Henschel & Sohn
Corporate brand
UnclaimedHistoric German heavy-engineering manufacturer associated with locomotives, commercial vehicles, aircraft, weapons, and armored fighting vehicles.
Last updated October 30, 2026
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Overview
Henschel & Sohn, commonly rendered in English as Henschel & Son, was a major German heavy-engineering enterprise based in Kassel. Its origins date to 1810, when Georg Christian Carl Henschel established a metalworking factory there. His son Carl Anton Henschel founded a second factory in 1837, and the family businesses subsequently developed into one of Germany's most important industrial manufacturers. The company entered locomotive production in 1848, a decision that shaped its identity for the next century. By the twentieth century, Henschel had become Germany's largest locomotive builder, supplying steam and diesel locomotives for state railways, private industrial railways, mining operations, and overseas customers. The firm's capabilities extended well beyond rail equipment. It produced gearboxes from 1918, entered truck and bus manufacturing in 1925, and later built trolleybuses, commercial-vehicle components, and other precision metal products. Its railway work included conventional steam locomotives, high-speed streamlined versions of existing designs, industrial diesel locomotives, and export models for railway operators in Europe, Asia, Africa, and South America. Henschel also built articulated steam trucks based on Doble designs and produced a limited number of automobiles, including a vehicle used as Hermann Göring's staff car. During the 1930s and the Second World War, Henschel became deeply involved in German rearmament. It manufactured Panzer I tanks, entered large-scale Panzer III production, and was the sole manufacturer of the Tiger I tank while sharing Tiger II production with Porsche. Its aviation division, Henschel Flugzeugwerke, developed or produced military aircraft, guided weapons, missiles, and anti-aircraft systems, while the company also undertook licensed production of the Dornier Do 17Z bomber. This wartime role made the Kassel works a major Allied bombing target. The factories suffered near-total destruction by 1945, and the company employed forced labor extensively during the war, a central and troubling part of its history. Henschel resumed manufacturing in 1948 and rebuilt its business around transportation and industrial engineering. Trolleybus production continued until 1962, with vehicles supplied mainly to German and Austrian operators and substantial orders for Buenos Aires and São Paulo. In 1964, Henschel acquired Rheinische Stahlwerke and became Rheinstahl-Henschel AG. Its truck operations were combined with Hanomag in 1969 to form Hanomag-Henschel; Daimler-Benz later acquired the operation and ended the Hanomag-Henschel brand in 1974. The Kassel industrial complex subsequently passed through Thyssen-Henschel, ABB Henschel, Adtranz, Bombardier Transportation, and, after 2021, Alstom. Although the original Henschel & Sohn company no longer exists as an independent enterprise, the Kassel site remains an important locomotive-production center, notably associated with the Alstom Traxx platform. Henschel & Son was a German engineering and manufacturing company headquartered in Kassel. Founded in 1810 by Georg Christian Carl Henschel, the business began as a machine works and developed into one of Germany’s most important producers of railway equipment. A second Henschel factory was established by Georg’s son Carl Anton in 1837, and the company entered locomotive production in 1848. Over the following decades, Henschel became a major supplier to German railways, industrial railways, mining operations, and export markets. The company’s early industrial portfolio included machinery, steam engines, boilers, gearboxes, and railway equipment. Its gearbox production began in 1918, while trucks and buses were added in 1925. During the twentieth century, Henschel expanded beyond steam locomotives into diesel locomotives, trolleybuses, commercial vehicles, and chassis. It also experimented with steam-powered road vehicles and produced high-speed streamlined locomotives by adapting existing steam designs with removable aerodynamic shells. Henschel trolleybuses were built from 1941 to 1962, with vehicles supplied to transport operators in Germany, Austria, Argentina, and Brazil. The company was deeply involved in German military production during the Nazi period and the Second World War. Its activities included the manufacture of Panzer I and Panzer III tanks, the Tiger I, and Tiger II tanks produced in cooperation with Porsche. Henschel also undertook licensed aircraft production and operated an aviation division responsible for aircraft, guided weapons, anti-aircraft rockets, and glide bombs. The wartime production system relied extensively on forced labor, an aspect of the company’s history that remains central to assessments of its legacy. Its factories were major Allied bombing targets and were almost completely destroyed by 1945. Production resumed in 1948, but the postwar company did not return to its former integrated structure. Henschel took over Rheinische Stahlwerke in 1964 and became Rheinstahl-Henschel AG. Its truck operations were combined with Hanomag in 1969, creating Hanomag-Henschel. Daimler-Benz later acquired the commercial-vehicle business and discontinued the Hanomag-Henschel brand in 1974. The Kassel operation increasingly concentrated on rail equipment, especially locomotives, while corporate ownership and names changed through Thyssen-Henschel, ABB Henschel, and Adtranz. The historic rail business ultimately became part of Bombardier Transportation and, following Alstom’s acquisition of Bombardier Transportation in 2021, the Kassel site became part of Alstom. The former Henschel location continues to manufacture and service locomotives, including Alstom’s Traxx family. Henschel & Son therefore survives primarily as an industrial heritage name and as a predecessor to major contemporary European rail-manufacturing operations. Henschel resumed production in 1948 and rebuilt around transportation and industrial engineering. Trolleybus production continued until 1962, supplying operators in Germany and Austria as well as large orders for Buenos Aires and São Paulo. In 1964 Henschel took over Rheinische Stahlwerke and became Rheinstahl-Henschel AG. Its truck business merged with Hanomag in 1969 to form Hanomag-Henschel; Daimler-Benz later acquired that business and discontinued the Hanomag-Henschel brand in 1974. The Kassel industrial complex subsequently passed through Thyssen-Henschel, ABB Henschel, Adtranz, Bombardier Transportation, and after 2021 Alstom. Although the original Henschel & Sohn no longer exists as an independent company, the Kassel works remains a major locomotive production center, particularly associated with Alstom's Traxx platform.
