In 1812,
confectioner Theodor Hildebrand founded a small shop and, in 1817, the company Theodor Hildebrand & Sohn on Spandauer Strasse in the centre of
Berlin. Theodor Hildebrand was, among other things, a
Prussian purveyor to the court. Since 1830, Hildebrand was using
steam engines to make chocolate. This meant that he was able to offer chocolate, known as 'steam chocolate', in previously unheard quantities at a low price. His sons and grandsons expanded production so that in 1888 an additional factory was built on Pankstrasse directly on Brunnenplatz. Theodor Hildebrand & Sohn became a major employer in the
Berlin-Wedding industrial district. The company became known for its collector's albums, which could be filled with stickers from the chocolate wrappers. A particularly popular album was released in 1900, depicting what life could be like in the year 2000. In 1935 the company introduced
Scho-Ka-Kola. The caffeine-enriched chocolate was intended to be marketed as a high-energy sports chocolate during the
Summer Olympics in Berlin in 1936. It was later nicknamed pilot’s chocolate since it was often consumed by the
German Air Force pilots. The company also released chocolates into the market which contained 14 milligrams of
methamphetamine. It was recommended to eat three to nine pieces, which would help make housework easier and assist with weight lose since the drug was an
appetite suppressant. During the
Second World War a large part of the production facilities were destroyed. However by 1951, the company was able to restore machines and return to pre-war production levels. After Germany lifted price controls for chocolate bars in 1964, Hildebrand, like many German chocolate manufacturers, ran into economic difficulties and went bankrupt in 1968.
Hans Imhoff took over the company in 1969. In 1972, Imhoff also bought Stollwerck and merged the two companies in 1996. The chocolate factory in
Berlin-Marienfelde still produces products under the Stollwerck brand name. == Honours ==