Learn More About German Doll Manufacturer, Götz Puppenmanufaktur

Götz, pronounced "Gœts" (oftentimes spelled "Goetz" in English), is a German doll manufacturer that has a long history of manufacturing a variety of high-quality dolls, from regular, everyday Play Dolls; to "beginning Collector" Limited Edition, Handcrafted Play Dolls; to "true Designer" Artist Dolls. While their beginnings in 1950 may have begun humble, their manual production business grew quickly, enabling them to become one of the largest German doll manufacturers in the business.

Note: this article is an article stub currently in the process of being written.

1950: Where and How It All Began
It all began in 1950 in the small town of Mönchröden, located in the district of Coburg in northern Bavaria, Germany. According to Wikipedia, prior to the reunification of Eastern and Western Germany in 1990, the district of Coburg was located in what was once West Germany, bordered on three sides by Thuringia, once Eastern Germany. In 1971, Mönchröden, along with municipalities Oeslau, Einberg, Oberwohlsback, and Unterwohlsbach (to name a few), would unite and become collectively known going forward as "Rödental."

Side Note:

 * Historically, this region is considered to be the heart of Germany's doll making industry; producing some of the finest, most highly sought after (even to this day), German dolls1. If you would like to read more about some of the early, historical German dolls produced in this region, please check out this excellent article: https://www.thesprucecrafts.com/armand-marseille-dolls-774690
 * If you would like to learn more about the history of modern day German doll-making, I highly recommend checking out this excellent source of history, personally provided Mr. Marcus Engel, Engel-Puppen.


 * This region continues to be home to many modern day play doll manufacturers such as Zapf Creation AG; Engel Puppen, Schildkrot.

How It All Began
In 1950, from their home in Mönchröden, Marianne and Franz Götz began production of their first dolls with the help of five family members. These first dolls, produced of "paper mache," (paper mache dolls are made of paper pulp combined with a glue-like substance, which when combined and pressed together, forms a hard shell or outer form6). These paper mache dolls were given hand-painted faces, hairstyles, and outfits designed and produced personally by Marianne Götz. While Marianne focused hard on the art of doll making, Franz focused his attention on doll production and sales3. According to Götz, their company would be built upon the philosophy, "We can produce high quality play dolls for children to be sold around the world." Their model of manual production would prove very successful; it would eventually become the foundation upon which their business processes would later be built. Franz and Marianne's dolls quickly gained a reputation for their exceptional craftsmanship and quality3. With sales and demand rising, a new factory to increase doll production would need to be built three years later, increasing the number of workers employed to thirty.
 * Side Note: If you would like to learn more about the paper mache doll process, please check out this excellent informational article: www.papiermache.co.uk/articles/history-of-papier-mache-dolls

1957: New Inventions Revolutionize the Doll World
In the late 1950s, a new method of doll production, rotational molding, was introduced'''. Rotational molding, also known as roto-molding or rotocasting', uses plastics (such as PVC or polyvinylchloride and polyethylene),'' which through the process of both heat and rotation, essentially allows the production of a seamless, hollowed-formed product to be created, which can then be assembled to other similarly-produced products2. This invention, which is still used today, essentially revolutionized the doll-making world.

This brief description, provided by sciencedirect.com, describes exactly how rotational molding works:

''Rotational molding involves the external heating of a thin-walled hollow metal mold containing a polymer powder. Heating occurs while the mold is rotated multiaxially. The powder melts and coats, or sinters, onto the interior wall of the cavity. The mold is then cooled which allows the part to solidify and crystallize in the case of fluoroplastics. Finally, the part is removed and the mold is charged to repeat the cycle.''

Advantages of Rotational Molding
The use of rotational molding made it possible for doll manufacturers to now begin mass-producing dolls and doll parts. Manufacturers could now offer a wider variety of facial molds with different physical features (such as molded or sculpted hair), and different doll body types, etc. The result: manufacturers would not only experience an increase in demand for their products, it would now have the means to produce enough supply to meet that new demand.

In 1957, Götz would become one of the first German doll manufacturers to install this new rotational molding machine and begin creating vinyl dolls, though some aspects of the doll would still be performed by homeworkers outside the family3. To this day, Götz still produces its own vinyl dolls/doll parts via this rotational molding process.

