Taking control of Haribo in 1946, Hans Riegel steered the confectionery firm into a multinational operation following the devastation of World War II. Born in Bonn in 1923, he spent decades managing the enterprise established by his father, who had originally invented the gummy bear, while balancing his professional commitments with a competitive athletic career.
Post-War Reconstruction and Academic Background
Riegel emerged from service as an Allied prisoner-of-war to rebuild his family business. After completing his education at the Jesuit boarding school Aloisiuskolleg, he continued his studies at the University of Bonn. In 1951, he earned a doctorate, focusing his thesis on the shift in the global sugar industry during and after the Second World War. This period of academic rigor coincided with the active restructuring of the Haribo brand, an acronym derived from his name and his birthplace of Bonn.
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Outside of the boardroom, Riegel maintained a career as a competitive badminton player. He secured national champion status, claiming titles in both men’s doubles and mixed doubles in 1954 and 1955. His involvement extended to organizational leadership; he served as the first president of the German badminton association, the Deutscher Badminton-Verband, starting in 1953. To support the sport, he commissioned the construction of Germany’s first indoor badminton facility, the Haribo-Centre, located in Bonn.
Business Leadership and Recognition
Between 1953 and 1962, Riegel held the position of chairperson. Beyond his primary business interests, he maintained diverse assets, including the Jakobsburg Hotel and Golf resort near Boppard in the Rhine Valley. His professional longevity earned him significant national and international recognition, including the Officer's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany in 1994, the Great Golden Medal of Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria, and induction into the Candy Hall of Fame in 1999. He died in Bonn in 2013 at the age of 90 and is interred at the Südfriedhof.
Fast facts
- Born: 1923, Bonn
- Died: 2013, Bonn
- Education: University of Bonn; Aloisiuskolleg
- Citizenship: Germany; Austria
- Positions: Chairperson (1953-1962)
- Sport: Badminton (National Champion)
- Awards: Officer's Cross of the Order of Merit (1994)
- Burial: Südfriedhof
Questions readers ask
What does the name Haribo stand for?
It is an acronym formed by the name of the founder, Hans Riegel, and his home city, Bonn.
Did Hans Riegel hold any athletic titles?
Yes, he was a national badminton champion who won titles in men's doubles and mixed doubles.
Achievements
- Officer's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany — 1994
- Great Golden Medal of Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria
- Candy Hall of Fame — 1999
- Educated at University of Bonn and Aloisiuskolleg
