Richard Lebram Berlin – The Story of the Forgotten Berlin Jeweller and Jewellery Wholesaler

Richard Lebram is one of the most significant figures in Berlin’s jewellery history, yet he is virtually forgotten today. While names such as the Friedländer Brothers or WILH. MÜLLER are still occasionally mentioned, Richard Lebram himself has largely fallen into obscurity, even among collectors of historical jewellery. Yet at the beginning of the 20th century, his company was one of Germany’s largest jewellery and precious metals wholesalers and helped make Berlin one of Europe’s most important trading centres for jewels, gold jewellery, and silverware.

His prestigious commercial building at Wallstraße 15/15a in Berlin-Mitte was far more than just a corporate headquarters. It symbolized the economic rise of the German jewellery industry and Berlin’s international reputation as a hub for luxury goods, precious metals, and high-quality jewellery.

Richard Lebram – From Berlin Merchant to International Jewellery Wholesaler

Richard Lebram was born in Berlin in 1866. After completing his schooling at the historic Gymnasium zum Grauen Kloster, he initially began an apprenticeship in banking. However, he recognized early on the enormous potential of trading in gold, silver and jewellery.

In 1893, he founded his own wholesale business for gold and silver goods, costume jewellery and watches on Scharrenstraße in Berlin. At that time, Berlin was at the height of its economic growth. Within a few years, Lebram’s company had developed into one of the leading jewellery wholesalers within the German Empire.

Shortly after its founding, the business premises had to be expanded several times. This steady growth ultimately led to the construction of an entirely new commercial building on Wallstraße.

The Famous Commercial Building on Wallstraße

With the completion of the new building in 1911, one of Berlin’s most modern commercial buildings was created. Designed by the architects Hoeniger & Sedelmeier, the property featured technical innovations that were far ahead of their time: Passenger and freight elevators, an in-house pneumatic tube system, central heating, and a modern telephone system made the building a showcase for Berlin’s business community.

To this day, the historic landmark remains one of the most impressive surviving commercial buildings from Berlin’s Gründerzeit era and serves as a reminder of the heyday of Berlin’s jewellery trade.

Berlin as the World Capital of the Jewellery Trade

From his company headquarters in Berlin, Richard Lebram supplied jewellers, goldsmiths, watchmakers, and specialty retailers throughout the German Empire, as well as numerous international customers.

The company maintained branches in Pforzheim and Schwäbisch Gmünd, the two most important centres of German jewellery manufacturing. Sales catalogues were published in German, English, French, and Spanish – impressive evidence of the company’s international significance.

Richard Lebram thus played a decisive role at the turn of the 20th century for making Berlin one of Europe’s most important commercial hubs for jewellery, precious metals, and luxury goods.

An Entrepreneur with a Sense of Social Responsibility

Richard Lebram was not only a successful businessman but also an exceptionally progressive employer.

As early as the beginning of the 20th century, he set up a company cafeteria, washrooms, and changing rooms for his employees, as well as a company welfare fund – benefits that were anything but commonplace at the time.

In addition, he was active in numerous professional associations in the jewellery and watch industry and was one of the co-founders of the German Watch Trade Association.

The Company During the Nazi Era

In 1919, Richard Lebram and his wife, Nanny Heymann, adopted Jürgen Glaser and his sister, who from then on took the surname Lebram.

After Richard Lebram’s death in 1938, Jürgen Lebram continued to run the company. During the Nazi era, the company – like many other Berlin-based businesses – had to overcome significant political and economic challenges.

In 1942, the company was renamed Lebram & John GmbH. After World War II, the company’s headquarters were moved to Pforzheim. The company remained there until 1974, and when it closed down one of the most historic firms in the German jewellery industry finally ceased operations.

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Richard Lebram and His Legacy

Today, historical catalogues, advertisements, and the impressive building on Wallstraße serve as reminders of a company that once had a decisive influence on Berlin’s jewellery trade.

For collectors of antique jewellery, historians, and enthusiasts of Berlin’s goldsmithing tradition, Richard Lebram ranks among the most important figures in German jewellery history.

Together with companies such as Gebrüder Friedländer, WILH. MÜLLER, Paul Telge, A. Wertheim, C. F. Zimmermann, Hugo Oppenheim, and numerous other Berlin jewellers, Richard Lebram turned the capital into an international hub for jewellery, diamonds, and precious metals.

Anyone following in the footsteps of Berlin’s historic jewellers today cannot miss Wallstraße. Richard Lebram’s former store building remains one of the most impressive testaments to that era, when Berlin was among Europe’s leading jewellery capitals and Richard Lebram was one of its most successful entrepreneurs.