Inspired by an anniversary: 75 years of the Spielwarenmesse

Warm words on the occasion of the 75th anniversary, addressed by NürnbergMesse CEO Peter Ottmann to the organisers of Spielwarenmesse. The International Toy Fair in 1973 marked the opening of the then new exhibition centre. Since then, the world's leading trade fair has been held annually in Nuremberg – it has only had to be cancelled twice during the coronavirus pandemic. "Presence is the magic word. I am drawn to people, and I look forward to these encounters and conversations every year," Ottmann emphasised during his tour of the Spielwarenmesse.

Courage and foresight characterised the early days: in 1949, four entrepreneurs decided to launch a German trade fair for toys in Nuremberg – Carl Ehmann (Märklin), Ernst Theodor Horn (managing director of AG Spielwarenindustrie), Arno Drottboom (director of VEDES) and Hans Mangold (GAMA). Just one year later, 351 companies presented their new products at the premiere in and around the Wieseler Haus, while 4,300 buyers visited the stands. 

75 years between innovation and tradition

The 75th edition attracted 2,313 exhibitors from 68 countries and almost 60,000 visitors from 121 nations – further cementing the Spielwarenmesse's position as the world's leading trade fair.

Much is new, and some things have changed their name: the international word ‘toy’ has now become established: Toys for Kidults, Toy Community Meetup, Toy Business Forum, ToyNight and Toy City. New trends are being taken up by the industry, and new formats and networking opportunities are being established. ‘We would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone involved for the great cooperation,’ says Christian Ulrich, spokesman for the board of Spielwarenmesse eG.

At the same time, the Spielwarenmesse is not only a driver of innovation, but also preserves traditions – because certain games and their manufacturers never go out of fashion. And so no fewer than 15 exhibitors from the very beginning were also represented with a stand at the anniversary edition. Companies with history, but also with stories. Three classic manufacturers – Ravensburger, Märklin and Haba – opened their archives for Sibylle Dorndorf from Spielwarenmesse eG and talked about their first appearance at the fair.

From the very beginning: Ravensburger, Märklin, Haba

Otto Julius Maier, father of the current Ravensburger CEO Clemens Maier, attended the first toy fair in 1950 at the age of 20: "Our stand was small, maybe 15 square metres in size. Today, it measures almost 1,200 square metres.‘ At the 1959 fair, Ravensburger presented a new type of card game: ’Memory", which is still known and loved around the world today.