Hannsheinz Porst(1922-2010)
His father, Hanns Porst, founded Photo Haus Porst in Nuremberg in 1919, to which a mail order company was added in 1925. After completing elementary school, he completed an apprenticeship as a toolmaker at Kodak. With the opening of branches in 1929, Photo Porst became the largest photo shop in Germany with 200 employees. At the same time, Hanns Porst was committed to photography courses that were used by beginners and professionals. To do this, he founded the in-house magazine "Fotohelfer". In 1931 the company organized the first customer photo trip, in which 1,300 customers already took part.
In the same year he introduced branded cameras as affordable private labels under the name "HAPO", the abbreviation of his name. After the end of the Second World War and the years of the economic miracle, in which the company boomed again, Hanns Porst handed over management to his son Hannsheinz Porst. The companies Neckermann and Foto-Quelle developed into major competitors. In return, Porst built up a chain of stores and franchise partners. In addition, Porst built a printing press and 500 company apartments outside Nuremberg. The printing company "Maul & Co" produced gravure, offset and letterpress printing.
In 1964, Porst was imprisoned for three weeks on charges of tax evasion. On suspicion of having traitorous ties to the GDR Ministry for State Security (Stasi), Porst was imprisoned again on October 26, 1967. He was only released on bail at the end of December 1967. In 1969, Porst was sentenced to two years and a few months in prison. He began his sentence and was released early from prison in 1970. In 1969, PHOTO PORST celebrated its 50th anniversary. At the same time, the product range was expanded to include items such as radios, record players and tape recorders.
He also founded, among others, Exdata (data processing), DSV (Deutscher Supplement Verlag; rtv) and PORST Wohnungsbau. In 1972, Porst founded an employee company. The Porst data processing company "Exdata" and the Porst foreign branches in Holland and France had to be sold in 1974, and the co-determination authority of the works meeting was given up in the process. The first customer cards were introduced in 1975. By 1978, the PORST company had 1,200 sales outlets in Germany. The company magazine appeared from 1978 as "PORST Photographing and Filming".
In 1979, Hannsheinz Porst retired from the company's management. After the employee company failed, Porst rejoined the company in 1982. A Swiss Interdiscount took over the majority of the capital in the same year. Hannsheinz Porst moved to the company's supervisory board and only left the company again at the end of the 1980s. POTHO PORST AG was founded in 1986 with 2,137 sales outlets. In 1996, the Belgian Spector Foto Group took over PORST AG, followed by other changing owners. By its 75th anniversary in 1994, PHOTO PORST had sales of around 1 billion DM and 2,500 employees, 200 of its own branches and 2,620 sales outlets.
PHOTO PORST AG filed for bankruptcy in 2002, whereupon Porst's central distribution was discontinued. In doing so, the company responded to a general sales change that was accompanied by the import of Asian products and domestic competition. The trademark rights to PORST were then acquired by the RINGFOTO Group, and the rights for the image business were transferred to KODAK. The branch structure was also dissolved. The remaining PORST stores remained as independent retailers within the RINGFOTO Group. Hannsheinz Porst had meanwhile retreated into his private life.
In his private life, Porst most recently lived in seclusion with his wife Luise in his father's former weekend house in Artelshofen near Vorra, east of Nuremberg. Here he dedicated himself to breeding highland cattle and growing fruit and vegetables on his farm. He was the father of four children.
Hanzheinz Porst died on April 29, 2010 in Artelshofen.
In the same year he introduced branded cameras as affordable private labels under the name "HAPO", the abbreviation of his name. After the end of the Second World War and the years of the economic miracle, in which the company boomed again, Hanns Porst handed over management to his son Hannsheinz Porst. The companies Neckermann and Foto-Quelle developed into major competitors. In return, Porst built up a chain of stores and franchise partners. In addition, Porst built a printing press and 500 company apartments outside Nuremberg. The printing company "Maul & Co" produced gravure, offset and letterpress printing.
In 1964, Porst was imprisoned for three weeks on charges of tax evasion. On suspicion of having traitorous ties to the GDR Ministry for State Security (Stasi), Porst was imprisoned again on October 26, 1967. He was only released on bail at the end of December 1967. In 1969, Porst was sentenced to two years and a few months in prison. He began his sentence and was released early from prison in 1970. In 1969, PHOTO PORST celebrated its 50th anniversary. At the same time, the product range was expanded to include items such as radios, record players and tape recorders.
He also founded, among others, Exdata (data processing), DSV (Deutscher Supplement Verlag; rtv) and PORST Wohnungsbau. In 1972, Porst founded an employee company. The Porst data processing company "Exdata" and the Porst foreign branches in Holland and France had to be sold in 1974, and the co-determination authority of the works meeting was given up in the process. The first customer cards were introduced in 1975. By 1978, the PORST company had 1,200 sales outlets in Germany. The company magazine appeared from 1978 as "PORST Photographing and Filming".
In 1979, Hannsheinz Porst retired from the company's management. After the employee company failed, Porst rejoined the company in 1982. A Swiss Interdiscount took over the majority of the capital in the same year. Hannsheinz Porst moved to the company's supervisory board and only left the company again at the end of the 1980s. POTHO PORST AG was founded in 1986 with 2,137 sales outlets. In 1996, the Belgian Spector Foto Group took over PORST AG, followed by other changing owners. By its 75th anniversary in 1994, PHOTO PORST had sales of around 1 billion DM and 2,500 employees, 200 of its own branches and 2,620 sales outlets.
PHOTO PORST AG filed for bankruptcy in 2002, whereupon Porst's central distribution was discontinued. In doing so, the company responded to a general sales change that was accompanied by the import of Asian products and domestic competition. The trademark rights to PORST were then acquired by the RINGFOTO Group, and the rights for the image business were transferred to KODAK. The branch structure was also dissolved. The remaining PORST stores remained as independent retailers within the RINGFOTO Group. Hannsheinz Porst had meanwhile retreated into his private life.
In his private life, Porst most recently lived in seclusion with his wife Luise in his father's former weekend house in Artelshofen near Vorra, east of Nuremberg. Here he dedicated himself to breeding highland cattle and growing fruit and vegetables on his farm. He was the father of four children.
Hanzheinz Porst died on April 29, 2010 in Artelshofen.