Regel & Krug, Leipzig

Please note: This article deals only with general postcards published and printed by Regel & Krug. They were also a bigger German real photo card publisher and printer. The impressive number of rp card series is going to be found under the real photo card section of this site in the near future. Thank you.

R&K Company History

Big ppc manufacturer (topo as well as subject cards), established by Friedrich Louis Georg Regel (litho master printer) and Sylvester Richard Krug (businessman). Specialised in "postcards with views" from the very beginning. In business from Sept. 1, 1894 until 1936 (temporarily closed 4th quarter 1931).

First found at Kohlgartenstr. 57 (rear building). By 1907 R&K had moved into own 4-story building at Comeniusstr 13-15. Started off as typical chromolitho printers, used collotype process for some years, then concentrated on "Autochrom" process (own process named "Heliochrome") and finally installed real photo printing facilities. Many photo card series. The earlier topo card output was more and more replaced by greeting/subject cards. From 1921 the business was run by Syl. Rich. Krug together with heirs of G. Regel.

Sylvester Richard Krug passed away in 1929. Business was continued by: Mrs. Lissi Alwine Krug nèe Schütz and Mrs. Johanna Elisabeth Bruder née Regel (from Marienberg/Saxony) together with 4 partners. One of the partners (heir) was Richard Krug‘s daughter Anneliese Devrient née Krug. Her husband Ludwig Devrient (of Giesecke & Devrient, Leipzig, long-established printers of banknotes, bonds and maps) was another business partner who had provided credit to R&K before. When Mrs. Lissi Alwine Krug died in 1933, Anneliese Devrient left the company again and Alfred Devrient joined instead. Attempts to rehabilitate the company failed and Regel & Krug declared bankruptcy for the first time in late 1935. The bankruptcy proceedings were cancelled by mid Januaray 1936. However, the business situation did not really improve and the business run in financial difficulties again later in 1936. That meant the final end of the postcard printer/publisher.

R&K printing Processes

R&K were printers and publishers. 2 letterpress, 8 litho presses, bromide photo card printing facilities (1907), likely also collotype printing at the turn of the century. Book binding, embossing, colouring and gelatine finishing shops. 260 workers (1913) – workforce dropped down to 90 people by the mid 1920’s.
Collotype printing process never mentioned in any R&K business listings. However, known are cards from Austria (1898- c 1901) printed by collotype process. Mention R&K as publishers and list the Austrian representative Hans Nachbargauer. Likely Regel & Krug printed these views, otherwise it makes little sense. Definite proof still missing, however.

In general I haven‘t found Regel & Krug often mentioned in trade literature at hand. Although they were specialised in picture postcards and the company was of some size. Their major markets beside Germany were the states of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, countries in east and southeast Europe. Card issues for Netherlands and Belgium also seen occassionally. A Regel & Krug letterhead from c 1930 still lists company bank accounts in Prague and Vienna. They appear not to had taken part in any overseas‘ export business. Although it is sometimes difficult to identify any R&K Heliochrom quality cards due to the similarities with those of Hermann Ludewig and Carl Garte.

R&K Postcard Identification

Early "Greetings from..." cards usually show full name of Regel and Krug and a 4-digit number. Early issues done by their own "Heliochrom" process (combined letterpress/lithography) often, too. Especially as many appear to had been published also by R&K.
The "Rising Sun" logo with initals R.&K., L. accompanied by series/card number is usually found on their greetings/subject type cards. Some later cards show also "ERKAL" mention. I have given up trying to understand the series numbering. Quite consecutive order prior 1914. Regel & Krug published and printed many 1000‘s of postcard designs.

"ERKAL" means "R" pronounced "ER", "K" pronounced "KA" and the "L" stood for "Leipzig". Occasionally found interpretation (phonetic alphabet) of company initials to be used as logo/trademarks.

Regel & Krug‘s business activities appear to have concentrated on places in Austro-Hungarian Empire as well as views from South Germany. A review of cards from Amstetten, Austria, printed/published by R&K was published in "Monatsschrift fuer Ansichtskarten-Sammler", double issue 5/6 from 1 January 1896. The reviewer praised the quality and mentions the special interest of the Leipzig company in Austrian views.

A small selection of R&K printed (non-real photo) cards and some additional information on next page: