1937 Michael Thonet's great-grandson, the engineer Georg Thonet, 
comes from Vienna to Frankenberg and takes over the tubulär Steel 
division. 
1938 Leopold Pilzer is forced to emigrate to the USA due to his Jewish 
descent. He makes a previous agreement with Richard and Victor 
Thonet. In this contract Pilzer agrees to return the Mundus Group's 
shares to Richard and Victor Thonet in return for all Stocks belonging 
to the German Gebrüder Thonet AG and all shares in the Austrian 
Gebrüder Thonet OHG. In addition, Gebrüder Thonet have the 
right to sell furniture called “Thonet’’ in Germany and Austria. This 
permission must be reissued every 25 years. All export transactions 
are handled by the Mundus Group. The name rights for France, 
England, and the USA remain the property of Leopold Pilzer. 
1940 Even betöre Leopold Pilzer leaves Europe, he sends his employee 
Eugene Haiward to the USA to find suitable production sites. 
Production is resumed in existing furniture factories in Statesville, 
York, and Sheboygan. The head Office of Thonet Industries is set 
up by Pilzer himself on New York's Park Avenue. In the years that 
follow, a number of universities and Colleges are furnished with 
Thonet models. 
1945 After the Thonet headquarters at Stephansplatz/Rotentrumstraße 
in Vienna feil victim to the firestorm of 12 April, the factory in Franken 
berg is completely destroyed in an air raid on the directly adjacent 
railyard. All other factories located in the east fall under state control 
after the end of the Second World War. The Companies Thonet 
Frankenberg, Thonet Wien, Thonet Freres, and Thonet Industries 
ultimately produce independently. 
1947 In September, the production of bentwood furniture is started at 
the factory rebuilt by Georg Thonet in Frankenberg. 
1948 Thonet's tubulär Steel furniture production Starts again in rented 
premises in Düsseldorf. The Company Gebrüder Thonet Vienna 
Starts production in a workshop at the Weißgerberlände. The Com 
pany manager is Dr. Fritzjakob Thonet. 
1950 The exports of the German Gebrüder Thonet are handled by the 
Swiss representation of Thonet Industries in Zug. In this year, also 
the first catalog for hotels and restaurants is published. 
1953 Exports to European countries are no longer handled by the Swiss 
representative of Thonet Industries, but are rather carried out directly 
by Gebrüder Thonet following an agreement with Leopold Pilzer. 
The Company Thonet Möbel AG in Zug is dissolved by Leopold 
Pilzer. He hands over the trademark rights to Thonet Freres Paris. 
1954 In Frankenberg tubulär Steel is also processed again in addition to 
bentwood. Substantial parts of the Viennese production are moved 
to Rohrbach/Lafnitz (Styria), where Gebrüder Thonet Vienna leases 
a factory. 
1959 Leopold Pilzer, founder of Thonet Industries Inc., dies, and Bruno 
Weill, Pilzer’s stepson becomes his successor. 
1962 Thonet Freres is sold to Andre Ledere and after Bruno Weill's death 
Thonet Industries Inc. is sold to Simmons. Thonet Industries and 
Gebrüder Thonet agree that Gebrüder Thonet have trademark rights 
within the EEC. 
1963 After several years of leasing, Gebrüder Thonet Vienna builds a 
new factory in Friedberg (Styria). 
1969 The Thonet Company celebrates the 150th anniversary of its found- 
ing by Michael Thonet in Boppard. 
1970 In Frankenberg, a second, 7 200 square meter plant is under 
construction. In the first phase, the expanded areas for the pro 
duction of tubulär Steel furniture, shipping, and upholstering are 
completed. 
1971 In Vienna, at Kohlmarkt 7, the original location of the Cafe Anna 
Daum, Gebrüder Thonet Vienna set up a new sales branch, de- 
signed by Eva and Karl Mang. 
1973 Dr. Fritzjakob Thonet, the founder of Gebrüder Thonet Vienna, dies. 
1975 The two Thonet families exchange their shares; Thonet Germany 
and Thonet Austria are therewith separated in terms of ownership. 
1976 Evamaria Schmertzing-Thonet and Richard E. Thonet, children of 
the deceased Fritzjakob, take over the management of Thonet Aus 
tria; the Company becomes Gebrüder Thonet Vienna. 
1977 The factory in Friedberg is expanded by two production halls. 
1978 The Frankenberg factory is expanded again, this time by several 
thousand square meters. Gebrüder Thonet Inc., is converted into 
a limited Company. Managing Directors are the engineers Georg 
and Claus M. Thonet. Richard E. Thonet becomes part of the 
Gebrüder Thonet Vienna Company. 
1979 Gulf and Western Corporation buys Thonet Industries Inc. from 
Simmons Corporation. 
1981 In Frankenberg, more than 20 000 square meters are available for 
production and storage after another factory extension. 
1987 Thonet Industries Inc. is acquired by Shelby Williams Industries and 
Manfred Steinfeld becomes Chairman of the Board. 
1988 The building on the Weißgerberlände bought by Gebrüder Thonet 
Vienna in 1948 is sold. A new Office building at Berggasse 31 is 
designed by H.-W. Tanos. A year later, the Company can move into 
the building. 
1989 Gebrüder Thonet celebrates the 100-year anniversary of the found- 
ing of the Company in Frankenberg. The Company museum is ex 
panded and reopened for this event. 
1993 New Gebrüder Thonet sales Offices are opened in Dresden, Berlin, 
and Prague. 
1994 Opening of the Thonet Museum in Friedberg. 
1996 The Cologne-based Company Lafo takes over the management of 
Thonet Vienna and one of the co-owners is Wolfgang Mellinghof. 
2001 Gebrüder Thonet Vienna is sold to the renowned Italian upholstered 
furniture manufacturer Poltrona Frau. 
2006 The factory in Friedberg is closed, the Company headquarters is 
moved to Turin. 
2013 Franco Moschini, former President of Poltrona Frau, founds a new 
Company called GTV Wiener Design. 
I 
I 
Firmenschild der Gebrüder Thonet, um 1890, Firmensammlung GTV Wiener Design 
Gebrüder Thonet Company sign, ca. 1890, Company Collection GTV Wiener Design 
297