To learn more about the history of Götz and how it manufacturers its dolls, please check out this official Götz YouTube video by clicking here.

1964: Sasha Dolls
Götz formed a collaborative, designer-producer relationship with Sasha Morgenthaler to produce her famous line of "Sasha Dolls." Götz would continue to produce Sasha Morgenthaler's dolls until 1969 when sadly, its partnership with Sasha Morgenthaler would end (only to re-begin again from 1995-1999). It is important to note that this first designer-producer, collaborative partnership (ex. between Götz and a Doll Artist) in 1964 would form the formation upon which a future line of Götz Dolls: Designer Dolls, beganning in 1989, would be based.

1976: Expansion to New Headquarters
In 1976, as production demands increased, a new factory would be built in Rodental, Germany. This factory, still in use today, currently serves as the Götz main headquarters building.

1985: A Time of Incredible Expansion
1985 was a time of both incredible expansion and physical change for Götz.
 * In addition to manufacturing its own Götz Play Doll line, Götz secured an exclusive production agreement with Pleasant Rowland, the Founder of Pleasant Company and the Creator of the immensely successful American Girl doll line wherein Götz would manufacture the first American Girl historical dolls for distribution in the United States. American Girl would prove to be an instant success, and Gotz would continue to manufacture American Girl dolls for Pleasant Company until 1998, when Pleasant Rowland sold Pleasant Company and the American Girl doll line to Mattel (who would also now take over full production).
 * To help meet these new production expectations and demands (both in the manufacturing of its own Play Doll line and in production for American Girl), Götz would also need to expand physically. This occurred with the establishment of an American subsidiary production plant in Syracruse, New York. The number of Götz workers employed during this time would increase dramatically from 150 to 300, demonstrating the immense manufacturing success Götz-Puppen experienced during this time.

1986: American Girl Hits the Market
The first three historical American Girl dolls, all produced in West Germany, hit the sales market and became an instant success.

1987: Second New York Subsidiary Opens
In 1987, with quality production needs and expectations continuing to increase, Götz opens another subsidiary plant in Baldwinsville, New York.

1989: To Budapest Hungary We Go!
Continuing its trend of both success and expansion, Götz would add another production sequence subsidiary plant in Budapest, Hungary3. Some American Girl doll clothing and accessories would now be produced here.

1989: A Shift in Focus: Designer Dolls
Between 1950 and 1989, Götz had primarily focused on producing its Play Dolls and Limited Edition Handcrafted Play Dolls. As discussed earlier, the designer-producer partnership established in 1964 with Sasha Morgenthaler would now become the basis upon which a new line of Götz Dolls would be introduced: Designer Dolls.

These designer dolls (eventually referred to as "Artist Dolls") are designed to be mini-reproductions of original masterpieces, produced in limited, total quantities. Facial mold sculpts and handpainted physical features are personally performed by the doll artisan; doll artisans also personally design and select the fabrics and materials used for each doll's outfit. These dolls, intended for display (more than for play), would be made from only the finest vinyl, fabrics, and materials possible.

In 1989, the first designer doll collaboration would begin, with dolls hitting the market in 1990. In 1989, Götz collaborated with two world renown doll artisans: Sylvia Natterer and Carin Lossnitzer. In 1989, Sylvia Natterer's FANOUCHE AND HER FRIENDS doll line was produced, along with Carin Lossnitzer's SABBER-BABY doll line. The partnership between Carin Lossnitzer and Götz would be somewhat unique, as Carin Lossnitzer would also design several of the facial mold sculpts for Götz's Play Doll line (note: the Play Doll dolls and baby dolls with facial molds designed by Carin Lossnitzer are identifiable by their neckstamp marking "CAR LOS," which stands for CAR in LOS snitzer as this is how Lossnitzer "signs" her dolls). The success of this new collaborative partnership continues to this day.

1994: New Beginnings
As discussed earlier, Götz's first reproduction of Sasha Dolls ended in 1969, however, on September 9, 1994, it would receive the license to reproduce Sasha Morgenthaler Sasha Dolls once again. This in part, was due to the collaborative partnership and personal friendship formed over the years between Franz and Marianne Götz and Sasha Morgenthaler and Led Messrs. Again widely successful, with the first dolls hitting the market in 1995, Götz would continue to reproduce Sasha Dolls again until 19995, when their partnership would ultimately end once again. 1994 also saw more physical expansion by Götz, this time with the opening of it's own franchise retail chain in Hungary4.
 * If you would like to learn more about Sasha Dolls (both Götz and non-Götz), please check out this excellent resource by clicking here.

