Lefima

Lefima GmbH is a German manufacturer of percussion instruments, headquartered in Cham, Bavaria. The company traces its origins to 1861, when Ernst Leberecht Fischer founded a drum workshop in Markneukirchen, Saxony. The name "Lefima" is derived from the founder's surname (Leberecht Fischer) and the founding location (Markneukirchen). Over the decades, Lefima established itself as a specialist in drums and timpani, serving orchestras, marching bands, wind bands, medieval music groups, schools, kindergartens, and music therapy. The company survived the turmoil of the 20th century, including expropriation threats in East Germany, and was re-established in Cham in 1961. Today, Lefima is known for its innovative lightweight marching drums, concert timpani, and custom drum designs. Its product range includes bass drums, snare drums, parade drums, field drums, tenor drums, timbales, and timpani, with numerous series such as CarboStroke, CarboBoost, UltraLeicht, and Klassik. Lefima has received several awards, including the Bavarian State Prize in Gold in 2000, and holds a Guinness World Record for the lightest marching drum. The company remains family-owned and continues to produce high-quality percussion instruments at its Cham facility.

Lefima's history begins on 26 October 1861, when Ernst Leberecht Fischer founded a drum manufactory in Markneukirchen, Saxony. The name "Lefima" is derived from the founder's surname (Leberecht Fischer) and the founding location (Markneukirchen). The company initially produced solo drums and, from 1862, also small series of bass drums. In 1867, the Zeughaus in Dresden purchased 80 military drums. Fischer received awards for "drums and temperine" at the 1889 World Exhibition in Paris, the bronze medal at the 1869 Wittenberg trade and industry exhibition, and a "Diplom Second Class" at the 1879 Altenburg exhibition for firefighting equipment. The product range soon expanded to banjos, wind harps, and music stands. In 1893, son Ernst Albin Fischer took over the company, which introduced health, accident, and pension insurance for employees. "Lefima" became a trademark, and the first concert timpani were built. Under the "Sultan" brand, Lefima manufactured cymbals in-house. In 1897, Lefima received the silver medal at the Saxon-Thuringian Trade Exhibition in Leipzig. In 1927, a product catalog with new drum models was published, for the first time also in English. In 1938, son Curt Fischer took over and modernized the machinery. The product range was expanded to include orchestral xylophones and small instruments. In the 1930s, Lefima built its first "Double-Snare" drums, followed by the first dance drum sets in 1939. After World War II, in the 1950s in East Germany, the company began producing a comprehensive range of instruments for early musical education in kindergartens and schools. Käthe Fischer, the daughter of the company, married engineer and craftsman Karl-Heinz Aehnelt. His first development was foot machines with double ball-bearing beater holders and adjustable spring tension. The socialist planned economy made running a company difficult. Facing imminent expropriation, the family decided to flee to West Germany, smuggling important tools and some personal items out of the country through trusted customers. In May 1961, the family escaped to the West. Lefima was re-established in Cham, Upper Palatinate. In 1962, the first two employees were hired. Through the integration of "TA-Werkzeugbau" in 1961, Lefima was able to build its own fixtures and machines for new products. The current Lefima logo was created. The first third of the 1960s was marked by innovations in drum sets. Karl-Heinz Aehnelt designed retractable screw tips, a hi-hat stand, lugs for the "Hobby" series, a new miniature strainer, and supports for the new "Roxie" drum series. In 1973, a new and modern production hall was built in the industrial area of Cham. Despite good order situation in the drum set sector, the company recognized the threat of mass production from the Japanese cheap market and discontinued drum set production in 1974. The focus shifted to the marching sector and orchestral instruments. Karl-Heinz Aehnelt designed a crank machine timpani for travel and musical education in schools. In the late 1970s, orchestral mallet instruments were introduced. The large orchestral drums of the "Klassik" series were created, and for the marching sector, portable bass drums with veneered and stained wooden cylinders were produced. In 1981, in close collaboration with Siegfried Fink from the Würzburg University of Music, a special line of historical instruments was developed. In 1983, Karl-Heinz Aehnelt took over the company. By the late 1980s, the product range included 120 different drum and 10 timpani models. In 1990, the "Exclusive-Series" was created for the high demands of wind orchestras. In 1991, "historical drums with modern technology" followed, equipped with screw tension and decorative rope. In 1997, son Stefan Leberecht Aehnelt took over the company. For the development of the first foot fine-tuner for concert timpani and a "servo support," the company received the "Bavarian State Prize in Gold" in 2000. In 2001, the "lightest marching drum in the world" was entered into the Guinness Book of Records. In 2006, a new production hall was inaugurated. In 2009, Lefima built its millionth drum at the Cham location. In spring 2011, the company celebrated its 150th anniversary.

