Heinrich Deichmann: Mr. der Schuhe | GALA.de

by Hili IngenhovenThe entrepreneur Heinrich Deichmann loves God – and high heels. When it comes to women, however, he first looks elsewhere

Almost 40,000 people work for him worldwide. Last year he sold 173 million pairs of shoes and achieved gross sales of 5.6 billion euros. Heinrich Deichmann, 54, has had a permanent place on the Forbes list of the richest people in the world for years - and is anything but aloof. Luxury villa and champagne shower? None! GALA visited Europe's largest shoe retailer at its headquarters in Essen.

Do you still remember the very first moment that you consciously experienced here?

This building we're talking about didn't exist back then, but I know I was very impressed by the company. My father always brought the company home with him. For example, the meeting of our senior executives took place at our home. Then the living room was rearranged, rows of chairs were put in, and when I came home from school there were suddenly 70 people sitting there. I remember it as a very eventful time with a lot of humanity and full of beautiful experiences.

In what ways was your father a role model for you?

What impressed me very early on was that my father was not only financially successful, but that he always did a lot of good with his success. My earliest memory is that he founded a children's home next to our house. 13 children and young people lived there and practically grew up next to our family. We always had something to do with them, we took care of them. And have thus learned to take responsibility for the socially disadvantaged. My father set an example in practice, without fear of contact.

Was it always clear to you that you wanted to continue the company? It can also be a burden to measure yourself against a strong father.

I used to think about becoming a doctor. My father and my sister both studied medicine, it was always an issue for us. As does the humanities. We talked a lot about theology and history. That would have irritated me too. But in the end it was clear that I wanted to follow in my father's footsteps. To see that you can also follow your ethical guidelines as an entrepreneur, I thought that was great! You have two children yourself. Are there already plans for you to join the company?

We'll have to wait and see. But we can imagine that, we are working on the topic. I think there are good prospects there. Deichmann shoes have become more and more fashionable... In the beginning we were mainly known as a cheap supplier, but I tried to develop the brand further. And fashion has played a very important role in this. We also started with testimonials, first with German stars, then with international ones. The Pussycat Dolls campaign was a smash hit, followed by Cindy Crawford, Halle Berry and now Ellie Goulding. So today we are not only cheap, but also have good marks in quality and fashion.

There are men who look at women's shoes first. Do you feel the same way?

I have two looks: first at the face, then at the shoes! (laughs)

Tell us your fashion no-gos?

I'm a service provider and I want to make women happy with shoes! So I wouldn't dictate a taste to anyone. I can only recommend things. The decisive factor is that you feel comfortable with your look and don't appear disguised.

High heels or flats?

This is event-related for me. In the evening I think high heels are great for women, during the day I also like sneakers.

You are considered to be a very modest businessman, you won't find a luxury yacht or an XXL villa. Is there something you burn for, a passion?

Yes, but luckily my passions are not that expensive! (laughs) I really love the mountains, and that's why I like to go to Switzerland when I'm on vacation. In winter I go ski touring with a mountain guide. Two hours of ascent, one hour of summit, then comes the descent. I am then alone with nature, which is a really great experience. Otherwise, I'm interested in art.

Do you also collect?

No, I'm more of a spontaneous buyer. If I really like something, I might grab it right away. But that doesn't happen that often because we have a lot of glass fronts at home. (laughs) Otherwise, I like listening to classical music and reading theological books.

Is it true that you preach sermons yourself?

Yes, occasionally. When a church invites me. For example at the Church Day, I spoke twice.

Would you say your company is a Christian company?

Nope. Our company is open to all denominations. In addition to Christians, we also have Muslims, Hindus and Buddhists in our company - and of course people who do not belong to any denomination. All are welcome if they genuinely identify with our values. And our top guiding principle is: The company must serve the people.

You have just returned from India, where you celebrated the 40th anniversary of Word and Action, the foundation your father founded in 1977. What is your conclusion?

If you travel to the southeast of India, you will still see a lot of poverty. But when you come to our projects, whether to schools or hospitals, you always have the feeling that you are stepping onto islands of love. Because the atmosphere is different there. We have eight schools, each with 2,000 children, and they approach you enthusiastically, all of them beaming. They come from completely underprivileged backgrounds and receive really good instruction here. When they finish school, they get a good job. A young lady once greeted me at the airport counter in India and told me that she also comes from one of our schools and now has a job with the airline. That's a big reason for me to be happy.

Is there a target where you want to be in five years?

Not standing still, but continuing to grow. One of my goals would be to add a little more sustainability to our work. Almost help for self-help. That people we help eventually start helping others.

Gala

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Stars in this article

Cindy Crawford

Ellie Goulding

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