Jobst Wagner, Irmgard Wagner, Rehaus mayor Michael Abraham and Dr. Veit Wagner (from left) at the ceremonial handover of a new street sign.

Monument unveiled and street renamed in honour of Helmut Wagner

22.06.2022

In the German town of Rehau, a monument has been unveiled today, 22nd June, in recognition of the late REHAU company founder Helmut Wagner. In front of the main entrance of the Rheniumhaus, his grandchildren unveiled the monument in his honour. The artist Marcel Schwander from Strasser AG Thun in Switzerland created the stele, which shows the likeness of the entrepreneur, who died one and a half years ago. Also on display is the wagon wheel from the Wagner family coat of arms, the symbol for leather with reference to the founding history and the REHAU logo.

The town of Rehau has also honoured Helmut Wagner. Otto-Hahn-Straße, where the Rheniumhaus is located, will now bear a new name ‘Helmut-Wagner-Straße’. Rehau's mayor Michael Abraham gave a short speech in front of the monument and said "Helmut Wagner has done great things for our region, his entrepreneurial spirit is a role model for us all. This street name should be an outward sign of our deep gratitude." Michael Abraham laid out the Golden Book of the town of Rehau for the family to sign - just as Helmut Wagner had done himself a few years ago.

The two sons, Dr. Veit Wagner and Jobst Wagner, found fitting words, both for the memory of their father and for the memorial. "Our father's gaze was always directed forward, reliability and down-to-earth approach in business and private matters distinguished him. He was an inspiration to many until the end," said Dr. Veit Wagner. Jobst Wagner praised the memorial as one in the spirit of his father, it combines materials, processes and innovation. "The monument is now part of the collective memory and corporate identity. Who we are and where we want to go, we can't answer that without where we came from."

Irmgard Wagner, the widow of the company founder, gave the visitors of the monument a message: "In the future, I wish everyone who walks past this monument that they think of Helmut Wagner with a friendly glance, and that the monument gives them something back in return, strength and joy, incentive and courage."