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1814 - 1900

1814 cylinder printing press for "The Times"

Printing press for 'The Times'

1814 Würzburg

A double version of Koenig's cylinder printing press prints 'The Times' - the first newspaper in history to be printed on a steam-driven machine.  

1817 Friedrich Koenig

Friedrich Koenig 1774 - 1833

1817 Würzburg



Friedrich Koenig and Andreas Bauer establish Schnellpressenfabrik Koenig & Bauer in a secularised monastery in Oberzell near Würzburg, taking on the mammoth task of setting up an industrial production line 25 years before the industrial age reached Germany.

1828 Würzburg

Friedrich Koenig sets up a paper mill in Münsterschwarzach. It is the first paper mill in Bavaria.   

Andreas Bauer

Andreas Bauer 1783 - 1860

1833 Würzburg

Friedrich Koenig dies. Andreas Bauer and Fanny Koenig, Friedrich's widow, carry on the business.  

1836 Würzburg

Fritz Helbig, Friedrich Koenig's nephew, and Leo Müller found Schnellpressenfabrik Helbig & Müller in Vienna. Later acquired by Koenig & Bauer, the company is now called KBA-Mödling AG. 

1849 Würzburg

Wilhelm Koenig, Friedrich Koenig's elder son, joins the company. In 1854 he develops Bauer's fourfold circular-motion press into a sixfold version. 

Fanny Koenig

Fanny Koenig

1855 Würzburg

Fanny Koenig and Andreas Bauer establish a sickness benefit fund which is still going strong.   

1857 Würzburg

Friedrich Koenig Jr. joins the firm and helps Fanny Koenig set up a network of social institutions.  

1860 Würzburg

Andreas Bauer dies. Wilhelm Koenig and Friedrich Koenig Jr. manage the company jointly, assisted by Fanny Koenig. 

Inauguration of the company's training school

Company's training school

1861 Frankenthal

A former master craftsman at Koenig & Bauer, Andreas Albert, and his partner Andreas Hamm found Schnellpressenfabrik Albert & Hamm in Frankenthal. Later renamed Albert-Frankenthal, the company became part of the KBA group in 1990. 

1868 Würzburg

Inauguration of the company's training school, still flourishing today. 

100th press, Firma Reclam, Leipzig, Rhenania

100th press is shipped to Reclam in Leipzig

1868 Frankenthal

The 100th press to leave the production line is shipped to Reclam in Leipzig. A new, improved press, the Rhenania, is launched onto the market. 

1873 Würzburg

The 2,000th machine leaves the Oberzell factory. An invalids', widows' and orphans' fund is set up, independently administered and run by the workers themselves.
Company statutes are drafted and a factory council with parity representation is appointed.  

1876 Würzburg

Koenig & Bauer ships its first webfed press, to Magdeburger Zeitung. 

First webfed press to Magdeburger Zeitung

First webfed press to Magdeburger Zeitung

1886 Würzburg

Albrecht Bolza, Friedrich Koenig's grandson, joins the firm. Edgar Koenig develops a web press with integrated former.  

1887 Frankenthal

Frankenthal builds the first Albertina commercial flatbed press for finest polychrome printing. 

1889 Frankenthal

Shipment of the first web press built in Frankenthal.  

1895 Würzburg

The 5,000th press leaves the Oberzell factory. 

1898 Radebeul

Joseph Hauss, a former field engineer at Albert in Frankenthal, and Alfred Sparbert found the Dresdner Schnellpressenfabrik, which later moves to Radebeul, changes its name to Planeta and is now Koenig & Bauer's sheetfed facility. 

1899 Frankenthal

1899 FT Albert & Cie. ships its 5,000th press.