F. J. Seeger

F. J. Seeger, commonly known as Tee-Seeger, is a German tea and coffee merchant based in Hannover and widely regarded as the oldest tea specialist house in Germany. The business was founded in 1743 by the merchant Friedrich Jacob Seeger, whose shop at Marktstraße 27 in Hannover grew out of the close cultural ties between the British royal house and the Electorate of Hanover. Through that personal union, English tea culture reached the Hanoverian court, and Seeger's enterprise became a royal Hanoverian court tea supplier. The company is named after its founder and has carried the F. J. Seeger name for more than two and a half centuries. Over the centuries the business moved several times within Hannover — from Marktstraße to Markt 14, later Köbelingerstraße 54, then in 1900 to a new building at what is now Rathenaustraße 15, and in 2010 to Karmarschstraße 37/39. Leadership passed through the founder's family and then through several owners: Friedrich Volger, his son Paul Volger, and Paul Volger's nephew Robert Wilms. In 1951 the merchant and honorary Mexican consul Walter Koch integrated F. J. Seeger into his coffee company Machwitz Kaffee, and the business has remained in the Koch family since, now run by the third generation. Today F. J. Seeger operates as part of the combined Machwitz Kaffee & Tee Seeger business, selling tea, freshly roasted coffee, confectionery and accessories both through its Hannover shop and by mail order. Its tea range has historically included around 90 to more than 130 selected varieties, each tasted repeatedly to ensure a consistent flavour profile across different harvests. The company presents itself as Germany's oldest tea house and a former royal court tea supplier, combining long-standing tradition with an eye for new trends.

F. J. Seeger was founded in 1743 in Hannover by the merchant Friedrich Jacob Seeger, whose father was the merchant Friedrich Christoph Seeger. The shop opened at Marktstraße 27. Its creation was made possible by the personal union between the British crown and the Electorate of Hanover, which brought English tea culture to the Hanoverian court. Seeger's enterprise became a royal Hanoverian court tea supplier and is considered Germany's oldest tea specialist house. From 29 September 1848 the shop was located at Markt 14, and later at Köbelingerstraße 54. By that time the company held the title "Königlich Hannoverscher Hof-Thee-Lieferant" (Royal Hanoverian Court Tea Supplier). In 1875 Friedrich Volger, Seeger's son-in-law, joined the firm as managing director with general power of attorney. He was succeeded by his son Paul Volger. In 1900 the business moved into a new building at what was then Theaterplatz, today Rathenaustraße 15. F. J. Seeger also served as court supplier to the princely houses of Schaumburg-Lippe and Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. Paul Volger's nephew Robert Wilms (born 2 July 1883) was the next successor. He joined the company in 1930 as Prokurist (authorised signatory) and took it over in 1937. The outbreak of the Second World War brought economically difficult times. In 1943 the business celebrated its 200th anniversary, but in October 1943 it was almost completely destroyed in a heavy air raid on Hannover; only the entrance partly survived. After the war the company resumed operations in a barrack in front of the opera house. On 1 April 1951 the merchant and honorary consul of Mexico Walter Koch (1911–1998) integrated F. J. Seeger into his company Machwitz Kaffee. Shortly afterwards the rebuilt building on Rathenaustraße was occupied. In 2010 the shop moved to Karmarschstraße 37/39. To this day the company remains in the possession of the Koch family, which continues the F. J. Seeger KG in the third generation. Machwitz Kaffee itself was founded in 1883 in Danzig by the young coffee lover Wilhelm Machwitz as the "First Danzig Consumer Goods Shop". Its coffee became popular beyond Danzig, and in 1919 a Machwitz Kaffee branch opened on Georgstraße in Hannover. Production ceased during the Second World War. In 1948, when the first coffee import rights were issued, Wilhelm Machwitz initiated the merchant Walter Koch into the art of traditional coffee roasting and sold him the brand and name rights of W. Machwitz. Walter Koch set up a small roastery in a former hotel Am Marstall in the heart of Hannover. Demand grew rapidly and the site was expanded with new production buildings and facilities. Today Machwitz coffee is still produced Am Marstall using the traditional drum roasting method, and the experience of over 140 years of company history is passed on to the next generations of the Koch family.

• 2010

  The shop moves to Karmarschstraße 37/39 in Hannover.

• 1951

  On 1 April Walter Koch integrates F. J. Seeger into his company Machwitz Kaffee.

• 1948

  Wilhelm Machwitz sells the brand and name rights of W. Machwitz to Walter Koch, who sets up a roastery Am Marstall in Hannover.

• 1943

  Company celebrates its 200th anniversary; in October the shop is almost completely destroyed in an air raid on Hannover.

• 1937

  Robert Wilms takes over the company.

• 1930

  Robert Wilms joins F. J. Seeger as Prokurist (authorised signatory).

• 1919

  A Machwitz Kaffee branch opens on Georgstraße in Hannover.

• 1900

  Business moves to a new building at Theaterplatz (today Rathenaustraße 15).

• 1883

  Wilhelm Machwitz founds Machwitz Kaffee in Danzig as the 'First Danzig Consumer Goods Shop'.

• 1875

  Friedrich Volger, Seeger's son-in-law, joins as managing director with general power of attorney.

• 1848

  Shop moves to Markt 14 on 29 September; company holds title 'Königlich Hannoverscher Hof-Thee-Lieferant'.

• 1743

  Friedrich Jacob Seeger founds the tea shop at Marktstraße 27 in Hannover; becomes royal Hanoverian court tea supplier.

Germany's oldest tea specialist house and a former royal court tea supplier, combining centuries-old tradition with premium quality.

• Tea assortment

  Around 90 to over 130 selected tea varieties, each tasted multiple times for consistent flavour.

• Machwitz coffee

  Freshly roasted coffee produced using traditional drum roasting.

• Confectionery

  Selected sweets offered alongside tea and coffee.

• Accessories

  Practical tea and coffee accessories, including the Hannover mug and Hario V60 Switch.

1. 1Machwitz Kaffee & Tee Seeger Online Shopmachwitz-kaffee.de
2. 2Geschichte – Tee Seegermachwitz-kaffee.de
3. 3Geschichte – Machwitz Kaffeemachwitz-kaffee.de
4. 4F. J. Seeger – Wikipediade.wikipedia.org
5. 5F. J. Seeger – Wikidatawikidata.org