The Bronner Haus in Laupheim, Germany is the ancestral home of the Bronner family where the family business of soapmaking began in 1858.
When Michael Bronner, president of Dr. Bronner’s (Vista, CA), was in Laupheim for a speaking event, he had a chance encounter with the owner of the home. She was moved by the historical significance of her home and sold it back to the Bronner family in 2017.
Michael and his brother David, cosmic engagement officer (CEO) at Dr. Bronner’s, then began working with local partners to envision a future for their ancestral home.
Renovations began in 2022 including raising the ceilings, adding 2.1 meters of space to the house and a building a new exterior glass façade. Construction was completed in spring 2024.
In addition to serving as the official business address for Dr. Bronner’s Europe, the Bronner Haus will also host the St. Elizabeth Foundation’s “Wohngemeinschaft Emanuel,” a residential home for adults with special needs. The basement, where the Bronner family originally began making soap, will hold the new Dr. Bronner’s Museum.
“We are grateful to the many partners who made the restoration of our ancestral family home possible,” Michael Bronner said. “The City of Laupheim, the architects, the general contractor, construction partners, museum exhibit designer, and many others made this unique project possible. We are honored to memorialize our family soapmaking history in Laupheim while providing a home for community members with special needs, in partnership with the St. Elizabeth Foundation. We hope the community of Laupheim and people from around Germany will visit our humble new museum in the basement of the Bronner Haus to learn more about Dr. Bronner’s and our German-Jewish roots.”
To celebrate the project, a grand opening event will be held from May 28-29 at the Bronner Haus.
“The story of the Bronner Family is an extraordinary part of the history of Laupheim and of Germany,” said Dr. Anke Buhl, managing director of Dr. Bronner’s Europe. “Preserving this history allows us to learn from those who came before us. The success of Dr. Bronner’s and the journey of the Bronner family is a testament to human resilience. I am proud to have been a part of this important project and am excited to celebrate the preservation of this historic building.”
For more information, visit www.drbronner.com or www.drbronner.de.
