Ankerwerk

Ankerwerk is a historic manufacturing works in Rudolstadt, Thuringia, Germany, best known as the birthplace and production site of Ankerstein building blocks (Anker-Steinbaukästen), a mineral building-block system that is regarded as the world's oldest systematic construction toy. The enterprise was founded in 1876 by Friedrich Adolf Richter as F. Ad. Richter & Cie., initially producing chemical-pharmaceutical preparations and remedies. The building-block line, invented by the brothers Otto and Gustav Lilienthal, drove rapid expansion, and by 1880 Richter had erected a dedicated production building in Rudolstadt. Branch offices and subsidiaries followed in Vienna, St. Petersburg, London and New York, and Richter became a purveyor to the imperial and royal court. After Richter's death in 1910 the works were divided into separate companies, and in the 20th century the site shifted toward cosmetics, plasters (Ankerplast) and medicines. Following expropriation it became the state-owned VEB Ankerwerk Rudolstadt in 1953, later producing eye drops, aerosols and sprays, and in 1974 it was folded into the Pharmaceutical Combine Arzneimittelwerk Dresden. After 1990 the pharmaceutical business passed through the Treuhand privatization agency and was eventually absorbed into the Hexal group and then Novartis/Sandoz as Aeropharm GmbH. The Ankerstein building-block tradition was revived separately: the state-owned VEB Anker-Steinbaukasten had been dissolved in 1963, but in 1995 production restarted as Anker-Steinbaukasten GmbH with support from the EU and the state of Thuringia. In 2009 Gerhard Gollnest and Fritz-Rüdiger Kiesel took over the company, linking it to the Gollnest & Kiesel toy group (goki, HEIMESS, HOLZTIGER, 'cause). In August 2017 the AWO (Arbeiterwohlfahrt) Rudolstadt assumed ownership, and the business continues as Ankerstein GmbH, manufacturing hand-finished Ankerstein blocks from quartz sand, chalk, linseed oil and pigments at its Rudolstadt manufactory.

The history of Ankerwerk begins in 1876, when Friedrich Adolf Richter, a native of Herford, founded F. Ad. Richter & Cie. in Rudolstadt as a manufacturer and distributor of chemical-pharmaceutical preparations and remedies. Rudolstadt, then part of the Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, had not ratified the German medicines law of 1871, which gave Richter greater entrepreneurial freedom than elsewhere; local raw materials for his pharmaceutical products also favored the location. Richter soon broadened his range to include chocolate, musical automata and printed materials, but it was the Anker-Steinbaukästen — building blocks invented by the brothers Otto and Gustav Lilienthal — that triggered rapid expansion. In 1880 Richter erected a new building for their production, and an attached art institute for illustrators and architects developed the building plans for the sets. Branch offices and subsidiaries were established in Vienna, St. Petersburg, London and New York for what is considered the world's first systematic construction toy. As a k.u.k. court and chamber supplier, Richter reached even imperial nurseries. After Richter's death in 1910, his heirs wished to split the works into several independent firms. From 1921 into the 1930s the AG was divided into individual companies under majority shareholder Alfred Eversbusch, who kept them linked through his person. After the end of the war, production of cosmetics, plasters (Ankerplast) and remedies resumed under Eversbusch. Following his expropriation, the state-owned enterprise was renamed VEB Ankerwerk Rudolstadt in 1953. From 1969 it produced eye drops, and from 1970 additionally aerosols and sprays. In 1974 the firm was integrated into the Pharmaceutical Combine Arzneimittelwerk Dresden. After 1990 the company passed into the ownership of the Treuhandanstalt and in 2003 was taken into the Hexal group as Aeropharm GmbH, which was acquired by Novartis in 2005 and integrated into Sandoz. Within that group, Aeropharm GmbH is responsible for the global development and production of asthma sprays and eye drops. The building-block tradition followed a separate path. The state-owned VEB Anker-Steinbaukasten had already been dissolved in 1963. Through an initiative by acoustics professor Georg Plenge and with support from the EU and the state of Thuringia, production of Anker-Steinbaukästen resumed in 1995 under the name Anker-Steinbaukasten GmbH. In 2009 Gerhard Gollnest and Fritz-Rüdiger Kiesel took over the company, making it part of the Gollnest & Kiesel group, which produces and distributes traditional toys under the brands goki, HEIMESS, HOLZTIGER and 'cause. At the 2010 International Toy Fair in Nuremberg, newly developed Ankerstein children's toys were presented for the first time, including a starter set in the classic series. In April 2010 the Ankerwerk moved into a new production building at Breitscheidstraße 95, with a 400-square-meter office and exhibition wing and a new automatic press. In 2012 the Faculty of Education at the University of Hamburg presented the final report of a one-year study on the pedagogical significance of construction play and specifically Anker-Steinbaukästen. In August 2017 the AWO (Arbeiterwohlfahrt) Rudolstadt took over the company, which continues as Ankerstein GmbH.

