In Memoriam

Josef Mayer

1881 — 1952 · Inventor of the flat winding · Founder of Mayer Realistic Karlsbad

A Life Across Three Empires

Interactive Timeline · 1881 — 1952

The Life Story

From a Danube-Swabian village to a global invention

Born in Parabuc in 1881, barber's apprentice by six, prisoner of war on the Eastern Front, inventor of the flat-winding permanent wave, persecuted by the Nazis, and finally at rest in Darmstadt — his life spanned three empires and two world wars.

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Recognition

Honoured in Nice, patented worldwide.

Before the flat winding, his mastery was already decorated — and after it, protected across continents.

1903

Médaille d'Or, Nice

1906

Diplôme de Professeur

U.S. patents on file

1927

Mayer Realistic founded

A Visual Archive

Photographs and documents

Josef Mayer with his children — With his children

Josef Mayer with Karl Ludwig Nessler — With Nessler

Ten years of the Realistic permanent wave — Ten years of Realistic

Realistic curlers product image — Realistic curlers

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