IPBA Kleiner Brothers Company History

“PATRA – your perfume around the world” was written in neon letters above the roofs of Kurfürstendamm in the 1960’s. Behind it was the once very successful German perfume and cosmetics manufacturer Gebrüder Kleiner (Kleiner Brothers).

The company was founded in 1928 by the then 17-year-old industrial clerk Alfred Kleiner and his 22-year-old brother Richard Kleiner, initially as a wholesaler of hygienic rubber goods in Berlin-Tempelhof. According to Berlin address books, the company was located at Fürbringer Str. 20a in Berlin-Kreuzberg from 1933 to 1939. During this period, the in-house production of cosmetic items began. In 1936 the company name was changed to “Elite-Gummi Gebrüder Kleiner” and the business expanded to include wholesale of hygienic rubber goods and scented water.

During the Second World War, the company was continued by the wives of the two brothers. In 1940 the headquarters were on Belle-Alliance-Str. 21 (later: Mehringdamm). The business premises were badly damaged by artillery fire in 1945. After the war, the company had to be rebuilt and was renamed Gebrüder Kleiner in 1946 and switched to producing perfumes and cosmetics. In 1947 the move to Berlin-Tempelhof took place at Bayernring 1.

From 1946 to 1948, the bitter perfume “Patra”, inspired by French scents, was developed. However, due to the lack of raw materials and the blockade of Berlin, it was not sold until 1950. The introduction of this quality brand marked the big breakthrough in Germany. The special scent and the affordable price ensured many buyers in the post-war period. The wide price range of “Patra” products meant that all groups of buyers were catered to. The products were distributed throughout the Federal Republic via the distribution warehouses of various representatives. The entire world market was also supplied with intensive export business. As the leading Berlin perfume producer, the Kleiner brothers were even able to successfully assert themselves in competition with American and French competitors.

After Richard Kleiner’s death in 1953, his widow Kätchen Kleiner and Albert Kleiner were the personally liable partners. Due to the constant expansion of business, there have been many moves in the company’s history. From 1948 to 1955, the production and business premises at Bayernring in Tempelhof were expanded to 1,680 square meters with additional rooms.

It wasn’t until 1956 that they finally settled in their own commercial building at Tempelhofer Ufer 9 in Kreuzberg with a permanent workforce of 100 people, 90% of whom were women. On this property, the company had office and factory space with a usable area of ​​4,500 square meters. This corresponded to twice the capacity compared to the previous location in Tempelhof.

As a counterpart to “Patra”, “Berlin” was released, a perfume with a sweet note. 85% of the company’s sales were covered by perfumes. The “Patra” brand accounted for 30% of the total German perfume production. In 1958 the annual turnover was around 4 million DM and the company received a business license to trade in an expanded range of goods in the import and export business. These included raw materials, semi-finished products and finished goods (bags and leather goods, silk fabrics, chemical products for medicinal purposes and health care, paints, food, spirits, cardboard products, cleaning products, containers and vessels made of wood or aluminum, clothing, etc.). In the same year, protection of the “Patra” trademark for product class 42 was applied for at the German Patent Office.

In the 1960’s, the Kleiner brothers owned 22% of German perfume production. Sales ran through 19 distribution warehouses in West Germany, a sales office in Hamburg and several foreign representatives. In addition to “Patra”, the men’s range “Orienta Tabac” with Eau de Cologne and aftershave was also part of the range. The “Patra” care series also included nourishing and decorative cosmetics such as facial toner, make-up and lipstick. From 1960 onwards, the distribution of products from the French company SOPHIE NERVAL was taken over. The product catalog also included “Patra” Eau de Cologne, “Alt Berlin Lavender”, “Carava” aftershave and cologne water. Perfumes from the French company MURY were sold from 1965 onwards.

An advertising film from the 50’s/60’s shows the extensive product range of the “Patra” series: “A scent from Berlin” – A Fischerkoesen film.

In 1970 the company was transformed into Gebrüder Kleiner GmbH, which was then taken over by the Henkel Group. However, the company continued to operate as an independent medium-sized company. At that time, approximately 10,000 customers were served, including 1,500 wholesalers and approximately 8,500 retail customers. The Henkel Group used Gebrüder Kleiner GmbH to conduct its cosmetics business with the GDR.

In 1971, Mr. Alfred Kleiner left the management. His role was taken over by Siegfried Schugens. By 1974, Gebrüder Kleiner GmbH was able to almost double its sales. This was followed by a big celebration for the company’s 50th anniversary in 1978. At that time, the company had over 100 employees. To relieve the burden, a new production building was inaugurated on Englische Straße in Charlottenburg in 1981, in which new products were also manufactured. The investments for this amounted to 16 million DM.

In 1986 the company was renamed “Columbia Cosmetics GmbH”. The headquarters remained in Berlin, but the original brand name “Gebr. Kleiner” went out. In 1995 the company was sold by Henkel.

Source: Archivspiegel article by Tania Estler-Ziegler

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Perfumes of Kleiner Brothers:

Berlin 1935 Silhouette of Brandenburg gate on label
Kleiner 1935
Patra 1935
Lavendel 1950
Cosa 1954
Metroberlin 1955
Renommée 1961
Chypre
Patra A ‘line’
Rose
Veilchen Violette

Source: Perfume Intelligence

See items by Brothers Kleiner in our Virtual Museum