer & Sohn GmbH" acquired by Kompressorenfabrik Wilhelm Poppe, Kiel.
1970 — East German firms integrated into "VEB Ernst Thälmann" (use of "Sauer" product name ceases).
1972 — Rolf-Dietrich Sauer dies.
1976 — Sauer & Sohn Maschinenbau (ex "Poppe") sells "Sauer & Sohn hunting arms", part of "SIG".
2000 — "SIG" holding sells "SIG Sauer" name and arms business to Lüke & Ortmeier Gruppe holding.
From Wikipedia’s article on Sauer & Sohn, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.4