1996: Götz Diversifies Its Play Doll Lines
Götz begins to diversify its Play Doll lines. New doll lines, such as Precious Day Baby, Brittany's Club, Muffins, and Principessa are introduced.

In addition, Götz partners with popular clothing manufacturer "PAMPOLINA" to produce a play doll line of dolls and baby dolls wearing the same high-quality, colorful outfits as their child owners. This high quality doll line, identifiable by the miniature "hippo" that symbolizes it, releases 10 play dolls in 1997.

Per Götz, At this time, eight world renown doll artisans are partnering with Götz to produce future Götz doll designs and concepts. Additionally, the number of employed Götz workers increases to 400 with four world-wide subsidiaries currently in production3.

1998: Partnering with Hildegard Günzel
According to dollsmagazine.com7, in 1998, Gotz partners with world renown Doll Artisan Hildegard Günzel to produce the popular Kinderland Collection. This KINDERLAND collaborative partnership with Günzel would be the beginning of a long-time partnership between Götz and Günzel to reproduce her Artist Dolls.

1999: A Time of Management Transition
In 1999, Götz expands its internal corporate management team: Anke Beyer-Götz and Uwe Beyer (her husband) are now assigned corporate management roles. To reflect this new change in leadership, in 2001, Götz would change its name to Götz Puppenmanufaktur3.

2000-2001: Enter Sandmännchen & Harry Potter
In 2000, Götz was awarded the license to produce the TV character "Sandmännchen."

In 2001, Götz was also awarded the exclusive European rights to produce Harry Potter characters for its Handcrafted Play Doll line.

2004: The World of Hannah is Born
The Handcrafted Play Doll HANNAH is created specifically to enhance child play and stimulate child development; these dolls are high-quality, all-vinyl, limited edition dolls with faces sculpted by renown Doll Artisans. With a variety of high fashion outfits and accessories offered, Hannah is an immense success for Götz.

2005: Gotz Collaborates with STEIFF
In 2005, Götz collaborates with Margarethe Steiff GmbH and begins the exclusive production of a new Handcrafted Play Doll, which would prove immensely popular and highly collectible amongst Götz Doll Collectors. STEIFF dolls are identifiable by the appearance of the small, gold, traditional STEIFF button, found in the ear of STEIFF dolls.

Did You Know?
Götz has not only produced high-quality dolls of all kinds, they have also produced a variety of different doll furniture, items and accessories:
 * Doll Furniture: this includes sofas, wicker chair sets, large wicker strollers, and wicker carrying cradles, etc.
 * Doll Clothing: this includes shoes, socks, tights, additional clothing sets, etc.
 * Doll Accessories: this includes doll hair brushes, doll stands, traveling trunks, tea sets, even Russian nesting dolls to name just a few.
 * Stuffed plush items: this includes a variety of jointed and non-jointed animals and teddy bears.
 * If you would like to view all currently indexed Gotz Doll products, please check out this Gotz Doll Wiki [].

References:
1. Patten, Denise Van. “An Introduction to Armand Marseille Dolls.” The Spruce Crafts, The Spruce Crafts, 30 Oct. 2018, https://www.thesprucecrafts.com/armand-marseille-dolls-774690.

2. “Rotational Molding.” Rotational Molding - an Overview | ScienceDirect Topics, https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/engineering/rotational-molding.

3. Gotz (information directly from Gotz catalogs, pamphlets, handouts, website, etc).

5. “Home.” Sasha Doll UK, https://www.sashadolluk.co.uk/.

6. Andrews, Debbie. "History of Papier Mache Dolls." Papier Mache Resource, 7 September, 2002, http://www.papiermache.co.uk/articles/history-of-papier-mache-dolls

7. DOLLS Magazine | Collector Dolls. "Hildegard Gunnel Reminisces on a Lifetime of Achievement." 30 May 2017, https://dollsmagazine.com/hildegard-gunzel-lifetime-acheivement-award. Accessed November 27, 2019.