A German luthier, Karl Höfner, founded the Höfner company in the city of Schönbach in 1887, at a time when the city, later part of the Czech Republic, was populated by Germans.
He soon became the largest string instrument manufacturer in the country.
 His sons, Josef and Walter, joined the company around 1920, and began spreading the brand's reputation worldwide.
 The company became involved in production for the German army in World War II producing wooden crates and soles for boots.
After the war, Germans were expelled from the Sudetenland, forcing Höfner to move to West Germany.
 The company initially moved to an ex-work camp at Möhrendorf in 1948, but soon became involved in the development of a new township and factories in Bubenreuth.
The new Höfner factory opened in 1950, and expanded three times between 1953 and 1960.
Karl Höfner, the founder, lived to see the company's revival, and died in Bubenreuth in 1955.
In 1964, the company built a further factory at Hagenau, about 5 km from Bubenreuth, to machine wood parts for assembly at Bubenreuth.
They expanded the Hagenau factory twice in the 1970s.

The daughter of Walter Höfner, Gerhilde, began working for the company in the mid 1950s taking an active part in all aspects of management.
Her husband, Christian Benker, joined the company in 1963.
They together became the driving force for the company as Josef and Walter entered retirement in the 1970s.
A German luthier, Karl Höfner, founded the Höfner company in the city of Schönbach in 1887, at a time when the city, later part of the Czech Republic, was populated by Germans. He soon became the largest string instrument manufacturer in the country.  His sons, Josef and Walter, joined the company around 1920, and began spreading the brand's reputation worldwide.  The company became involved in production for the German army in World War II producing wooden crates and soles for boots. After the war, Germans were expelled from the Sudetenland, forcing Höfner to move to West Germany.  The company initially moved to an ex-work camp at Möhrendorf in 1948, but soon became involved in the development of a new township and factories in Bubenreuth. The new Höfner factory opened in 1950, and expanded three times between 1953 and 1960. Karl Höfner, the founder, lived to see the company's revival, and died in Bubenreuth in 1955. In 1964, the company built a further factory at Hagenau, about 5 km from Bubenreuth, to machine wood parts for assembly at Bubenreuth. They expanded the Hagenau factory twice in the 1970s.
The daughter of Walter Höfner, Gerhilde, began working for the company in the mid 1950s taking an active part in all aspects of management. Her husband, Christian Benker, joined the company in 1963. They together became the driving force for the company as Josef and Walter entered retirement in the 1970s.
Höfner