History
Henschel & Sohn originated in Kassel in 1810, when Georg Christian Carl Henschel established a metalworking factory. The enterprise developed during a period in which German states were building industrial capacity, railways, and machine-tool production. Carl Anton Henschel, Georg's son, founded another factory in 1837. The two businesses helped create the industrial base from which the later Henschel company emerged. The decisive strategic turn came in 1848, when Henschel began manufacturing locomotives. Rail equipment required expertise in foundry work, boiler construction, precision machining, and large-scale assembly, all of which suited the company's capabilities. Over subsequent decades, Henschel became one of Germany's leading locomotive builders. Its output served state railways, private industrial users, mines, and narrow-gauge lines. By the twentieth century, it was regarded as Germany's largest locomotive manufacturer. Its portfolio eventually included steam, diesel, and specialized industrial locomotives, with many models exported to foreign railway systems. Henschel diversified into related transportation and mechanical products. Gearbox manufacturing began in 1918, while trucks and buses were added in 1925. The company also built articulated steam trucks based on Doble technology and produced a small number of cars. In the 1930s, it developed streamlined versions of existing steam locomotives, using removable outer shells to improve high-speed performance. Trolleybus production began in 1941 and continued until 1962. Henschel manufactured complete vehicles and chassis, supplying operators in Germany and Austria as well as customers in Buenos Aires and São Paulo. The company's wartime history was dominated by military production. From 1935, Henschel manufactured Panzer I tanks and later undertook large-scale production of the Panzer III. It was the sole manufacturer of the Tiger I tank and shared Tiger II production with Porsche. Henschel's aviation activities included aircraft development, licensed production of the Dornier Do 17Z, and work on aircraft, missiles, glide bombs, and anti-aircraft weapons. The firm's military importance made its factories major Allied bombing targets. By 1945, the Kassel works had been nearly destroyed. The company had also relied extensively on forced labor, involving it in the coercive labor system of Nazi Germany; this is an essential part of any balanced account of the enterprise. Manufacturing resumed in 1948. Post-war Henschel rebuilt around locomotives, commercial vehicles, buses, trolleybuses, gearboxes, and other industrial products rather than returning immediately to its wartime role. Corporate ownership and structure changed repeatedly. In 1964, Henschel took over Rheinische Stahlwerke and became Rheinstahl-Henschel AG. In 1969, its truck activities were combined with Hanomag to form Hanomag-Henschel. Daimler-Benz subsequently acquired that business and discontinued the Hanomag-Henschel brand in 1974, shifting the Kassel operation toward commercial-vehicle axles. Further reorganizations produced Thyssen-Henschel in 1976, ABB Henschel in 1990, and Adtranz in 1996 following the combination of ABB's and Daimler-Benz's transportation businesses. Bombardier acquired the relevant transportation operations around 2002, and Alstom acquired Bombardier Transportation in 2021. The original Henschel & Sohn company is therefore defunct as an independent corporate entity, but its Kassel industrial legacy continues through modern locomotive production. The site remains associated with Alstom's Traxx locomotives and is one of the world's major locomotive-manufacturing locations. Georg Christian Carl Henschel established the Henschel factory in Kassel in 1810. The original operation manufactured machinery and industrial equipment, reflecting the rapid development of German mechanical engineering during the nineteenth century. Carl Anton Henschel, Georg’s son, founded a second factory in 1837. In 1848 the company began locomotive production, a decision that permanently shaped its industrial identity. Henschel expanded alongside German railway construction and became one of the country’s largest locomotive manufacturers by the twentieth century. Its output included locomotives for state railways, private industrial railways, mining companies, and overseas customers. The company produced both steam and diesel designs and supplied equipment to a wide range of national railway systems. In the 1930s it developed streamlined versions of existing steam locomotives, using removable outer shells to improve aerodynamic performance at speeds of up to approximately 140 km/h. The company diversified during the early twentieth century. Gearbox production began in 1918, and Henschel entered truck and bus manufacturing in 1925. It also built experimental steam road vehicles, including articulated steam trucks based on Doble-related designs. Trolleybus production began in 1941 and continued until 1962. Henschel manufactured complete trolleybuses and chassis, with notable export orders for Buenos Aires and São Paulo. Henschel’s wartime history is closely