Wöltje GmbH & Co. KG

Wöltje GmbH & Co. KG is a German photo retail company headquartered in Oldenburg, Lower Saxony. Founded in 1912 by August Friedrich Carl Wöltje and his wife Helene as a "Photographische Anstalt" (photographic institute) in Haarenstraße 33, it ranks among the oldest specialist shops in Oldenburg. The business began as a portrait and family photography studio, added a photo retail shop in 1926, and over the twentieth century grew into a substantial photo retail group. At its peak in the 1980s and 1990s, the Wöltje Gruppe operated roughly 300 to 400 sales outlets in Germany under banners such as IVEMA, FOTOPOINT and Grohbrügge, and ran a wholesale operation that at the height of analogue photography sold more than 30 million rolls of 35mm film per year to drugstores, grocery chains and photo dealers. The company's history is closely intertwined with that of CEWE. In 1961 Heinz Neumüller, who had joined the firm after the 1948 currency reform and later became its leading figure, founded a photo laboratory business that grew into today's CEWE Stiftung & Co. KGaA. The CEWE name itself was formed from the initials of his father-in-law Carl Wöltje (CW). Wöltje is included in CEWE's consolidated financial statements and is part of the CEWE Group. With the shift from analogue to digital photography, the market changed fundamentally. In 2006 the company was split up: the wholesale business, the Telepoint electronics stores and the FOTOPOINT/Grohbrügge branches were sold, leaving only the original Wöltje stores in Oldenburg within the company. As of 2020 Wöltje operated two sales outlets and a photo studio in Oldenburg, plus an online shop for cameras and an online shop for photo work. The company employs around 15 people across its store, web shop and studio. Today Wöltje positions itself as a professional partner for photographic needs, serving amateurs, enthusiasts and professional photographers. It sells cameras, lenses and accessories, offers CEWE photo products such as photo books, and provides photographic services ranging from passport and visa photos to wedding and event coverage and object photography such as jewellery or reproductions. It also runs customer seminars on photographic topics, CEWE photo book design and photo travel, and is a training company for the occupation of Fotomedienfachmann (photo media specialist).

Wöltje was founded in 1912 by August Friedrich Carl Wöltje and his wife Helene as a "Photographische Anstalt" (photographic institute) at Haarenstraße 33 in Oldenburg. In its early years the studio produced typical portrait and family photographs. With the outbreak of the First World War in 1914, Carl Wöltje was deployed as a war photographer, and his wife continued to run the studio on her own. In 1916 Wöltje bought the house at Heiligengeiststraße 6 and moved both the studio and his private residence there. In 1926 a photo retail shop was attached to the studio. After the 1948 currency reform, son-in-law Heinz Neumüller joined the business and developed it into an internationally known company in the photo industry. In 1957, represented by Neumüller, the company was a founding member of the "Fachschule des deutschen Photo- und Kinohandels" (technical school of the German photo and cinema trade) in Kiel. In 1961 Neumüller founded his own photo laboratory operation, from which the CEWE Stiftung & Co. KGaA later developed; the CEWE name was formed from the initials of his father-in-law Carl Wöltje (CW). During the 1980s around 300 branches in Germany belonged to the Wöltje Gruppe, operating under the IVEMA or FOTOPOINT names and located mostly in consumer markets or city centres. In 1989 Wöltje opened its first large Telepoint specialist store for TV, hi-fi, video, computers, recorded media, major and small electrical appliances, car radios and telecommunications in Oldenburg, with a total area of 2,300 square metres, marking the beginning of its specialist-store operations. At the end of 1998 it took over the Bremerhaven company Grohbrügge with 75 retail shops, growing the Wöltje Gruppe to around 400 sales outlets. Through its large branch network, Wöltje was able to buy goods such as films and cameras at favourable prices and opened its own wholesale operation. At the height of analogue photography it sold more than 30 million rolls of 35mm film per year to drugstores, grocery chains and photo specialist retailers. With the onset of digital camera technology, the market situation changed. In 2006 the company was divided: the wholesale business, Telepoint and the FOTOPOINT/Grohbrügge branches were sold, and only the few original Wöltje branches in Oldenburg remained with the company. By 2020 Wöltje operated two sales outlets, a photo studio in Oldenburg, and an online shop for cameras and one for photo work. The company employs around 15 staff and is included in the consolidated financial statements of CEWE Stiftung & Co. KGaA. Today it offers cameras, lenses and accessories, customer seminars on photographic topics, CEWE photo book design and photo travel, and is a training company for the Fotomedienfachmann profession.

• 2020

  Wöltje operates two sales outlets, a photo studio in Oldenburg, and online shops for cameras and photo work.

• 2006

  The company is split up; wholesale, Telepoint and FOTOPOINT/Grohbrügge branches are sold, leaving only the original Wöltje stores in Oldenburg.

• 1998

  Wöltje takes over the Bremerhaven company Grohbrügge with 75 retail shops, growing the group to around 400 outlets.

• 1989

  Wöltje opens its first large Telepoint specialist store in Oldenburg with 2,300 m² of floor space.

• 1980

  Around 300 branches in Germany belong to the Wöltje Gruppe, operating as IVEMA or FOTOPOINT.

• 1961

  Heinz Neumüller founds a photo laboratory operation, from which CEWE Stiftung & Co. KGaA later develops.

• 1957

  The company is a founding member of the "Fachschule des deutschen Photo- und Kinohandels" in Kiel, represented by Neumüller.

• 1948

  After the currency reform, son-in-law Heinz Neumüller joins the company.

• 1926

  A photo retail shop is attached to the studio.

• 1916

  Wöltje buys the house at Heiligengeiststraße 6 and moves the studio and residence there.

• 1914

  Carl Wöltje is deployed as a war photographer; Helene Wöltje runs the studio alone.

• 1912

  August Friedrich Carl Wöltje and his wife Helene found the "Photographische Anstalt" at Haarenstraße 33 in Oldenburg.

Professional partner for unforgettable photo experiences, serving amateurs, enthusiasts and professional photographers from a traditional Oldenburg specialist shop.

• Cameras

• Lenses

• Camera accessories

• CEWE photo books

• Photo prints and photo work

• Passport and visa photos

• Wedding and event photography

• Object photography (jewellery, reproductions)

• Customer seminars on photography and CEWE photo book design

• Photo travel

1. 1Willkommen bei Wöltje - Dein Fotohändler in Oldenburgwoeltje.de
2. 2Wöltje (Oldenburg) - Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3Wöltje - Wikipedia (German)de.wikipedia.org