Harmonika Strassl

Production and sale of Styrian harmonica Strasser Chronik The Strasser harmonica production was founded in 1926 by Anton Strasser. Due to a war injury, Anton Strasser, a forester by profession, looked for a physically light job. In 1919, at the age of 22, he went back to his apprenticeship with Robert Zechner and completed his apprenticeship and journeyman time there. After completing the same, he went into business for himself and initially worked in an abandoned garage on Wassergasse in Graz. Soon this temporary solution became too small due to the large number of orders, and he rented space in the house at Stockergasse 5. During this time (around 1939) the company was substantially modernized. This modernization was even highlighted on the company nameplate and company stamp: "Harmonica production with electrical operation". At that time, many wood processing companies were still kicking the circular saw! "I remember this workshop well," says today's senior manager Ernst Strasser. A long wave ran through the whole engine room; pulleys were attached to this, and five to six machines spread around the room were driven by means of long leather belts. At that time all types of harmonicas were produced: Schrammel harmonicas, chromatic ones with buttons and keys and of course the "Styrian" ones. Thanks to its lightweight construction and many technical improvements, Strasser was able to make the accordion of the same name one of the most popular instruments not only in his home country. At that time, exports to Holland and the USA began. Due to the Second World War, however, production was very limited because material (especially metal for the voices) was only available for war-essential items. In 1944 the workshop was so badly affected (no windows) by the impact of a bomb that Anton Strasser decided to continue working temporarily in the attic of his house. After the end of the Second World War, however, the customers also came to the new address - and they brought parts of old harmonicas and often something edible too. By 1949 the situation had normalized again and Strasser received votes from Germany for the first time, in the former eastern zone. Anton Strasser was already working with two employees and an annual production of up to 150 pieces was achieved. In 1956 Anton Strasser suddenly died. The business was continued as a widow's business. “I was 18 at the time and had just passed my journeyman's examination,” says Ernst Strasser senior. I was able to do all the relevant work, but had never built a 5-row series myself. With a lot of effort and diligence, it was possible to maintain and expand the customer base. In the 1960s I created a new model that looked similar to the accordion. It became a real hit, because in this time of jukeboxes people were ashamed to play a real Styrian. During this time I had employed one employee. In 1960 the old makeshift workshop became too small and Ernst Strasser sen. As a young master decided to build a new workshop - modernly furnished, with the then fantastic size of 160m2. It was moved into in 1961 and nothing stood in the way of modern production. The exports expanded to the USA, Holland, the FRG and some other countries. This made it necessary to increase the workforce to five. The great demand and the ever increasing popularity of the "Styrian" extended up to a delivery time of two years for a new instrument. In 1974 Ernst Strasser jun. in his father's business with his apprenticeship as a harmonica maker. After completing his apprenticeship and journeyman time, he graduated with the master's examination. Now nothing stood in the way of expanding and modernizing the company again. A two-storey extension in 1980 brought the production area to almost 500 square meters and additional employees were hired. The constant improvements to the instruments allowed them to mature into a top Austrian product. In 1995 the production area was increased to 700 square meters and an annual production of over 700 harmonicas was made. In January 1997 Ernst Strasser jun. the company management of the harmonica production Strasser. In collaboration with the recognized artist Mag. Ebner, Ernst Strasser jun. the "CREATIV", which quickly developed into the figurehead of the Strasser harmonica production, and brought it onto the market in the summer of 1996. The aluminum mechanism was one of the few parts that the Strasser harmonica manufacturer bought in. In 1993 Ernst Strasser jun. with the development of the SKL treble mechanics (Strasser cone bearing). After years of trials and tests, the model-protected SKL treble mechanism was ready for series production and will only be installed in all "Strasser accordions" from January 1999 onwards. By producing the SKL treble keyboard in-house, a much better quality control is possible, and the popularity of the "Strasser" harmonicas has increased even more. At the moment there are 18 employees and an annual production of almost 900 accordions is made. Thanks to the great demand for "Strasser" accordions, with 18 employees and an annual production of almost 900 accordions, the production facility with all its additions and expansions was already too small. The groundbreaking ceremony for a new, modern production facility took place in May 1999. After 7 months of construction and only 2 weeks of relocation, the new plant was ready to move into. The new production facility is built according to the most modern guidelines and equipped with state-of-the-art technology. The hitherto unattained quality standard of the "Strasser" accordions has thus been raised again. A new dimension of the harmonica world could be created on 1200m2 of built-up area. A new feeling opens up for the visitor to experience the path or the creation of the "Strasser" harmonica from the individual parts to the finished instrument. With the commissioning of the new production plant, we have taken another big step into the new millennium. We have thus again made a major contribution to the security and availability of the "Strasser" harmonicas on the sales market for our customers.

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Harmonika Strassl

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