This text is part of our series D18. All texts of series can be found here.
More information about project D18On island of Usedom, a man has awakened his childhood dream. Out here, not far from hustle and bustle of seaside resort of Herring village, between endless fields and sleepy villages, is hangar 10. This includes lavishly restored fighter planes from 1930s and 1940s: Messerschmitt, Jakovlew, Spitfire. Collectors pay for such rarities sometimes hundreds of thousands of euros.
For Volker Schülke, 55, planes are lovers pieces, speculative objects and a new goal. A competition in which he wants to move forward again. There are world rankings, " values which pilot flies most of such models," he says. He is currently among top ten places. But Schülke wants to go to top. "Create things that nobody can imagine." That's his life motto.
This has already worked.
In norast of Germany, Volker Schülke is known as a Baker King. A village boy from Western Pomerania, who fled from GDR and returned to his homeland shortly after fall of wall to try out what he had discovered in west. Schülke has created Purple Bakers brand. A company that he has trimmed for growth. Since beginning of year, however, Empire is staggering.
Our home Baker Holding GmbH is name of company in which brand is Lila-bakers. Lila is signal color, corporate identity of a bakery group, which in Germany – measured by number of branches – was ranked six at end of March and about 2,800 employees and Mitarbeiterhat. From headquarters in Pasewalk, 410 branches extend to Baltic Sea, to Berlin and to south of Brandenburg. In many small towns re are hardly any or baked goods than those from purple world. In some sparsely populated areas re are no more buns.
The story of Volker Schülke braces itself against much that is connected with East Germany, with post-turning time and its losses. Countless biographies were transformed with fall of Wall, also by Volker Schülke. However, he embodies complete opposite of many of se stories. He's a East German climber. Many businessmen n came into collapsed country, scent opportunities and use m, partly unrestrained – many came from west.
Schülke did same thing just as Ossi. A offspring of GDR, which had long since stripped socialism and established itself much quicker in new system than ors. His ascent begins with fall of wall. The fallow landscape of East German economy, yearning of clientele for new were ideal basis for his business.
Almost three decades after Volker Schülke sold his very first bun, one hears of his story two versions. In first, Schülke is a flagship entrepreneur who has created jobs in an economically weak region. A welcome guest at business tables. One of which businessmen and regional politicians would like to be lead by his hangar 10. He is worshipped as a patriarch connected to homeland. "I experience him as an outstanding entrepreneur," says a mayor of island. "What he has stomped out of ground!"
In second version, Schülke is called "East German Grasshopper" by some behind held hands. A man who always sees his own advantage. Jörg Dahms, head of trade union food and beverage restaurants in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, criticizes him quite frankly: "For his ascent, Schülke bought a bakery after or, pulled out best and closed rest. Many small bakers had to suffer and were away from market. "
Which version is correct is not clear. It is only fixed: Since beginning of year, Schülke has started his job as head of home Baker Holding. The new manager has terminated 225 employees. Production sites such as small town of Gägelow at Wismar have lost more than 100 jobs. The workforce is unsettled, social networks are full of rumors: re is talk of precarious working conditions, quality of goods, even risk of bankruptcy. The newly elected works council chief in group headquarters in Pasewalk in July says that she does not want to spoil herself with chief team at beginning.
Date Of Update: 10 September 2018, 12:00
