The company during the Second World War
Once Adolf Hitler had come to power on 30 January 1933, August Groß was obliged to join the Nazi party. With the outbreak of war in 1939, production had to be converted to producing military uniforms, otherwise the factory equipment would have been requisitioned by the Armaments Commission.
In 1940, August Groß received his conscription order and was a member of the Wehrmacht for seven months from 10 January to 10 August 1940 when he was involved in the campaign in France. Afterwards, he returned to the company which had been managed by his wife Babette Groß in his absence. During this time, production had not been allowed to take place, and his workers had been employed by a company in the Upper Palatinate.
Throughout the following years of the war, five French prisoners of war worked in the company. One of the prisoners of war wrote in a memoir that they were always treated “honourably”. However, it is not known how long they worked there or what their tasks were.
During the denazification process August Groß was categorised as a “follower” based on available documents and witness statements.
1946 – ‘47
The new beginning – the post-war years
In autumn 1946, a low-level of production resumed with approximately 10 employees. In the post-war turmoil, the company faced enormous difficulties. There was a lack of clothing fabrics, sewing thread, buttons, etc. Food and textiles were rationed.
But necessity is the mother of invention: old garments were collected by clothing stores in Nuremberg, including by the Wöhrl company, and sent to the August Groß company where they were unpicked and made into new items of clothing.
1949
In the autumn, the company was boosted by the arrival of Waldemar Groß. Following his schooling, Waldemar undertook a tailoring apprenticeship which he completed in 1950 under the guidance of Hans Poppendörfer, a master tailor, and the Schwab clothing store in Hersbruck.
1950
After training at the textile college in Munichberg, Upper Franconia, Karl, Waldemar’s older brother, joined the company in the autumn of 1950. In the same year the company was registered as a general partnership (OHG).
1951 – ’52
The existing premises became too small. As a result of increasing demand for the company’s goods, a new site was built. The move to the new premises in Waldstraße 145 in Neuhaus took place in December 1951.
The previous year, 70 people had been employed and, by 1957, there were as many as 170 employees. This workforce with nearly a hundred sewing machines and systems, eight cutting machines and six pressing machines, produced 240 women’s and children’s coats as well as 170 sports jackets every day.
1956(01.01.)
Change of company status to GmbH & Co. KG. From now on, the company name was Bekleidungswerke August Groß GmbH & Co. KG.
1957 – ‘58
Planning for an extension was completed in summer 1957. A modern, three-storey reinforced steel and concrete construction was built, into which the company moved as early as January 1958.
The premises were now twice as large they had been and 200 people were employed on site. Production was shifted from women’s and children’s coats to men’s clothing.
