THE LIFE STORY OF GUSTAV GENSCHOW

25. May 1862

Our founder Karl Gustav Adolf Genschow entered the world in the eastern city of Stralsund on 25 May 1862, the seventh and youngest child to the merchant Julius Genschow and his wife Marie (née Gerth). The boy was just nine when he lost his father. But what was likely the most painful experience in his life did not prevent him from progressing from primary school to grammar school, where he consistently earned the respect of the teaching staff.

1880 - 1883

After graduating from school, he completed his one year of voluntary military service and then embarked on a commercial apprenticeship in the ironware and coal department at C.A. Beug Reederei, Getreidehandel, Kohlen-Import, Eisen-Engros. He completed the qualification at Easter 1882. After a variety of relevant positions in Stralsund and Berlin, he joined a company in Copenhagen in 1883 and was made company officer after only one year.

1885

His journey continued to Linden near Hannover in the winter of 1885, where he accepted a position at Zündhütchen- und Tonwarenfabrik – one of the oldest munitions factories in the German Empire at the time. This was the first occasion that the young man came into contact with the manufacture and sale of pyrotechnic products. It was likely the industry and the products that informed Genschow’s decision to become self-employed at the tender age of 25. He requested from his employer – and was granted – the exclusive right to sell the products in Berlin and in many other parts of the German Empire and the border zones.

25. August 1887

The budding entrepreneur founded his company ‘Gustav Genschow’ on 25 August 1887. Besides ammunition, it also sold firearms for hunting and sports with the tag line ‘exclusively for dealers’ from day one. Its first entry in the company register dates from the same day. The young businessman set up his office on Schützenstraße 10 in Berlin. At the time, the location was in the direct vicinity of the Berliner Tagesblatt daily newspaper – its immediate neighbours today would be the Axel Springer publishing house and the Federal Ministry for the Environment and Nature Conservation. Another noteworthy fact: Germany’s largest private security service now operates from this address.

01. Januar 1889

The sole proprietor recruited additional manpower to cope with his company’s rapid growth. His brother-in-law Wilhelm Seebach became a partner in the business in autumn 1888. The dealership there became a general partnership under the registered name ‘Gustav Genschow und Compagnie’ (GECO) on 1 January 1889. Hunting equipment was added to the portfolio. The company also became general distributor for the popular ROTTWEIL cartridges. Growth continued, so the business moved to Charlottenstraße in Berlin just a year later.

1899 - 1902

It was under this address that GECO really started to flourish, building on its strong position in the German and international firearms and ammunition trade. By 1902, the company’s assets had grown ten-fold in the first fifteen years of its existence. Revenues amounted to 840,000 marks, before the business went public. This was all the more remarkable, as it happened just a short time after the Panic of 1873. It was only natural then that the facilities, equipment, revenue and workforce grew from year to year. Fifty years later, the company was able to draw on reserves of over five million Reichsmark.

Genschow also bought a number of factories between 1899 and 1903. Among them was the Badische Schrot- und Gewehrpfropfenfabrik in 1899 or Durlacher Zündhütchen- und Patronenfabrik, which was added in 1903. The two companies were merged with Gustav Genschow & Co on 1 May 1906. These acquisitions enabled the company to join the ranks of ammunition and shot factories and become a well-known and relevant production site. Its significance for the German munitions supply grew rapidly, although it primarily manufactured peacetime ammunition: Flobert and revolver cartridges, rimfire cartridges, pistol cartridges, hunting cartridges, cardboard cases, brass cases, primers of all kinds, hunting shot and seals. The principal focus was placed on the needs of hunters and competitive shooters. Military ammunition was mainly produced for export markets.

22. March 1907

The company went public on 22 March 1907, and the “GECO” headquarters moved to larger and more modern premises in Berlin. Expansion and modernisation remained firmly in the hands of the entrepreneur at all times. With the same priorities that apply today: “Expanding the portfolio and ensuring a varied programme” and always “Outstanding quality in the services of hunting and sport.” Many years of success, growth and international expansion followed. Among others, the company established sales subsidiaries in Berlin, Hamburg, Cologne and Vienna to cultivate more efficient distribution connections to the foreign markets (overseas, Balkans, Austria-Hungary).

28. January 1917

The ammunition factory, which had already made quite considerable deliveries of war ammunition abroad, placed itself entirely at the service of German national defence during the First World War. The wives and daughters of board members also worked at the machines in the factories. Facilities were expanded steadily to manufacture infantry and machine gun ammunition, along with pistol shells, mortar mines and rifle grenades etc. Wilhelm Seebach, co-founder of the company, succumbed to a heart attack at the age of 58 on 28 January 1917. It was probably the excessive exertions of working through the War that damaged the health of this “man of tireless creative joy” with such terminal effect. The outcome of the War and the death of the co-founder presented General Director Karl Gustav Genschow with new and at times controversial challenges.

Post-War era

Despite all the difficulties of the post-War era, the shot factory developed into one of Germany’s most important facilities of this kind. The ammunition factory also regained its commercial equilibrium and enjoyed continuous success. Not only were the products from the two factories among Germany’s most pre-eminent brands, they were also appreciated in expert circles around the world thanks to adroit networking on the international markets. It would be fair to say: The success and global prestige of the GECO brand is already rooted in the company’s history.

Placed on the market as GECO carbines and GECO sporting rifles, the small-bore rifles quickly became popular due to their exemplary shooting performance and excellent value for money, as did the matching ammunition. This is aptly demonstrated by the numerous successes with GECO weapons in sport shooting, including European and World Championships.

1921

Despite all the difficulties of the post-War era, the shot factory developed into one of Germany’s most important facilities of this kind. The ammunition factory also regained its commercial equilibrium and enjoyed continuous success. Not only were the products from the two factories among Germany’s most pre-eminent brands, they were also appreciated in expert circles around the world thanks to adroit networking on the international markets. It would be fair to say: The success and global prestige of the GECO brand is already rooted in the company’s history.

Placed on the market as GECO carbines and GECO sporting rifles, the small-bore rifles quickly became popular due to their exemplary shooting performance and excellent value for money, as did the matching ammunition. This is aptly demonstrated by the numerous successes with GECO weapons in sport shooting, including European and World Championships.

1927

A cooperation agreement was signed with Rheinisch-Westfälische Sprengstoff-Aktien-Gesellschaft, i.e. Dynamit-Aktiengesellschaft, in 1927 to strengthen the long-standing and amicable relationships between the companies. The world-famous ammunition and powder products from these factories then topped the list in the sales programme. The relationships helped to calm the market and reduce the cost price, ensuring steady and favourable rates for consumers in important areas. But the objective always remained the same, namely to offer “outstanding quality in the services of hunting and sport.” Our founding father Genschow would likely have been proud – and rightly so. Today, even 62 years after his death, his guiding principle remains firmly embedded in the brand’s DNA.

1963

All factory facilities owned by Genschow & Co. AG were transferred to Sprengstoff- und Munitionsfabrik Dynamit Nobel AG in 1963.

GECO today

Dynamit Nobel AG became part of the Swiss technology group RUAG in 2002. To this day, RUAG Ammotec division remains successfully under the auspices of the parent company as a largely pyrotechnic division. GECO ammunition is now manufactured according to the strictest quality controls at sites in Germany, Switzerland, Sweden and Hungary. The brand encompasses a wide-ranging portfolio comprising hunting and sports ammunition as well as a selection of optical products.