The founding family
The founding family Imhoff
Hans Imhoff (1922-2007) was a native of Cologne and entrepreneur who, in his own words, had a "heart of chocolate". One of the Rhinelander's dreams was always to delight people with his own great passion, chocolate. On October 31, 1993, he finally opened the Chocolate Museum at the top of the Rheinauhafen - financed out of his own pocket and without any public funding - which is now well-known and popular in Cologne and far beyond. Hans Imhoff passed on his love of chocolate and undoubtedly of his home city of Cologne to his family. After his death in 2007, his wife Gerburg Klara Imhoff took over the management of the museum. Since 2016, his daughter Annette Imhoff and her husband Dr. Christian Unterberg-Imhoff have been running the company together. The second daughter, Susanne Imhoff, is chairwoman of the non-profit Imhoff Foundation, whose broad commitment particularly benefits the citizens of the city of Cologne.
He was born in 1922 as the son of a master locksmith in Cologne's Fleischmengergasse. Even as a child, he was beguiled by the aroma of chocolate from the nearby Stollwerck factory. He spent almost his entire life with and for chocolate. First in Bullay on the Moselle, where he founded his own successful chocolate factory after the Second World War. Later in Cologne, where he restructured the traditional Stollwerck Group and turned it back into a leading company in the confectionery industry.
In 1993, he made his dream come true and had his chocolate museum built in Cologne's Rheinauhafen for 53 million Deutschmarks. This decision was triggered by a coincidence - because a large proportion of today's exhibits would have ended up in the bin by a hair's breadth in 1975, when the Stollwerck company moved to Cologne-Porz. Many large boxes, whose contents were considered "junk" and "scrap", were to be thrown away. Imhoff took a closer look at the supposed junk and discovered real treasures. After moving into the new building in Porz, Imhoff commissioned the now deceased art historian and museologist Professor Vaclav Hepner to sift through the old collection. At that time, one of the main focuses of the collection was on exhibits documenting the history of the Stollwerck company. The concept was subsequently expanded extensively. Items relating to the cultural and industrial history of chocolate were and are collected.
With the Chocolate Museum, Hans Imhoff enriched Cologne with a landmark. He died on 21.12.2007
She continued her husband's idea after his death until the end of 2015. During this time, the museum was constantly modernized and developed, and the exhibition was adapted to the latest scientific findings and the current museum design. It was Gerburg Imhoff who found the best location for the Chocolate Museum in 1992 with the old main customs office in Cologne's Rheinauhafen. She put her heart and soul into the unique success story of the Chocolate Museum.
As Chairwoman of the Imhoff Foundation, she was involved in many different ways until 2017. Outstanding projects during this time included the renovation of St. Alban's, support for lit.kid.COLOGNE, funding for the Zentrum für Therapeutisches Reiten e.V. and the establishment of a consultation hour for parents of children with sleep disorders at Cologne-Porz Hospital. Every summer, people in Cologne also enjoy the cultural events at the Chocolate Museum with free admission as part of "Summer Cologne".
Today, Gerburg Imhoff is an honorary member of the advisory board of the Imhoff Foundation.
Since January 2016, Annette Imhoff and her husband Dr. Christian Unterberg-Imhoff have taken over the management of the Chocolate Museum in the 2nd generation.
Annette Imhoff: "My father built up the Chocolate Museum in 1993 with great courage and confidence. After his death, my mother continued and developed this idea. Together with my husband, I am now continuing my parents' life's work, which has been built up over many years with great attention to detail. Finally, my husband and I have set ourselves the task of building on this success story and hope to continue to inspire many people about chocolate."
In a rapidly changing leisure and cultural scene, it is also particularly important to increase the attractiveness of the Chocolate Museum from now on. For example, the expansion of existing partnerships, especially with Swiss chocolate manufacturer Lindt, should contribute to this.
Susanne Imhoff took over the chairmanship of the charitable Imhoff Foundation from her mother Gerburg Klara Imhoff in 2017 and has been working in Cologne with full commitment and a great deal of personal dedication ever since.
The founder of the foundation, Hans Imhoff, also wanted to do something good for the people in his home town. In order for the foundation to benefit as many citizens of Cologne as possible, he ultimately defined the foundation's purpose very broadly.
As a result, many impressive projects have been supported since the foundation was established in 2001, whether in the fields of art, culture, education, basic research or monument protection. The main focus is also on supporting children, young people and people with disabilities. You can find many wonderful projects on the Imhoff Foundation homepage.