Christian and Paul Voelkner were pipe organ builders and owners of an organ building company, which operated at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. Originally, based in Duninowo () in Pomerania, the firm transferred and expanded in 1906 to Bydgoszcz ().

Christian Voelkner The Voelkner family had been living in Dünnow since 1734, working as teachers, organists, and sextons.

Christian Friedrich Voelkner was born in 1831 and was the son of a local farmer and municipal headman. In his youth, he used to help his father, who was a carpenter by trade and occasionally a piano tuner. Young Christian particularly enjoyed tuning instruments and soon decided to build an organ for the local church of Dünnow. However, daunted by such a challenging task for an unexperienced lad, Christian went first on an apprenticeship at the Buchholz pipe organ workshop in Berlin.

In 1859, Paul's father returned to Dünnow and founded the C. F. Voelkner Dünnow i. Pom. pipe organ firm. He once again resumed working on his unfinished instrument, which proved to be a complete success. This first organ went to be installed in the church of Charnowo (then Arnshagen). Soon, the young entrepreneur began receiving new commissions, which he completed either alone or with the help of a relative. Christian's workshop was set up in a building belonging to his father. All the work was done by hand, as he didn't possess yet any machinery.

After the end of the Franco-Prussian War in January 1871, the demand for organs in Eastern Pomerania swelled. Thanks to government support, many church communities were able to replace their instruments with new ones. As a result, more and more orders flowed into Voelkner's company. Soon, as a result of his diligence and reliable work, Christian was able to purchase a plot of land to build his own house with an adjoining workshop. By this time, he was employing three assistants. Voelkner's carefully crafted, fine-sounding instruments brought him fame beyond its home Pomeranian region, in other regions of German Empire (e.g. Koszalin district, then Köslin). In 1876, Christian Voelkner built a larger factory and a year later he purchased his first machinery. With the number of employees steadily increasing, the company produced its 100th organ in 1888.

Christian Voelkner died on 31 July 1905. He was buried in the cemetery of Duninowo.

List of his realisations

YearLocationEdificePictureKeyboardPipesRemarks ca. 1862 Charnowo (Arnshagen), Pomerania Church I 1869 Zaleskie (Saleske), Pomerania Church ca. 1870 Stary Jarosław (Alt Järshagen), Pomerania Church I/P 6 1874 Wrzeście, Słupsk County (Freist), Pomerania Church 1874 Rusinowo (Rützenhagen), Pomerania Church of the Nativity of Mary I/P 10 Poor condition 1874/1875 Bytów (Bütow) Church of St. Catherine and St. John the Baptist II/P 12 Replacing a 1854 Schulze organ. Destroyed in 1945. 1875 Gwda Wielka (Groß Küdde), Pomerania Church of Bishop Stanisław II/P 11 1878 Duninowo (Dünnow), Pomerania Church of Our Lady of Częstochowa II/P 12 Located in Voelkners' hometown. 1879 Żelkowo (Wendisch Silkow), Pomerania Church ca. 1879 Kowalewice (Alt Kugelwitz), Pomerania Church of the Sacred Heart I/P 9 Preserved but in poor condition. Presence of a company sign C.F. Völkner, Dünnow. ca. 1880 Szczeglino (Steglin), Pomerania Church of Our Lady of the Scapular I/P 9 Poor condition. 1888 Ustka (Stolpmünde), Pomerania Church of the Holy Savior II/P 20 1893 Stolpe an der Peene, Vorpommern Wartislaw Memorial Church I/P 8 1893 Głazów (Glasow), Pomerania Church II/P 10 1893 Pałowo (Alt Paalow), Pomerania Church of the Assumption of Mary II/P 14 Installed on 4 January 1894. 1894 Mönkebude, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Church I/P 7 (9) Originally installed in Liebenberg, Brandenburg. Transferred in 1984. ca. 1895 Bezrzecze (Brunn), West Pomerania Church of Mary Queen I/P 4 Renovated in 2024. 1895 Sarbinowo (Sorenbohm), West Pomerania Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary I/P 8 Renovated in 2005 carried out by the firm Mollin. 1896 Koszalin (Köslin), Pomerania Catholic Church of St. Joseph II/P 13 Rebuilt in the 1930s by W. Sauer. Restored in 2003 by the firm Mollin. 1899 Dębnica Kaszubska (Rathsdamnitz), Pomerania Church ca. 1900 Stara Łubianka (Lebehnke ), Pomerania Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross II/P 10 No date Kiełpino (Kelpin), Pomerania St. Kasimir Church I/P 10 Very poor condition No date Krupy (Grupenhagen), Pomerania Church of Our Lady of the Gate of Dawn II/P 11 No date Słowino (Schlawin), Pomerania Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross I/P 10 Poor condition No date Bruskowo Wielkie (Groß Brüskow), Pomerania Church II/P 10 Renovated in 2008 No date Ciekocino (Zackenzin), Pomerania St. Peter Church I/P 10 No date Polanów (Pollnow), Pomerania Church of the Holy Cross II/P 19 No date Żółtnica (Soltnitz), Pomerania Church of Our Lady Queen of Poland II/P 9 Poor condition. No date Stary Kraków (Alt Krakow), Pomerania Church

Paul Voelkner Paul Berthold Voelkner was born on 25 February 1869 in Duninowo.1 In 1900, Christian passed his business on to his son, Paul, who was already well-versed in the art of organ making. Under his management, the manufacturing plant continued to expand. In order to meet the growing demand, the business employed approximately 20 organ builders: this workforce allowed to produce an average of 10 new organs per year.

