German (and Austrian) Dating and Identifying

Austrian Berg Spielwaren

In Austria, the Berg Company made good quality teddy bears after WWII characterised by slightly upturned noses, medium length arms and long narrow feet. The Berg brothers returned to civilian life with nothing more than their uniforms and blankets. In order to make a living, they decided to make stuffed toys. The Bergs cut up their uniforms and blankets, and transformed them into little toy soft animals, using their uniform buttons for the animals eyes.

The Bergs traded the toys for K rations and American cigarettes, which they swapped for more blankets. Production took place in the Broschek’s farmhouse in an Austrian gingerbread village called Fieberbrunn in the province of Tyrol. Output quickly increased and by 1949 they were producing a range of teddy bears, dogs and rabbits in many sizes.

In 1951 The Berg Company in Fieberbrunn was the largest teddy bear manufacturer of teddy bears in Austria. By now they could afford to buy woven plush in mohair and wool qualities. The first animals were teddy bears but they also made monkeys, rabbits, tigers, and foxes, replacing the uniform button eyes with life-like glass eyes. Their toys were exhibited in Vienna and at trade fairs in England, France, Italy and Switzerland. Eventually Berg stuffed toys were shown at the Nuremberg Toy Fair, where buyers came from all over the world to see the best made toys, and Berg Spielwaren gained an international reputation for excellence.

In the early 1950’s they began using synthetic silk plush and making mechanical toys e.g. ‘Wup’ the jumping dog. Their production scale increased exponentially and they built a new factory to manufacture, then another factory in Styria. Eventually they had four factories and used acrylic materials for their soft coverings and retained their high quality standard. They tried to compete with the influx of imports from the Far East during the 1960’s and 1970’s but eventually moved all production back to Fieberbrunn.

Around 1957 a new form of identity which became the company’s worldwide trademark of “Tierre Mit Herz” or ‘animals with a heart’ because each one has a bright red enamel metal heart sewn to its chest with ‘Berg – Teirre Mit Herz’ on the back. Later forms changed somewhat. Earlier hearts were attached with cotton and later ones plastic. Teddies also wore a red rayon bow. Their line of stuffed animals included many species, but the teddy bear remained a favourite. In the 1960’s their range mirrored that being produced by Steiff. Each year Berg made teddies in several colours and sizes.

In the 1990’s like Steiff they brought out a small range of replicas of their early bears but they could not compete. In 1995 ‘Tiere mit Herz’ became part of a German company Bauer-Spielwaren. All production was moved to China. A special exhibition on the history of this manufacturer was held in a museum in Salzburg in 2008/09. Further information available on their website www.salzburgmuseum.at

Labels: Early designs were identified by a small white woven cloth tag with “Berg” and occasionally “Made in Austria”, was sewn into the ear seam or the body and sometimes on the foot of smaller items. The name Berg was derived from the grandmother’s maiden name of B