Herrnhuter Sterne GmbH: Bright messengers of hope – Embodying Saxon craftsmanship

The “Herrnhuter Weihnachtsstern” (Moravian star) enjoys more than 160 years of successful craft-work history. In the late 19th century Pieter Hendrik Verbeek invented the first sturdy, easy to assemble star, which therefore also made it suitable for dispatch. In the years following, Verbeek further developed his meth­­od of construction; in 1925, having made the first star comprised of 17 square and 8 triangular points and without a central body, he re­­g­­is­­tered it as a patent in the form of a self sup­­­port­­ing construction – a product ideal for mass pro­­duc­­­­tion, for shipping, sales and global marketing.

“Stern-Gesellschaft mbH Herrnhut” was founded in 1925; its business partners were Verbeek, the Mission Centre of the Moravian Church of Evangelical Brethren, and the company Abraham Dürninger & Co. So began the eventful history of today’s firm Herrnhuter Sterne GmbH, which dates back over and through periods of nationalisation, re­­transfer and refounding. Production occurs under the one same roof where the demon­­stration workshop is to be found. Working in these modern production facilities, the employees fold and glue the small and large spikes which make up the famous Moravian stars, which have until today been crafted in the traditional way. Anyone who acquires one of these simple coloured stars becomes one of many people around the world who takes the symbol of Bethlehem into their home, in so doing bringing lights of contem­­plation to their families.