History Schlumpf

Born in Omegna, Italy, Hans (1904) and Fritz (1906) are the sons of Carl and Jeanne Schlumpf. Carl is Swiss, Jeanne is from Mulhouse.

The story of the Schlumpf family begins in 1906 in Mulhouse, when the mother moves to her hometown. A few years later, the father died in 1918. Hans was then sent to a private school in Switzerland, where he obtained a higher diploma in business. Fritz attended the public high school in Mulhouse.

Fritz bought his first Bugatti. In 1939, he joined the board of directors of the worsted wool mill in Malmerspach, in the Thann valley (Haut-Rhin). He became CEO in 1940.

After the war, he took control of Tissages Deffrenne in Roubaix. Then, in 1956, he acquired the worsted wool mill in Erstein and the HKC mill in Mulhouse. In 1957, the Schlumpf brothers lost their mother Jeanne, to whom they later dedicated the museum. It was around this time that Fritz started to collect old cars. After 1960, the purchases multiplied and the Mulhouse factory ceased its activity and then welcomed the collection.

In 1971, a new factory was acquired: the Gluck spinning mill in Mulhouse, as well as the prestigious Hôtel du Parc. Work continues in the former HKC factory, which is gradually transformed into a museum.

1976-1979 Fritz and Hans Schlumpf sell their factories “for a symbolic franc”. The group files for bankruptcy and the two brothers take refuge in Basel. They are prosecuted in the French courts and the story of the Schlumpf brothers ends like this. The workers occupy the museum (1977) and, for two years, open it to the public.

Since the end of the 19th century, the automobile has been part of our lives. Then, it became much more than an object and crystallized all the purposes commonly granted according to our enthusiasm or our reluctance. But to say that the car is expensive, noisy, polluting, cumbersome, slow, irritating, ugly, invasive, fragile, dangerous, aggressive, in a word “harmful”, is to forget at the same time that it is beautiful, fast, autonomous, pleasant, comfortable, available, solid, exciting, silent, economical, in a word “indispensable”.

How can we not see in the automobile one of the major facts of the 21st century, the cause of the most irritating traffic jams but also of the warmest encounters! Few objects in our environment share with us such a presence, such a complicity, such a part of our lives, sorrows and joys mixed. Our autonomy has its servitudes. It is therefore not surprising that the Museum intends to gradually become a true center of culture and reflection on the automobile. Its richness and the scope of the subject lead it to do so. Other factors, linked to the city of Mulhouse and to the presence of other museums, are also encouraging it to do so.