The first realisation of Paul's firm was delivered to the newly built Catholic church in Koczała. Voelkners' instruments were now transported to distant places: a German traveler, stopping in Dar es Salaam, discovered there a church equipped with the company's organ (P.B. Voelkner-Dünnow). He completed several semesters at the Königliche Hochschule in Charlottenburg. In 1899, he married Elisabeth Caroline Barbara, née Bösel (or Böse). By 1903, the company produced its 200th organ. Around that time, the firm issued a catalogue displaying the panel of its instruments, Katalog der Kirchenorgel-Bauanstalt mit Dampfbetrieb von P.B. Voelkner, Dünnow, Kr. Stolp i. Pomm. ().

Shortly after Paul Voelkner's father death, the factory burned to the ground during the night from 17 to 18 January 1906. Although Voelkner was safe, being away on a business trip, he remained steadfast and decided to sell the plot and build a newer plant, not in Duninowo, but in the larger town of Bydgoszcz (then Bromberg). Once completed, the new facility employed approximately 50 workers and could produce yearly an average of 30 modern, pneumatic church pipe organs.

The factory was located at '100 Danzigerstraße' (today's 140 Gdańsk Street), the store at '158 Danzigerstraße' (today's 24 Gdańsk Street), while Paul and his family lived at '5/6 Bleichfelderstraße' (today's Chodkiewicza Street). At the end of World War I, the re-born state of Poland took over the control of Bydgoszcz. As a German firm, Voelkner's company soon saw its operations inescapably dwindling. Paul sold his property to a Polish businessman whi set up a carpentry workshop in the ancient factory premises. Some of the plant's equipment was purchased by Paul's apprentice, Mieczysław Wybrański. The latter founded his own organ company in 1924.

Paul Voelkner subsequently settled on an estate in Garczegorze near Lębork (Pomerania). In 1924, he left Poland but his subsequent fate remains unknown.

List of his realizations The P. Voelkner firm in Duninowo was the successor of C. F. Voelkner Dünnow i. Pom firm. It moved to Bydgoszcz at the beginning of the 20th century and built in total several hundred organs between 1900 and 1916, mainly delivered in the German Empire provinces of West Prussia, Western Pomerania and Posen.

YearLocationEdificePictureKeyboardPipesRemarks 1901-1902 Remscheid, Rhine Province Church 1901-1902 Dar es Salam, German East Africa (today Tanzania) German Evangelical Church 1902 Oberhavel, Brandenburg Church II/P 9 1902 Schulzendorf near Gransee, Brandenburg Church II/P 9 1903 Rendsburg, Schleswig St. Mary Church Set up in 1903. Replaced by a Walcker organ in 1972. 1903 Talsi (Talsen), Courland, Latvia Talsi Evangelical Lutheran Church II/P 26 In 2005, the instrument was restored by A. Melbārdis and J. Kalniņš' organ building workshops. 1907 Bytów (Bütow) Church of St. Catherine and St. John the Baptist II/P 23 1908 Szczecinek (Neustettin), Hinterpommern Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary II/P 35 Restored in 2014 1908 Vanagai (Wannagen), Ostpreußen Evangelical Lutheran Church II/P 10 Restored in 2003 by Rimantas Gučas 1909 Kołobrzeg (Kolberg), Hinterpommern Church 23 1909 Poznań (Posen) Ancient Evangelical House, then ballroom of the Royal Academy of Poznań. Today the Academy of Music. II/P 38 1910 Środa Wielkopolska (Schroda), Großpolen Church 34 1910 Chełmno (Kulm) Franciscan Church of St. James and St. Nicholas II/P 17 1910 Gdańsk-Wrzeszcz (Danzig-Langfuhr) Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus 42 1911 Wriezen, Brandenburg Saint Lawrence Church, desecrated II/P 18 The original remains preserved in the desecrated church. 1911 Piła(Schneidemühl) St. Johannes Church 34 1911 Wałcz (Deutsch Krone) St. Nicholas Church II/P 22 1912 Berlin-Wilhelmshagen Tabor Church II/P 18 1912 Bydgoszcz (Bromberg), West Prussia Church of the Holy Trinity 40 1912 Bydgoszcz (Bromberg), West Prussia Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus 28 1912 Słupsk (Stolp), Hinterpommern St. Mary Church III/P 48 1912 Czersk, West Prussia Church 28 1912 Lägerdorf, Schleswig Evangelical Lutheran Church II/P 13 Restored between 2016 and 2018, the only surviving Voelkner pipe organ in Schleswig-Holstein 1912 Maszewo (Messow), Neumark Church II/P 13 Re-constructed in 1868 by Grüneberg 1913 Poznań (Posen) Church of the Redeemer III/P 49 Preserved, probably rebuilt after 1945. Overall restoration by Drozdowicz in 2000 1913 Wriezen, Brandenburg Saint Lawrence Church II/P 18 1914 Koronowo (Polnisch Krone), West Prussia Basilica of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary 1914 Attendorn, Rhineland Church II/P 13 1915/1916 Gdańsk-Wrzeszcz (Danzig-Langfuhr) Church of St. Andrew Bobola III/P 33 Restored in 1976 by Rychert Wawrzyńiec. 1916 Boleszewo (Rötzenhagen), Hinterpommern Kirche I/P 5 ? Wałcz (Deutsch Krone) Capuchin Church of St. Anthony II/P 27 ? Swornegacie(Schwornigatz), West Prussia St. Barbara Church The replaced original console now stands in the room behind the organ. The instrument received additional pipes during the renovation. The nameplate was screwed onto the new console.

See also List of pipe organ builders Carl August Buchholz Registration (organ)

References

Bibliography

External links

Database on orgbase.nl Database on musicamsacram.pl