Jean Fleischmann
On 9 Mai 1887 Jean Fleischmann established a graphic design workshop in Nürnberg, Germany.
Toy factories used the plaster cast and brass models. In 1898 the Fleischmann Company started to design and produce toys.
Maritime toys
Fleischmann produced mainly maritime toys in the first two decades of the 20th century. About 20 different types of ships were available.
Johann and Emil Fleischmann
Jean Fleischmann died in 1917. His brother became the leader of the company, who's sons, Johann and Emil Fleischmann, took over the lead in 1940.
During WW2 Fleischmann was forced to produce all kinds of military products.
Frankfurter Messe
The model railway of Fleischmann was first shown at the "Frankfurter Messe" (a famous fair in Frankfurt, Germany) in 1949. It was a big hit.
From that moment on Fleischmann became one the best model railway manufacturers of the world.
1960s
During the sixties, when slot car racing became very popular, Fleischmann decided to enter the market with model racing cars. In 1967 the "Rally Monte Carlo" slot car set became available. At the end of the eighties (1989), during the worst period of slot car racing, Fleischmann was sadly forced to end the production of Auto-Rallye.
Fleischmann in 1980s
In the eighties Fleischmann mainly promoted the racetracks and cars in the train catalogues. The last pages in these catalogues were available for Fleischmann Auto-Rallye. Every year this section became smaller.
Downfall of Auto-Rallye
The downfall of Auto-Rallye can not only be blamed to the loss of the slot car market and the boom of video/computer games. According to my opinion Fleischmann was very poor in promoting the product Auto-Rallye. Besides this, Fleischmann probably needed all financial means to keep the model railway competitive.
More information
Continue Fleischmann story
