Smokers from the Erzgebirge: Honecker and Kohl as new figures

The traditional smokers from the Ore Mountains are getting another addition from the world of politics: the new collection from Seiffener Volkskunst features former East German head of state Erich Honecker and his former West German adversary - former German Chancellor Helmut Kohl - as smokers.

No orders have yet been received from the CDU/CSU, said CEO Sven Reichl with a wink. However, he is very satisfied with the reaction of customers: "Most of them think it's good."

Reichl and his staff of almost 50 employees are hoping for a similar success as with smoker Angela Merkel. Kohl's successor in office had the Seiffener Volkskunst company's cash registers ringing.

A traffic light figure and a Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz with an eye patch have also seen the light of day as turned figures in the Ore Mountains. Kohl and Honecker are of equal value and cost 89.90 euros each. Merkel is available for 85.70 euros.

Both have their justification: Traditional and contemporary

"We don't just want to produce traditional items that people know from museums, but also contemporary items. Both have their place," emphasized Reichl. The company is working with a number of partners on the designs and there are many interesting themes. The head of the cooperative did not want to reveal any further ideas for figures. For the time being, the Christmas business is set to continue. Around two thirds of sales are generated at the end of the year, he said. Since the coronavirus pandemic, online business has also increased significantly.

When it comes to sales figures, the long-established company doesn't let anyone look at its cards. Reichl only speaks of stable development. He is optimistic about the future. "If you look at everything negatively, you can't move forward." He does not want to commit himself to precise forecasts for Christmas business. On the one hand, there is often talk of reluctance to buy and unsettled customers. As a seasonal business, however, this has not yet been noticed in Seiffen.

Business is now picking up noticeably and retailers are trying to fill their shelves, said Reichl. The export share is in the low double-digit range. Erzgebirge folk art is supplied wherever there is a German community and people want to tie in with German culture and traditions. The company has customers in the USA in particular. But deliveries are also made to countries such as Mexico and Singapore. Russia, on the other hand, has never been an important market.