# E. F. Ohle's Erben

> former manufacturer of metal foils

**Wikidata**: [Q100742789](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q100742789)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/e-f-ohle-s-erben

## Summary
E. F. Ohle's Erben was a German manufacturing company founded in 1788 that specialized in producing metal foils, including tin foil and aluminium foil. It operated as a rolling mill and was later incorporated as an Aktiengesellschaft (joint-stock company) in 1907, with its headquarters located in Wrocław (then part of the German Reich).

## Key Facts
- **Official Name:** E. F. Ohle's Erben Aktiengesellschaft
- **Founded:** 1788 by Ernst Friedrich Ohlen
- **Location:** Headquarters at Anderssenstraße 41/55 in Wrocław, German Reich
- **Primary Products:** Tin foil and aluminium foil
- **Industry Classification:** Metal industry, specifically lead, zinc and tin production, and aluminium production (derived from NACE classification)
- **Legal Form:** Aktiengesellschaft (joint-stock company) from 1907 onward
- **Entity Type:** Organization, business, and rolling mill
- **Identifiers:** 
  - GND ID: 3043672-2
  - PM20 Folder ID: co/044848
  - Wikidata aliases: E.F. Ohle's Erben, Ohle's Erben, AG Ohle's Erben
- **Status:** Former manufacturer (no longer in operation)

## FAQs
**What products did E. F. Ohle's Erben manufacture?**
The company specialized in producing metal foils, specifically tin foil and aluminium foil. Its operations were centered on rolling mill processes within the metal industry.

**When and where was E. F. Ohle's Erben founded?**
It was founded in 1788 by Ernst Friedrich Ohlen in what was then the German Reich, with its later headquarters located at Anderssenstraße 41/55 in Wrocław.

**What was the legal structure of E. F. Ohle's Erben?**
The company began as a traditional firm and was later incorporated as an Aktiengesellschaft (AG), a German legal form for a joint-stock company, starting in 1907.

**In which industries was E. F. Ohle's Erben classified?**
It was classified under the metal industry, with specific associations to lead, zinc and tin production as well as aluminium production, based on 20th-century NACE classification derivations.

## Why It Matters
E. F. Ohle's Erben represents a significant historical example of long-term industrial manufacturing in Central Europe, operating for over a century. Its specialization in metal foil production placed it within critical supply chains for packaging, industrial, and consumer goods during the 19th and early 20th centuries. The company's evolution from a founded enterprise in 1788 to a joint-stock corporation by 1907 reflects broader trends in European industrialization and corporate legal development. Its location in Wrocław (formerly Breslau) ties it to the region's economic history, which shifted national contexts multiple times. Understanding such firms helps trace the lineage of materials science and manufacturing techniques that underpinned modern packaging and metalworking industries.

## Notable For
- **Extreme Longevity:** Founded in 1788, it operated for well over a century, surviving from the late 18th century into the mid-20th century.
- **Specialized Production:** Focused specifically on manufacturing tin foil and aluminium foil, indicating deep expertise in metal rolling and finishing processes.
- **Corporate Evolution:** Transitioned from a founder-led enterprise to a formal Aktiengesellschaft (joint-stock company) in 1907, adapting to modern corporate finance and governance structures.
- **Geographic Anchor:** Maintained a fixed headquarters in Wrocław (Breslau) through periods of significant geopolitical change in Silesia.
- **Historical Record:** Preserved in multiple archival and semantic web systems (GND, PM20, Wikidata), ensuring its place in industrial history documentation.

## Body

### History and Founding
E. F. Ohle's Erben was established in 1788 by entrepreneur Ernst Friedrich Ohlen. The company's name, meaning "E. F. Ohle's Heirs," suggests it was continued by successors after its founder. It operated for more than a century, witnessing the industrialization of Germany and the shifting borders of Silesia. A pivotal corporate change occurred in 1907 when it adopted the legal form of an Aktiengesellschaft (AG), or joint-stock company, a common structure for larger German enterprises seeking capital investment and limited liability.

### Operations and Products
The company's core business was the manufacture of metal foils. Its primary products were **tin foil** and **aluminium foil**, produced through rolling mill operations. This placed it squarely within the **metal industry**. Archival classification links it specifically to the production sectors for **lead, zinc and tin** as well as **aluminium**, derived from NACE (Nomenclature of Economic Activities) classifications applied to 20th-century press archives. The production of foil required precise metallurgical and mechanical processes to achieve thin, uniform sheets of metal.

### Corporate Structure and Location
As a business entity, E. F. Ohle's Erben was an **organization** and an **economic entity**. Its legal identity was that of a **juridical person**. After 1907, its official name was **E. F. Ohle's Erben Aktiengesellschaft**. The company's **headquarters** were located at **Anderssenstraße 41/55 in Wrocław**, which was part of the **German Reich** during the company's operational lifetime (Wrocław was known as Breslau at the time). This location in Silesia was a major industrial region.

### Legacy and Documentation
The company is documented in several knowledge and library systems. It has a **GND ID** (Gemeinsame Normdatei) of **3043672-2** and a **PM20 folder ID** of **co/044848** within the 20th Century Press Archives. Its Wikidata entry lists aliases including "E.F. Ohle's Erben," "Ohle's Erben," and "AG Ohle's Erben." The entity is explicitly described as a **"former manufacturer of metal foils"** and is classified as an **instance of** an **organization**, a **business**, and a **rolling mill**. Its products are definitively listed as **tin foil** and **aluminium foil**. The company is no longer in operation.

## References

1. 20th Century Press Archives