• 2011

  Celebrated 150th anniversary.

• 2009

  Millionth drum built at Cham location.

• 2006

  New production hall inaugurated.

• 2001

  Lightest marching drum in the world entered into Guinness Book of Records.

• 2000

  Received Bavarian State Prize in Gold for timpani innovations.

• 1997

  Stefan Leberecht Aehnelt took over the company.

• 1991

  Introduced historical drums with modern technology.

• 1990

  Introduced 'Exclusive-Series' for wind orchestras.

• 1983

  Karl-Heinz Aehnelt took over the company.

• 1981

  Developed special line of historical instruments with Siegfried Fink.

• 1974

  Discontinued drum set production, focused on marching and orchestral instruments.

• 1973

  New modern production hall built in the industrial area of Cham.

• 1962

  First two employees hired in Cham.

• 1961

  Family fled to West Germany; Lefima re-established in Cham.

• 1939

  First dance drum sets produced.

• 1938

  Curt Fischer took over the company and modernized machinery.

• 1927

  Published product catalog with new drum models, first time in English.

• 1897

  Received silver medal at the Saxon-Thuringian Trade Exhibition in Leipzig.

• 1893

  Ernst Albin Fischer took over the company; 'Lefima' became a trademark.

• 1889

  Received award for drums and temperine at the World Exhibition in Paris.

• 1867

  Zeughaus in Dresden purchased 80 military drums.

• 1862

  Started production of small series of bass drums.

• 1861

  Ernst Leberecht Fischer founded a drum manufactory in Markneukirchen, Saxony.

Traditional German manufacturer of high-quality percussion instruments, specializing in marching and concert drums with a focus on innovation and lightweight design.

• CarboStroke series

  Marching bass drums including Bayaria, Kid's, Nuss, and Nano models.

• CarboBoost series

  Marching bass drums including Kid's, Nuss, and Nano models.

• CarboStruck series

  Marching bass drums including Pro and CarboPitch models.

• UltraLeicht series

  Lightweight marching drums including Professional, Performance, Deluxe, Offensive Power BUL, Kid's Small, Girl's Drum, Kid's Medium, and UltimateDrums Klassik.

• Snare drums

  Ultraleicht Wood, Metal, Vintage, Kid's Wood, Kid's Metal, Professional Snare Hybrid, Standard Wood, Standard Metal.

• Parade drums

  Ultraleicht Wood, Vintage Hybrid, Vintage, Metal, Double-Snare, Solid, Armeemodell, Kid's Wood, Hybrid Historia, High-Tension PowerSnare.

• Field drums

  Ultraleicht Single, Double, Hybrid, Vintage Hybrid, Kid's Single, Kid's Double, Kid's Hybrid, Historia Hybrid.

• Tenor drums, toms, timbales

  Ultraleicht Pro TimpToms, Ultraleicht High-Tension TimpToms, Timbales ultraleicht, PowerToms, Pipe Band Tenortrommel, Hochtrommel.

• Concert timpani

  Aehnelt Pauke, Berliner Pauke, Dresdner Pauke.

• Timpani

  Barock-Riemenpauken, Riemenpauken, Barockpauke.

• Drum design

  Custom head design and shell design services.

1. 1Lefima - Marching und Konzert Percussionlefima.de
2. 2Lefima - Über Lefimalefima.de
3. 3Lefima - Wikidatawikidata.org
4. 4Lefima - Wikipedia (German)de.wikipedia.org