Family History of Hans W. Schöpflin

Having grown up in post-war Germany, Hans W. Schöpflin did not experience the period of National Socialism in Germany himself. In order to gain insight into the activities of the former family business "Versandhaus Schöpflin" (sold in 1967), particularly during the Second World War, the family and the board of the Schöpflin Stiftung decided in spring 2023 to commission an independent scientific research into the company's history, with a particular focus on the period of Nazi rule. The research is being conducted by the Frankfurt-based Gesellschaft für Unternehmensgeschichte (Society for Corporate History). Initial results are expected to be made available by mid-2024. The completed report will subsequently be published in its entirety.

— August 2023

 

 

---
Update: October 2025

 

On Historical Responsibility and Inherited Privilege 

 

(In response to the findings of the commissioned family history study) 

 

The Schöpflin Stiftung, sister organization of Spore Initiative, recently commissioned the Gesellschaft für Unternehmensgeschichte (GUG, Society for Business History) to examine the history of the Schöpflin mail-order company and the entrepreneurial family during the National Socialist period. The results are presented in its short study “Schöpflin during the Third Reich”.

 

The focus of the study by historian Dr. Andrea Schneider-Braunberger is on the founders of the Schöpflin textile manufactory in Haagen and of the later mail-order business: Wilhelm Schöpflin (1881–1952) and his wife Wilhelmine Schöpflin (1884–1975), as well as their two sons Hans Schöpflin (1906–1985) and Rudolf Schöpflin (1910–1978). The study examines the political orientation of the family that owned the company and asks whether it benefited economically from the Nazi dictatorship, participated in 'Aryanisation', or employed forced labourers. The Hans Schöpflin described and mentioned in this report (1906–1985) was the son of Wilhelm and Wilhelmine Schöpflin; he is not to be confused with Hans W. Schöpflin (born 1941), who later co-founded the Schöpflin Stiftung, Panta Rhea and Spore Initiative.

 

Read the full study on the Schöpflin Stiftung website, as well as further information about the Schöpflin family.

 

How This Relates to Spore Initiative

 

Spore Initiative was founded to support frontline work in ecosocial justice, ecological regeneration, and education through culture — especially within the Global Majority. We see our role as a facilitator: creating conditions for long-term, partner-led practices to emerge, take root, and be shared. 

 

A recently published study has confirmed that the parents and grandparents of Spore’s founder, Hans W. Schöpflin, were members of the National Socialist Party. The founder himself, born in 1941, left Germany as a young adult and later independently built the fortune in the United States that enabled the creation of Spore. While this wealth is not directly linked to the Nazi period, we recognize that structures of privilege and access extend far beyond financial inheritance. Spore exists within—and has benefited from—systems of racial capitalism and historic inequality.

 

Spore affirms the importance of transparency, historical awareness, and accountability in relation to this legacy. We see it as our duty to offer alternatives to an exclusive official culture of remembrance. For us, memory culture must contend with more than just the most visible perpetrators and heroic resisters, but also with the complicity of the middle and entrepreneurial classes.

 

Spore stands unequivocally and steadfastly against all forms of racism and discrimination, including antisemitism. We hold close the experiences of those most harmed by fascist violence: Jewish communities, Roma and Sinti, people with disabilities, LGBTQI+ communities, political dissidents, civilians from occupied territories and others. Their lives and legacies are not abstract reference points, but at the core of any serious engagement with the history of fascist violence.

 

How Spore will Respond

 

Committed to the principles of dialogue and inclusivity, Spore will establish an independent Advisory Committee, made up of individuals with expertise and experience in memory work, historical violence, political education, and institutional ethics. Together with this group, we will identify viable ethical, political, and pedagogical responses to the implications of this legacy.

 

This initiative marks a commitment to initiating a much-needed dialogue on what institutional responsibility can look like today. Under the guidance of the Advisory Committee, our aim is to translate this exchange into tangible actions that will shape Spore’s long-term orientation and accountability.

 

This process will unfold slowly, alongside our broader work: supporting those at the frontlines of ecological, cultural, and community-rooted change. We will share the reflections of the Advisory Committee, along with the measures arising from their guidance in due course.

 

For any questions, please contact: awareness@spore-initiative.org