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| 1 | Improving marksmanship The Maritz, a family of smelters Precision drilling became more and more important over the course of the 18th century, as the manufacture of machinery and firearms became increasingly complex. Johannes Maritz, a lathe operator from Burgdorf, contributed his share to the process: in 1714 he developed a technique for drilling perfect cannon barrels out of cast metal parts. The Maritz sons learnt the art of casting in France and used their father’s invention in their own work. Samuel Maritz ran the Usine des Forces Motrices in Geneva, and manufactured weapons, fire engines and bells. From 1748 onwards, he produced cannons for the Bernese artillery. His younger brother Jean, as well as many of his later descendants, went on to produce weapons for many different countries. Some of his descendants became citizens of France or the Netherlands. Craftsmanship that had originated in Burgdorf became known throughout Europe. |
| 2 | Model of a Maritz gun drill. 18th century, scale 1:20. |
| 3 | Samuel Maritz-Mussard (1705-1786). Oil painting by Sigmund Barth, 1758. |
| 4 | Model of the hundred pound “Eagle” mortar, developed by Samuel Maritz, 1754. Heavy weapons like this were intended for places such as the Bernese fortress Aarburg. On loan from the Bern Historical Museum |
| 5 | Robust business The Nottaris Foundry In 1842 the town clerk Johann Ludwig Schnell and the German merchant Max Schneckenburger opened an iron and bronze foundry in Oberburg. As well as locomotive wheels and ventilated stoves, they also produced smaller items like inkpots and paperweights. In 1925 the Nottaris family took over the company. Today Nottaris Ltd. and Nottaris Bauguss Ltd. produce cast parts for industry and construction. |
| 6 | Bronze figurine from the Schnell & Schneckenburger foundry, Oberburg, late 19th century. |
| 7 | Cast iron bust of General Guillaume Henri Dufour, one of the founders of the International Committee of the Red Cross. Cast by Schnell & Schneckenburger, Oberburg, circa 1850. |
| 8 | Adjustable cast iron manhole cover for underground maintenance shafts. On loan from Nottaris Ltd. |
| 9 | Storm drain for use outside buildings. On loan from Nottaris Ltd. |
| 10 | Iron cast of Jean Tinguely’s dungarees (spheroidal graphite cast iron), 1992. The artists Bernhard Luginbühl (1929-2011) and Jean Tinguely (1919-1991) had parts of their sculptures cast in Oberburg in the 1980s and 1990s. On loan from Nottaris Ltd. |
| 11 | The foundry in Oberburg. The drawing shows what it was like around 1871. |
| 12 | Casting iron at Nottaris Ltd. in Oberburg, 2019. |
| 13 | Bedding and more The Schmid family linen mill Around the middle of the 18th century, the Schmid family founded a linen weaving company in Eriswil in the Langetental. Following the inauguration of the Bern-Olten railway, the company moved its administration and delivery offices to Burgdorf. In 1894 the family opened a mechanised weaving mill here, capable of weaving all kinds of fabrics for households and hotels. The Schmid weaving mill was taken over by Schwob & Co. Ltd. of Bern in 1980, who kept the mill in Burgdorf. |
| 14 | Small cart used to measure panels of fabric, mid-19th century. |
| 15 | The logos etc. of the many international hotels and companies that have bought textiles from the Schmid weaving mill. |
| 16 | Traditional knives Klötzli Cutlery Johann Ulrich Klötzli from Zauggenried was born poor. In 1853 the pastor of Burgdorf agreed to help the young man start an apprenticeship with the cutler Burri. Upon Burri’s death, J. U. Klötzli took over his workshop and expanded it. The sixth generation of the Klötzli family still runs the company today. The cutlery company manufactures knives and scissors. It also sells them, sharpens them and provides workshops on sharpening them. On loan from Klötzli Cutlery |
| 17 | Horn-handled cheese trier by Ernst Klötzli, circa 1950. |
| 18 | From 1975, Kötzli mainly exported plastic-handled cheese triers to France, the Netherlands and the United States. |
