I.M. Wolfgang Richter - Part 3

This continues (a series of) an article/interview that was first printed in the  German magazine  "GARTENBAHN profi" , issue 1/2009, pages 12 through 18. You can also go to www.gartenbahnprofi.de and download this article then utilizing a translator from your Google or Internet explorer service. In remembering Wolfgang Richter, the co-founder of LGB (Lehmann Gartenbahn) who passed away in November 2012 at the age of  84, this German article was published again by GARTENBAHN profi as a download. Italic text in parentheses is background information about related topics in the article.

Wolfgang Richter (left) and H.-Jürgen Neumann  at the Sinsheimer Modeltrain fair in 2006, enjoying the LGB layout by "LGB Freunde Much"

• GBP: This hobby-family is then probably the reason for the success of LGB. A product works as the binding link between a number of like-minded people. And not just like any member of any type of anonymous fan club. "At home I drive an LGB (train) " was a car sticker back then used to reveal oneself; today you would say 'outing'. What was the impact of this LGB family on Wolfgang Richter?
• H.-Jürgen Neumann: Each and every single contact with an LGB friend was important to him. He listened attentively when they were talking and he always carried a notebook with him, in which he jotted down the those wishes and ideas and then, later, analyzed them. He was present at (the LGB) booth at many model train conventions and fairs; and later visited many LGB clubs whenever his schedule allowed. And don't think that he ever got tired of leafing through LGB layout photos or photo albums. Even years later he could still delighted in what became of the 'material' that the LGB company put into the hands of model train enthusiasts. What ideas were put into reality, how joint playing developed with the children , how many a retiree found a new activity (to engage in). That was (something) that he liked about the LGB family and that he was always proud of. Where else do you find that, a hobby carried on over and by generations. 
• GBP: A good marketing concept. But today such a close contact to the (single) customer is hardly conceivable.
• H.-Jürgen Neumann: Correct. What Wolfgang Richter's activities are concerned you have to admit in hind sight: there's a time for everything. It is a process in motion because at a certain magnitude you cannot dedicate that much time to a single person anymore - like they used to do in former times. An invitation to lunch like I was privileged to experience in 1972 would have not been possible for (for a stranger) 20 years later.
• GBP: Those leafing through old LGB-Depeschen (LGB Telegrams)again and again happens to come across photos showing Wolfgang Richter as a visitor to the original big role models trains (real live-size locomotives). And it is no secret that in search of new LGB models he loved to do field work on location. Did he combine business with pleasure?
• H.-Jürgen Neumann: yes, that was the case. You know very well how intense some model train enthusiast did put new models under the microscope; so it was important to take detailed photos in the run-up and recruit original blue prints as much as you could. But there were also employees and LGB friends who loved to provide those photos to the LGB  factory. people like Mr. Backhaus, Mr. Himmelreich and Dr. Strässle come to mind. And the train lines usually were very proud when their original locomotive was chosen to become an LGB model and loved to help.

A photo from 'good old times':Wolfgang and Eberhard Richter and the just newly displayed factory field loco in front of the LGB factory at the Saganer Strasse in Nuremberg (maybe 1981)

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