The Secrets of German Family Businesses – book launch celebrates the strength of German family entrepreneurship

The Secrets of German Family Businesses was presented at a festive book launch on 28 November at the Bertelsmann representative office in Berlin – a work that highlights the special role of German family businesses in a challenging global environment. With in-depth essays and 50 company profiles, the publication shows how value orientation, innovative strength and long-term thinking shape Germany's economic resilience and sustainability. Eduard Gerlach GmbH is part of this extraordinary selection and places its industry performance in the field of professional foot care in this context.

German family entrepreneurship is internationally regarded as a driver of stability – an economic and social force characterised by family values, long-term thinking and a high capacity for innovation. Especially in times of geopolitical uncertainty and economic transformation, the importance of these special corporate structures becomes apparent. The book The Secrets of German Family Businesses shows that family businesses are not only employers and regional anchors, but also "the heart and soul of Germany," as Uwe Rittmann emphasises. As head of the Family Businesses and SMEs division at PwC Germany, he has been advising entrepreneurial families for decades and knows the mechanisms that shape their resilience. He describes their stories as examples of courage, passion and a sense of responsibility – values that make "Made in Germany" a reliable promise of quality worldwide. At the same time, family entrepreneurship stands for continuous renewal.

Tobias Rappers, founder and managing director of Maschinenraum GmbH, an innovation ecosystem of around 80 family businesses, describes this impulse as one of the model's greatest strengths: family businesses are places where the future is created – often driven by a new generation that courageously takes on responsibility and pushes for change. This enthusiasm for change, combined with clear values, makes family entrepreneurship unique and internationally competitive. The "secrets" formulated in the book therefore encompass not only economic factors such as innovative strength or professionalism in governance, but also cultural dimensions such as responsibility, regional roots, sustainability and thinking in generations. Family businesses combine stability with a willingness to develop – an interplay that has sustained the German economy for centuries.

The book: An in-depth look at the DNA of German entrepreneurship

The publication is intended as a tribute to the special role played by German family businesses and, at the same time, as a catalyst for a new perspective on Germany as a business location. It is aimed at decision-makers from business and politics as well as an international audience that wants to understand why the German model is so successful. The first part of the book uses essays to highlight the forces that shape family businesses: cross-generational thinking, sustainable action, innovative capacity, professional governance and the balance between tradition and renewal. These analyses and essays show how family businesses create trust, develop competitive advantages and shape change – from AI-supported transformation processes to culturally anchored values.

The second part presents 50 company profiles. These companies were selected by an independent advisory board of experts from academia, consulting, associations and business. The profiles represent the breadth of German family entrepreneurship – from up-and-coming rising stars and traditional brands to global market leaders and hidden champions. The book thus showcases not only success stories, but also the diversity of entrepreneurial identities that characterise family entrepreneurship.

Eduard Gerlach GmbH in context – an example of values in action

Eduard Gerlach GmbH (GEHWOL) is one of the traditional companies portrayed and exemplifies the combination of long-standing expertise, innovative ability and value-oriented management that characterises German family businesses. For 188 years, Gerlach has been shaping the international foot health business with its dermatological expertise and high-quality products – a segment that extends far beyond purely cosmetic boundaries and is increasingly seen as a life science offering. The inclusion in the publication recognises this approach and highlights how companies such as Gerlach understand responsibility: as an obligation towards employees, customers, partners and the location. The highest quality standards, a commitment to continuous development, sustainable business practices and a corporate culture of social balance are key elements of a modern family business – and anchor Gerlach in a tradition that has been passed down from generation to generation.

Timor Gerlach-von Waldthausen, seventh-generation managing partner of Eduard Gerlach GmbH, based in Lübbecke in East Westphalia, sums up this attitude: "Family businesses thrive on an attitude, not their size: the attitude of taking responsibility – for people, for quality, for the future. Being featured in a book like this means a lot to us. It shows that specialised medium-sized companies also make an indispensable contribution: by being reliable, developing further and preserving their values. This has been true for Gerlach for 188 years – and it is our aim to carry this strength into the next generation."

Fact check on the publication

• Title: The Secrets of German Family Businesses –
  From Unsung Heroes to World Market Leaders
• Editors: Uwe Rittmann (PwC Germany), Tobias Rappers (Maschinenraum GmbH),
  Olaf Salié (ABOUT Germany)
• Publisher: Prestel Verlag, Penguin Random House Verlagsgruppe GmbH
• Format: 304 pages, hardcover, English
• ISBN:978-3-7913-9190-8
• Price: €65 / $70 / £55
• Publication date: 17 December 2025 (DACH), 20 January 2026 (UK), 3 March 2026 (US)

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