| 19 | Part of a farmer’s knife and other sample pieces (knife blade templates). |
| 20 | An apprentice knifemaker’s examination piece: a farmer’s knife – a hand forged, horn-handled jackknife. |
| 21 | Jackknife with a carbon handle, in production since 1995. Handmade. |
| 22 | Bite by bite Alpina Cheese Walter Gerber invented spreadable cheese in 1911, but wasn’t able to patent it. Soon, other manufacturers started copying the cheese product, since it meant they could use lower quality cheese. In 1919, several Emmental cheese exporters founded the Alpina company and used their leftover scraps of cheese to make spreadable cheese. What made them different was that they packaged their cheese into portions. The Alpina registered manager built the first packaging machine himself. In 1983, Gerber, the original spreadable cheese inventor, took over Alpina and production was moved from Burgdorf to Thun. |
| 23 | Cheese boxes from G. Roth & Co. and Alpina, approx. 1925 to 1980. Partly on loan from the Roth Foundation Burgdorf |
| 24 | Off-road The Aebi machine factory Anyone working in agriculture or public roads today will have heard of Aebi. In 1883, Johann Ulrich Aebi founded his machine factory in Lyssachstrasse in Burgdorf. There, he produced mowing machines, sowing machines and fire hoses. In 1932, Aebi developed the first rolling-element mower. From 1950 onwards, the company mainly focused on developing agricultural machinery for mountain terrain. In 2006, Aebi merged with the German Schmidt Group, a snow plough specialist, to become the Aebi Schmidt Group. The Aebi Schmidt Group belongs to PLC Holding, which is based in Frauenfeld. On loan from Aebi Schmidt Group |
| 25 | Advertising poster, circa 1920 (reproduction). |
| 26 | Mobatime clock, 2000. This clock adorned the passerelle of the former Aebi machine factory on Lyssachstrasse in Burgdorf until 2020. Donation Alfred Müller Ltd. |
| 27 | Metal hoarding, circa 1925 (reproduction). |
| 28 | Metal hoarding, 1966. |
| 29 | May the best mower win Industrialization was gathering speed and more and more workers were joining the factories. In agriculture, labour began to be in short supply. The Economic and Charitable Society of the Canton of Bern promoted the modernization of agriculture. In 1897, they organised an exhibition of mowing machines in Burgdorf. Sixteen international manufacturers exhibited their machines and took part in a mowing competition. Local mechanic Johann Ulrich Aebi won, to the delight of several thousand spectators. In just ten days, Aebi sold 500 examples of his “Helvetia” mower. |
| 30 | International mower competition on 26 May 1897 in Burgdorf. |
| 31 | Aebi Mower AM52. From 1951 to 1968, Aebi sold 28,000 examples of this motorized mower. The mower can also be used for various other activities. The AM52 remains widely used today. On loan from Aebi Schmidt Group |
| 32 | Aebi machine models 1 Rolling-element mower, 1932 2 Helvetia 6-fork tedder, 1884-1961 3 Helvetia hay rake, 1883-1969 4 Seed drill with articulated front axle, 1883-1968 5 Field and meadow roller, 1918-1965 6 Potato harvester, 1912-1961 7 Single-piston liquid manure pump, 1930-1971 8 High-pressure centrifugal liquid manure pump, 1912-1976 9 Straw baler, 1889-1961 10 Forage harvester, 1944-1961 11 AM53 single-axle tractor with plough implement, 1952-1965 12 AM53 single-axle tractor with cable winch implement 13 AM53 single-axle tractor with potato harvester implement 14 AM53 single-axle tractor with cutter bar implement 15 AM53 single axle tractor with tedder implement 16 AM53 single-axle tractor with power take-off 17 Terratrac TT270 steep-slope implement carrier, 2004-2013 18 Terratrac TT211 steep-slope implement carrier with rotary mower, in production since 2014 |
