Sophie Opel

Sophie Marie Opel also referred to as Mother Opel (née Scheller; February 13, 1840 - October 30, 1913) was a German industrialist. Under her management and controlling interest Opel transformed from manufacturing sewing machines and bicycles to automobiles.

Sophie Opel
Born
Sophie Opel

(1840-02-13)February 13, 1840
DiedOctober 30, 1913(1913-10-30) (aged 73)
NationalityGerman
OccupationIndustrialist
Years active1868 - 1913
Known forTransforming Opel to automobile manufacturing company and being its major and controlling shareholder
Spouse
(m. 1868; died 1895)
Children5, including Carl, Fritz and Wilhelm

Early life and education

Opel was born Sophie Marie Scheller on February 13, 1840 in Dornholzhausen, Grand Duchy of Hesse, German Empire, to Friedrich Franz Scheller and Susanna Maria Scheller (née Fischer).[1][2] She had 13 siblings. Her parents where innkeepers and operated the inn "zum Hirschen" which her father purchased in 1828.[3] She attended the local schools were she also learned the French language.[4]

Career

After marrying into the Opel family, she would soon be involved and participating in the Adam Opel works of her husband. However, initially her dowry wouldn't be lavish, as the Scheller family was not wealthy. In 1869, her father, Friedrich Scheller, won 100,000 Thalers in the Lottery of the Duchy of Brunswick which he split between his surviving ten children. Sophie Opel invested her stake in the company of her husband which ultimately led to the purchase of a new steam engine. Her sisters Dorothée and Elise Scheller also invested in the Adam Opel works in Rüsselsheim and she managed the transformation from sewing machine and bicycle production to an automobile factory. After the death of her spouse and company owner Adam Opel in 1895 she became biggest shareholder and with two of her sons she developed the company to a leading European car company. In 1895 the firm already had over 1,000 employees.[5]

Personal life

On November 17, 1868, she married Adam Opel, the founder of Opel. They resided on the industrial land of the factory in Rüsselsheim and had five sons;

Sophie Opel died on October 30, 1913 from heart failure aged 73. She was buried in Rüsselsheim am Main.

Literature

  • Gerta Walsh: Sophie Opel – Unternehmerin im 19. Jahrhundert. In: Hessische Heimat. Heft 2/1992, S. 68–70

References

  1. "Ev. Waldenser-Kirchengemeinde Bad Homburg v.d.Höhe - Dornholzhausen". waldenser.evangelisch-hochtaunus.de. Retrieved 2023-05-21.
  2. "Hessische Biografie : Erweiterte Suche : LAGIS Hessen". www.lagis-hessen.de. Retrieved 2023-05-21.
  3. "Die Mutter des Konzerns". www.fr.de (in German). 2013-10-25. Retrieved 2023-05-21.
  4. "Sophie Opel - Biografie WHO'S WHO". whoswho.de. Retrieved 2023-05-21.
  5. Gerta Walsh (October 28, 2013). "Die Vorreiterin". Taunus Zeitung. Retrieved March 19, 2018.
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