Gottfried Freiherr von Cramm, one of the most successful German tennis players of all times, founded von Cramm & Co. (GmbH & Co.) KG as a classical Hanseatic trading company in 1951 in Hamburg, Germany.

The name von Cramm has already stood for reliability and fairness in the world of sports since the nineteen thirties and is still the basis of von Cramm�s business philosophy and business ethics for the relationships with our customers and suppliers, for the company as it exists today.

Gottfried von Cramm, who was known as “The Tennis Baron”, established business contacts in all parts of the world, especially in Egypt, Ethiopia and the Sudan during his career.

Particularly his extensive contacts in Sudan and his personal love for the African and Arabian countries, have formed an essential part of the company which continues up to the present day.

During the early years of the economic growth in Germany after World War II, in the nineteen hundred fifties, the textile industry was among the first to pick up.

Within a very short time von Cramm & Co. developed into one of the most important cotton trading companies in Germany.

In 1969 Herbert Schmidt joined the company and became the personal assistant of Gottfried von Cramm.

Herbert Schmidt was also very well known in the world of tennis. After joining the company, he concentrated in developing new strategies and markets, which were then adopted and successfully broadened the range of products and extended the trading routes, as they still exist today.

In November 1976 the Baron tragically died in a car accident near Cairo.

So, Herbert Schmidt as his closed confidant was named as the following CEO through the board of shareholders, and he has directed von Cramm & Co. since then with his valued partners to the contemporary set-up and business activities.