1st generation 1867 - 1887
1867
Wilhelm Schmitz-Scholl founds the company "Wilh. Schmitz-Scholl". The company focuses on the wholesale of colonial goods of all kinds as well as the import of coffee and tea.
1887
Wilhelm Schmitz-Scholl dies at the age of 56. The company passes into the hands of his two sons - Karl and Wilhelm Schmitz-Scholl.
2nd generation 1887 - 1933
1887
The company passes into the hands of his two sons - Karl and Wilhelm Schmitz-Scholl.
1893
The company “Hamburger Kaffee-Import-Geschäft Emil Tengelmann” is registered in the city of Bochum. The name of the company was derived from one of the authorized signatories.
1906
Wilhelm Schmitz-Scholl leaves his executive position and sets up the Rheinische Zuckerwarenfabrik confectioners in Düsseldorf. Karl becomes the sole managing director.
1912
The company launches production at the cocoa and chocolate factory “WISSOL” in Mülheim an der Ruhr.
1933
Karl Schmitz-Scholl dies at the age of 64. His daughter Elisabeth Haub, nee Schmitz-Scholl, and his son Karl Schmitz-Scholl Jr. inherit equal shares of the company and assume the position of managing partners.
3rd generation 1933 - 1969
1933
Karl Schmitz-Scholl Jr. becomes sole managing partner, with his sister Elisabeth Haub as co-partner.
1953
Opening of the first Tengelmann self-service supermarket in Munich's Leopoldstrasse. This was among the first of its kind in Germany.
1968
Elisabeth Haub lays the foundations for the company’s environmental commitment by establishing the Karl-Schmitz-Scholl Fund.
1969
Karl Schmitz-Scholl dies childless. His nephew, Erivan Haub, becomes the sole managing partner of Tengelmann.
4th generation 1969 - 2000
1969
Erivan Haub becomes sole managing partner of Tengelmann.
1971
The group acquires Kaiser’s Kaffee-Geschäft AG (later Kaiser’s Tengelmann)
1972
The grocery discount retailer Plus opens its first stores.
1979
The group makes an initial investment in the US chain The Great Atlantic and Pacific Tea Company (A&P) and gradually increases its holding to become majority shareholder.
1984
Expansion of the environmental commitment under the eco-label of frog and turtle.
1985
The group begins to strategically diversify by gaining a majority share in OBI, a chain of DIY home improvement stores.
1990
Entry into the textile retail business through the takeover of Modea (later Takko).
1993
Tengelmann celebrates its 100th anniversary. This year is also the first year in which sales surpass the 50 billion German Mark threshold. This makes the Group one of the largest food retail chains in the world.
1994
Founding of the apparel and non-food retailer KiK.
5th generation since 2000
2000
Erivan Haub transfers responsibility of operations to his sons Karl-Erivan W. and Christian W. E. Haub and assumes the position of Group CEO.
2003
Tengelmann Group ceases its chocolate production operation and Wissoll is sold.
2004
Founding of non-food discount retailer TEDI.
2009
Merger of Plus with Netto Marken-Discount, a subsidiary of the Edeka group.
2010
The group begins its involvement in e-commerce and participates in the start-up Zalando and Babymarkt. This is the starting point for the venture capital activates of the group.
2012
Following the sale of A&P, Tengelmann, through its subsidiary Emil Capital Partners, launches its new US venture activities focusing on investing in promising start-ups." Tengelmann realigns its real estate activities into Trei Real Estate.
2013
At the age of 80, Erivan Haub resigns from his position on the advisory board of the group.
2016
Kaiser's Tengelmann is sold to the Edeka group at the end of the year.
2017
The Tengelmann Group celebrates its 150th anniversary in September.
2018
On 6 March 2018 Erivan Karl Matthias Haub dies in Pinedale, Wyoming, USA.
Since April 7, 2018 Karl-Erivan W. Haub is missing after a ski tour at the Matterhorn region.
Christian W. E. Haub takes over the sole management of Tengelmann on 17 April 2018.
2019
Tengelmann Warenhandelsgesellschaft KG ceased operations on 12/31/2019. Tengelmann Twenty-One KG takes over operations with a new orientation and strategic focus.
2020
The Tengelmann site in Mülheim-Speldorf was sold to the Viennese Soravia Group in May.
In November, the book "Tengelmann im Dritten Reich" ("Tengelmann in the Third Reich") was published by Klartext-Verlag, shedding light on the role of the Group during the Nazi regime.
At the end of the year, Tengelmann acquired all shares in the textile discounter KiK. In return, the shares in the non-food discounter TEDi were transferred to the H.H. Group with effect from the end of April 2021.
2021
In May, Karl-Erivan Haub is declared dead by the Cologne Local Court.
In June, Christian Haub acquires the late Karl-Erivan Haub's share in the Tengelmann Group. Christian Haub thus becomes the majority shareholder of the Group. The remaining shares are held by his brother Georg Haub.
In fall, the Tengelmann Group's headquarters will be relocated from Mülheim an der Ruhr to Munich. This step follows the realignment of the parent company as a strategic holding company already initiated at the beginning of 2019.