• 2017

  AWO Rudolstadt takes over the company, which continues as Ankerstein GmbH.

• 2012

  University of Hamburg presents final report of a one-year study on the pedagogical significance of Anker-Steinbaukästen.

• 2010

  New Ankerstein children's toys presented at the Nuremberg International Toy Fair; new production building at Breitscheidstraße 95 occupied in April.

• 2009

  Gerhard Gollnest and Fritz-Rüdiger Kiesel take over Anker-Steinbaukasten GmbH, part of Gollnest & Kiesel.

• 2005

  Hexal is acquired by Novartis and integrated into Sandoz.

• 2003

  The pharmaceutical business is taken into the Hexal group as Aeropharm GmbH.

• 1995

  Anker-Steinbaukasten production resumes as Anker-Steinbaukasten GmbH with EU and Thuringia support.

• 1990

  The company passes into the ownership of the Treuhandanstalt.

• 1974

  The firm is integrated into the Pharmaceutical Combine Arzneimittelwerk Dresden.

• 1970

  Production expands to aerosols and sprays.

• 1969

  Production of eye drops begins.

• 1963

  The state-owned VEB Anker-Steinbaukasten is dissolved.

• 1953

  After expropriation, the state-owned enterprise is renamed VEB Ankerwerk Rudolstadt.

• 1921

  Under main shareholder Alfred Eversbusch, the AG is divided into individual companies.

• 1910

  Friedrich Adolf Richter dies; heirs plan to split the works.

• 1880

  Richter erects a new building for the production of Anker-Steinbaukästen in Rudolstadt.

• 1876

  Friedrich Adolf Richter founds F. Ad. Richter & Cie. in Rudolstadt as a chemical-pharmaceutical manufacturer.

• 1875

  Brothers Otto and Gustav Lilienthal develop the recipe for mineral building blocks from quartz sand, lime and linseed oil varnish.

Traditional, sustainable, pedagogical system toy made in Germany; positioned as a durable, haptic, intergenerational alternative to digital play and plastic construction toys.

• Ankerstein building blocks

  Hand-finished mineral building blocks made from quartz sand, chalk, linseed oil and pigments; compatible across generations.

• Starter sets

  Entry-level sets for first simple builds, compatible with larger sets.

• Extension sets

  Supplementary sets to expand existing builds.

• Schloss Moritzburg themed bundle

  Seven-box set to build Schloss Moritzburg, including new dome and arch stones.

• Anker Classic

  Classic line of Ankerstein building sets.

1. 1Ankerstein Bausteine | Nachhaltige Bau- und Lernspielzeuge made in Germany | Ankerstein GmbHanker-bausteine.de
2. 2Ankerstein GmbH – Traditionelles Spielzeug aus Rudolstadt seit 1880 | Ankerstein GmbHanker-bausteine.de
3. 3Presse & Medienberichte über Ankerstein – Tradition & Nachhaltigkeit | Ankerstein GmbHanker-bausteine.de
4. 4Marken- und Manufakturgeschichte | Ankerstein GmbHanker-bausteine.de
5. 5Ankerwerk (Rudolstadt) – Wikipediade.wikipedia.org
6. 6Ankerwerk – Wikidatawikidata.org