Making music
Have you ever heard of Markneukirchen? Once you learn pronouncing the name, you should also probably know that it is a small town nestled in the mountains of eastern Germany near the Czech border. What’s so special about this town? Well, 80% of the world’s musical instruments come from this small town.
There is a cluster of 113 different enterprises, all involved in making musical instruments. They rely on traditional methods, but utilise all the modern ways of connecting with far-away markets.
Be it a violin, guitar, tramboline, trumpet, flute or any musical instrument, it is made here. And this town has been doing so since the 17th century when a group of Protestants fled across the border from religious persecution in Bohemia. This had a group of musicians who settled in Markneukirchen and that’s how this town became all about the musical instruments. One would expect that the town would have savvy shops and every window would display the instrument it sells. But not so; it is all very quiet and only those in the know, know where what is available.
The 100-odd manufacturers are mostly family run and the art is passed down through generations. What about competition from China? Well, China makes low quality and cheaper instruments and thus Markneukirchen does not much to worry about. Its products are of highest quality and even the best musicians of China, buy it from Markneukirchen!