Karla Steinbach, who is Vice President, is being groomed to become the sixth generation to head the company after her father retires. Together they oversee product development and quality control at the factory located in the northern region of Germany.

Originally from Austria, the family dates back to Erwin V. Steinbach, a famous architect and master builder of the "Muenster" or Dome of Strasbourg in 1284. The family included architects, builders, merchants, judges, politicians and military men.

The family settled around the Erzgebirge, a mountainous mining area that at one time was part of East Germany. This region was rich in gold, silver, tin, cobalt and uranium, as well as timber, which were needed to support the ceiling of the mines. As the metal supply dwindled, many families were forced to turn to the trade of woodworking. Woodcarvings used as souvenirs, gifts and religious purposes, were popular since the 11th century. The lathe became readily accepted by the people in this forest are and furthered the development of the art. Thus a trade of woodturning was established in the 15th and 16th century. It became so popular that a decree was published permitting woodcarving to only be performed by the native craftsmen and their families.

The Steinbach family started in business in 1832 by purchasing a timber yard and operating a wood sawmill, which ran initially by waterpower and then by steam power.

"To produce one nutcracker," explains Herr Steinbach, "can involve up to 130 separate procedures. At one time, the curling and natural drying to the wood could take up to 3-4 years depending upon the piece."

The major processes include:

• Cutting
• Shaping
• Hand-Turning
• Automatic Lathe
• Polishing and Drilling
• Priming and Spraying
• Carving
• Painting