In 1883 companies Gebr. Weyersberg and W. R. Kirschbaum were merged to Weyersberg, Kirschbaum & Cie.
(WKC). While they produced mainly bajonetts and weapons they added an additional branch in 1898 and started to build bicycles and bicycle parts. The brand name Patria was born and city Solingen further on was mentioned as one of the famous places round the world with excellent bicycle frame manufacturers and not only for knifes and scissors.
After world war one production was raized up to 100.000 bicycles yearly with about 1200 employees and Patria WKC became one of the top 10 manufacturers in Germany.
After WW II and starting with 1946 until 1952 a professional cycling team was sponsored by Patria WKC and they engaged famous riders like Erich Bautz from Dormund, Oskar Thierbach from Dresden or Jan Lambrichs from Maastricht. Unfortunately Patria WKC stopped production in 1953 and the brand name Patria was sold.
Ernst Kleinebenne from Leopoldshöhe near Bielefeld is using the brand name Patria for his production output since 1971, but they don´t reach that high quality as Patria WKC did and they do produce city and nowadays electro bikes only. Thus todays Patria has nothing in common with old Patria WKC.
Some time ago I´ve been coming along a Patria WKC lightweight; now I´ve found the comparating double for the track
After world war one production was raized up to 100.000 bicycles yearly with about 1200 employees and Patria WKC became one of the top 10 manufacturers in Germany.
After WW II and starting with 1946 until 1952 a professional cycling team was sponsored by Patria WKC and they engaged famous riders like Erich Bautz from Dormund, Oskar Thierbach from Dresden or Jan Lambrichs from Maastricht. Unfortunately Patria WKC stopped production in 1953 and the brand name Patria was sold.
Ernst Kleinebenne from Leopoldshöhe near Bielefeld is using the brand name Patria for his production output since 1971, but they don´t reach that high quality as Patria WKC did and they do produce city and nowadays electro bikes only. Thus todays Patria has nothing in common with old Patria WKC.
Some time ago I´ve been coming along a Patria WKC lightweight; now I´ve found the comparating double for the track
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