Freiburger Orgelbau

Freiburger Orgelbau is a German pipe-organ building company based in March in the district of Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald, Baden-Württemberg. It traces its origins to an organ-building workshop founded in 1862 in Ennetach by Alois Späth, and today operates as Freiburger Orgelbau Hartwig und Tilmann Späth OHG, a private partnership led by Hartwig Späth and his son Tilmann Späth in the fourth and fifth generations respectively. The firm describes itself as a tradition-rich organ-building business with more than 150 years of experience in the new construction, renovation, restoration, maintenance and tuning of organs. The company's core activity is the design and construction of new pipe organs, alongside the restoration of historic instruments and ongoing service work such as maintenance and tuning. Its project portfolio spans Germany and beyond: recent and ongoing work includes the restoration of a romantic-era organ by Wilhelm Schwarz in Kirchen-Hausen, returned to its original 1877 condition; a new organ for a Catholic church in Seoul-Mokdong, South Korea; a new organ for the Protestant church in Gebhardshain; and the "Gläserne Orgel" (glass organ) of St. Marien in Rendsburg, which was featured in the specialist journal organ – Journal für die Orgel. The workshop also undertakes console and organ renovation projects, such as the planned refurbishment of the two organs at St. Ursula in Munich, involving restoration of the historic main-organ console, renewal of the choir-organ console and installation of a central console. As a family-owned Mittelstand business, Freiburger Orgelbau combines craft tradition with contemporary organ design. The firm is active in the professional organ-building community; Tilmann Späth has served on the advisory board of the Bund Deutscher Orgelbaumeister since 2015. Its instruments are documented in the Opus list of organs built by the Späth firms since 1964 and in the Organ index database. The company communicates its current projects through its website and Instagram account @FreiburgerOrgelbau.

The history of Freiburger Orgelbau begins with the organ builder Alois Späth (born 16 June 1825 in Ennetach; died 7 July 1876 in Ennetach), who founded an organ-building workshop in Ennetach in 1862. His sons Franz Xaver (born 22 November 1859; died 5 October 1940) and Albert (born 15 February 1866; died 8 March 1948) continued the business under the name Gebr. Späth Orgelbau. The sons of Franz Xaver, Karl and August (born 4 September 1908; died 25 September 1979), then took over the business activities. In 1964 August Späth and his son Hartwig separated from the workshop based in Ennetach and transferred the Freiburg branch into his own company, Freiburger Orgelbau August Späth, Orgelbaumeister. Hartwig Späth's training had begun in 1958 with an apprenticeship under his father August. From 1959 to 1965 he studied industrial engineering at the Technical University of Munich, graduating with the academic degree "Diplom-Wirtschaftsingenieur". In 1970 he passed the master craftsman examination as an organ builder. After the death of his father he became sole owner of the company. Tilmann Späth (born 13 May 1984 in Freiburg) trained as an organ builder at the firm Rensch and spent journeyman years with his father before passing his master craftsman examination in Ludwigsburg in 2008. Since then he has been co-owner of the firm. Since 2015 he has served on the advisory board of the Bund Deutscher Orgelbaumeister. In 2008 the company took the name Freiburger Orgelbau Hartwig und Tilmann Späth OHG, and it is led by Hartwig Späth and Tilmann Späth in the fourth and fifth generations respectively. The firm is based in March in the district of Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald. Its work encompasses the new construction, renovation, restoration, maintenance and tuning of organs, and its instruments are documented in the Opus list of organs built by the Späth firms since 1964 and in the Organ index database. Recent projects include the restoration of a romantic-era organ by Wilhelm Schwarz in Kirchen-Hausen to its original 1877 condition, a new organ for a Catholic church in Seoul-Mokdong, a new organ for the Protestant church in Gebhardshain, the glass organ of St. Marien in Rendsburg, and console work at St. Ursula in Munich.

• 2026

  Completion of the restoration in Kirchen-Hausen, the new organ in Gebhardshain, and ongoing projects including a new organ for Seoul-Mokdong and console work at St. Ursula in Munich.

• 2015

  Tilmann Späth joins the advisory board of the Bund Deutscher Orgelbaumeister.

• 2008

  The company is renamed Freiburger Orgelbau Hartwig und Tilmann Späth OHG; Tilmann Späth passes his master craftsman examination and becomes co-owner.

• 1970

  Hartwig Späth passes the master craftsman examination as an organ builder.

• 1964

  August Späth and his son Hartwig separate from the Ennetach workshop and transfer the Freiburg branch into their own company, Freiburger Orgelbau August Späth, Orgelbaumeister.

• 1862

  Alois Späth founds an organ-building workshop in Ennetach.

Traditional family-run organ workshop combining over 150 years of craft heritage with contemporary organ design, serving churches and institutions in Germany and abroad.

• New pipe organs

  Design and construction of new pipe organs for churches and institutions.

• Organ restoration

  Restoration of historic organs, such as the 1877 Wilhelm Schwarz organ in Kirchen-Hausen.

• Organ consoles

  Restoration, renewal and installation of organ consoles, as at St. Ursula in Munich.

• Maintenance and tuning

  Ongoing maintenance and tuning services for organs.

1. 1Freiburger Orgelbaufreiburgerorgelbau.de
2. 2Freiburger Orgelbau | Über unsfreiburgerorgelbau.de
3. 3Freiburger Orgelbauwikidata.org
4. 4Freiburger Orgelbau Hartwig und Tilmann Späthde.wikipedia.org