ED. Kruspe carefully built high quality brass instruments for more than 175 years.

The name Kruspe is mentioned in the prerogatives of the town of Erfurt as far back as 1530.

In 1833 Karl Kruspe took over the Erfurt workshop of the master to whom he had been apprenticed, the instrument maker Karl Zielsdorf.

Together with his two sons Eduard and Friedrich, Karl Kruspe established the special workshop for brass instruments that was later to become world famouse.

In 1864, Eduard Kruspe became the proprietor of his father's workshop.

Eduard Kruspe

* 1864: Taking over the company, which was first founded in 1833 from Carl Zielsdorf * 1893: Eduard Kruspe retires from the daily business and his son Fritz takes over the company. Further on Eduard is still attached to the business and keeps his development work for new models up.

With his outstanding artistic talent and extraordinary skills, he consolidated the good reputation that Kruspe instruments had acquired by that time.

In 1897 Fritz and Walter, Eduards sons, developed the first workable F-B double horn.

In 1920 control of the firm passed to Prof. Georg Wendel, Eduard Kruspe's son-in-law, who had been a horn player with the Boston Symphony Orchestra for 20 years and had taught for 16 years as Professor for Horn at New England Conservatorium in Boston, Mass. USA.

Prof. Georg Wendel

* 1909: Firtz Kruspe dies and his widow takes care of the company * 1920: Eduard's son in law, Prof. Greog Wendel, decides to manage the business in Erfurt.

Rudi Schneider took over the workshop in 1956. He had learned the instrument-making trade under Fritz Kruspe.

Rudi Schneider

* 1936: Rudi Schneider first starts working for Kruspe * 1956: Rudi Schneider becomes proprietor of the traditional workshop

Things became increasingly difficult for the firm after 1945. Obtaining materials, in particular, became more and more difficult and as a result barely any new instruments could be made. For 20 years, Mr. Schneider was the only master craftsman working at the firm.

Peter Heldmann has owned the firm between 1979 and 2011. He also completed his apprenticeship and journeyman training in the famous company.

Peter Heldmann

* 1952-1962: apprenticeship as craftsman for brass instruments with ED.KRUSPE * 1963-1969: apprenticeship and master in mechanical engineering * 1969-1975: diploma engineer for mechanics * 1979: taking over the company from Rudi Schneider and qualification as master craftsman for building brass instruments