| 33 | “Little Munich” Beer and Burgdorf In 1730, Grimm, a pastry chef, brewed Burgdorf’s first beer. His brewery continued to flourish throughout the 19th century, storing beer in the rocky caves of Lorraine. A second brewery appeared in Burgdorf in 1800 in Lochbach. The third was founded in 1871 in Steinhof. The small town became home to three large export breweries, earning the nickname “Little Munich”. The beery bliss was brief – after the First World War, all the breweries closed down. It was only in 1999 that Burgdorf could once again lay claim to a beer: the Burgdorfer. |
| 34 | Burgdorf brewery posters: Lochbach, 1875 Christen, 1895 |
| 35 | Bottles for beers brewed by the Christen, Lochbach, Steinhof and Gasthausbrauerei breweries in Burgdorf. |
| 36 | Victim of the economic crisis The Lenco record player company In 1925, Fritz Laeng began selling electronics in Burgdorf. In 1946, he and his wife Marie founded the Lenco Burgdorf company, which manufactured record players and exported them worldwide. The economic crisis of the 1970s hit the company hard, and it struggled to compete with cheaper products coming from Asia. In 1979 Lenco went bankrupt. Only the name survived, and today the brand belongs to a Dutch business group. |
| 37 | The 1967 Lenco L75 was Lenco’s most popular record player. |
| 38 | Lenco portable record player, early 1970s. |
| 39 | From a stable to space PB Swiss Tools When Paul Baumann took over a small smithy in Wasen in the Emmental in 1914, it was mainly producing mousetraps and nose rings for cattle. During the Second World War, Paul Baumann began to produce equipment for the Swiss army. Today, the family-run company continues to use Paul Baumann’s initials in its name and remains based in Wasen. As well as screwdrivers, the company also manufactures specialised tools for use in operating theatres and even makes tools designed for use in space. On loan from PB Swiss Tools |
| 40 | Screwdrivers from 1941, 1953, 2001, 2005, 2016 (from left to right). |
| 41 | Screwdrivers from 1941, 1995, 2016 (from left to right). |
| 42 | Offset screwdrivers from 1958, 1982, 2001 (from left to right). |
| 43 | Angle scriber (1998), jointing and joint removal tool (2003), awl (1959). |
| 44 | Hex socket screwdriver with special handle, 1965 – 2015. |
| 45 | Surgical tools for removing screws, 2011. |
| 46 | Hammer type hand tools, 1949 / 2012. |
| 47 | Mallets from 1967, 1985 and 2017 (from left to right). |
| 48 | Precision and horn honking Moser-Baer In 1938, Wilhelm Moser-Baer founded a watch factory. There, along with three employees, he produced pendulum watches. Today, the Sumiswald-based company not only manufactures timekeeping instruments but also medical equipment used in orthopaedics, surgery and sports medicine. The Moser-Baer Group also includes Mobatime, the company that manufactures clocks for SBB railway stations. Among Moser-Baer’s customers is another transport company – Postbuses use Sumiswald technology to honk their horns. On loan from Moser-Baer Ltd. |
| 49 | Printed server circuit board used for time synchronization, 2020. Printed circuit boards like this one are used in the servers that synchronise the clocks at SBB stations. |
| 50 | Electronic clock, 2019. The clock is set by a signal sent from a master clock. |
| 51 | Surgical hammer for screw removal or insertion, chrome steel, circa 2000. |
| 52 | Data logger, 2019. Devices like this one record important data in case of accidents and are used in federal vehicles. |
| 53 | Radio-controlled clock dating from the early days of electronic clocks, circa 1980. |
| 54 | Surgical reamer bit for operating on the acetabulum, 2019. |
| 55 | Reamer for operating on the acetabulum, circa 2000. |
| 56 | Reamer, circa 2000. Surgeons use tools like this to remove bone and make space for implants. |
| 57 | Postbus horn, 1964. Inspired by Gioacchino Rossini’s opera “William Tell”, Moser-Baer has been producing this distinctive-sounding horn since 1940. |
| 58 | Mobatime station clock. SBB employee Hans Hilfiker created the clock in 1944. Moser-Baer has been supplying the technology to make it work since 1947. |
| 59 | Sweet-smelling shoes JLco and the Lüthi Group In 1920 Jacob Lüthi took over a shoe business. He called it J. Lüthi & Co, which was shortened to Jlco. Today, Jlco Professional sells shoes only to major customers. In 1953, the Lüthi family founded another company, Sanitized SA, which manufactures antibacterial products. From shoes to chemicals may seem like a big step, but it’s really quite logical. Sanitized’s products make sure your shoes don’t smell. On loan from Sanitzed Ltd. |
| 60 | A fleeting message Advertising for Jlco shoes meant really getting your feet wet. In the 1930s, the Burgdorf shoe retailer invented a walking advertisement stamp. Hidden under their clothes, the advertiser would carry a water tank. Water would then run through tubing, down to the soles of special shoes, and every step would leave a JLCOFIX stamp on the asphalt. |
| 61 | Jlco shoes from the 1890s, 1950s, 1970s and 2019. |
| 62 | Treating shoes and clothing with Sanitized products reduces the smell of perspiration. |
| 63 | Poster for Jlco Sanitized, 1963, designed by Viktor Rutz. |
| 64 | Ready for breakfast Kentaur Cereal Products In 1846, the Bichsel family bought a mill in Lützelflüh and started producing rolled oats. At the time, this was a novelty in Switzerland. When the doctor Maximilian Bircher-Benner invented birchermuesli around 1900, the mill launched the first ready-made muesli on the market. The mill sold its products under the name Kentaur. In 1985 it abandoned the brand and has since been producing cereals of all kinds for retailers all over Europe. Today Kentaur is the largest cereal producer in Switzerland. On loan from Kentaur AG |
| 65 | Cornflake and muesli packaging made by Kentaur Ltd. for Coop and Migros. |
| 66 | Rolled oats packaging, 1930s. |
| 67 | In the 1950s and 1960s, the company put toys in Kentaur muesli packages as a way of attracting younger customers. |
| 68 | Industrial and medical gases Gloor and Gloor Medical Gloor first started manufacturing equipment that produced acetylene (a gas used in welding machines) in 1935. The company gradually expanded its range of gases and welding equipment. Today it produces valves and flow meters as well as welding, brazing and gas cutting equipment. The Burgdorf-based company also expanded into medical gas products. On loan from Gebr. Gloor AG |
| 69 | This acetylene generator converts water and carbide into acetylene, which can then be used for welding and cutting, 1940. |
| 70 | Gas welder, 2019. It produces a flame by burning acetylene, which can then be used to weld or cut. |
| 71 | Reducing valve for oxygen cylinders, 2019. The valve serves to lower the pressure in oxygen cylinders (up to 200 bar) down to the pressure required for welding (2.5 bar). |
| 72 | Gas and vacuum outlets (vacuum to create suction) in a hospital, 2019. Left: vacuum regulator. Middle: pressure reducing valve for medicinal gas. Right: flow meter for medicinal gas. |
| 73 | Giving diabetics greater independence Ypsomed medical technology In 1984, the brothers Willy and Peter Michel founded the medical technology company Disetronic in Burgdorf. Their first product was the world’s first portable insulin pump. Twelve years later, Disetronic was the first company from Burgdorf to be floated on the stock exchange. In 2003, the company changed its name to Ypsomed, inspired by the Latin “ipso” for “yourself”, since hormone injection systems let patients self-medicate. On loan from Ypsomet Holding AG |
| 74 | H-Tron portable insulin pump from Disetronic, 1985. The pump continuously released insulin. For the first time, diabetics no longer needed to inject themselves with insulin multiple times a day. |
| 75 | Insulin syringes and injection systems manufactured by Disetronic / Ypsomed, 1991 to 2019. The syringes, known as pens, reflect the progress made in digitisation. Today, syringes transmit data from the patient directly to their doctor. The pens can be used to inject various other substances as well. |
| 76 | Insulin pump with infusion set, 2016. The smallest pump on the market uses a touch screen. |
| 77 | Disetronic bearer share certificate with voting rights. In 1996, Disetronic was the first Burgdorf-based company to float on the stock market. |