connected with Nazi Germany’s armaments economy. The company manufactured Panzer I tanks from 1935 and produced Panzer III tanks on a large scale from 1939–1940. It was the sole manufacturer of the Tiger I and built Tiger II tanks alongside Porsche. Through Henschel Flugzeugwerke, the company also produced aircraft and developed or manufactured guided weapons, rockets, and glide bombs. The Hs 129 ground-attack aircraft, Hs 293 glide bomb, and Hs 117 surface-to-air missile are among the best-known products associated with its aviation and weapons activities. The factories used forced labor extensively, and the Kassel works were heavily targeted by Allied bombing. By 1945, the facilities had been almost totally destroyed. Reconstruction permitted manufacturing to resume in 1948, but the company’s postwar trajectory was defined by restructuring and changes in ownership. In 1964 Henschel took over Rheinische Stahlwerke and operated as Rheinstahl-Henschel AG. Its truck business was merged with Hanomag in 1969 to form Hanomag-Henschel. Daimler-Benz subsequently acquired the commercial-vehicle operations, and the Hanomag-Henschel marque was discontinued in 1974. The Kassel business increasingly focused on rail vehicles, locomotive production, and components such as commercial-vehicle axles. Further corporate reorganizations produced Thyssen-Henschel in 1976 and ABB Henschel in 1990. In 1996 the rail business became part of ABB Daimler-Benz Transportation, later known as Adtranz. Bombardier acquired the relevant transportation operations around 2002. Alstom acquired Bombardier Transportation in 2021. The Kassel facility remains an important locomotive manufacturing and servicing site, now associated with Alstom’s Traxx family. Henschel & Son itself is no longer an independent operating company, but its engineering legacy continues through the industrial and railway businesses descended from it.
- 2021
Alstom acquires Bombardier Transportation
[1]The successor Kassel locomotive operation entered Alstom through its acquisition of Bombardier Transportation.
- 2002
Bombardier acquires transportation operations
[1]Bombardier subsequently acquired the transportation business descended from the Henschel rail operation.
- 1996
Adtranz successor structure created
[1]The business became part of ABB Daimler Benz Transportation, later known as Adtranz.
- 1990
ABB Henschel is formed
[1]The transportation and engineering operations became associated with ABB Henschel.
- 1976
Thyssen-Henschel phase begins
[1]The business entered a new corporate phase under the Thyssen-Henschel name.
- 1976
Thyssen-Henschel established
[1]A further corporate reorganization created Thyssen-Henschel.
- 1969
Hanomag-Henschel established
[1]Henschel truck manufacturing was combined with Hanomag.
- 1964
Rheinstahl-Henschel AG is created
[1]The acquisition of Rheinische Stahlwerke resulted in the Rheinstahl-Henschel AG structure.
- 1964
Rheinstahl-Henschel formed
[1]The takeover of Rheinische Stahlwerke led to the Rheinstahl-Henschel AG name.
- 1948
Post-war production resumes
[1]The company restarted manufacturing after the destruction of its Kassel works during the war. Henschel resumed manufacturing during postwar reconstruction.
Products and positioning
A historically significant German heavy-engineering manufacturer whose identity was built around railway technology and later broadened into commercial vehicles, military equipment, and aerospace systems.
Rail transportation · 1848
Henschel steam locomotives
Steam locomotives were Henschel's signature product after the company entered the railway sector in 1848. The range served national railways, private industrial operators, mines, and narrow-gauge systems. Henschel also developed streamlined versions of existing steam locomotives in the 1930s, using removable aerodynamic shells to support speeds of up to approximately 140 km/h. Steam locomotives were Henschel’s defining historical product. From 1848 onward, the company supplied locomotives to state railways, private railways, mining operations, industrial users, and foreign customers. Its portfolio included conventional designs as well as streamlined versions developed in the 1930s by fitting removable aerodynamic shells over existing locomotives.
Industrial diesel locomotives
Henschel DH and DHG diesel locomotives
The DH and DHG families covered diesel-hydraulic and related industrial locomotive designs for mines, factories, private railways, and export customers. The many models included compact shunting locomotives and heavier machines, with variants supplied to railway systems in Europe, Asia, Africa, and elsewhere, including China, Denmark, Egypt, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Portugal, Sudan, and Sweden. The DH and DHG families represented Henschel’s extensive postwar diesel-locomotive business. These locomotives served private, mining, industrial, and national railway customers. Numerous variants were exported, including models supplied to railways in China, Denmark, Egypt, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Portugal, Sudan, and Sweden.
Commercial vehicles · 1925
Henschel trucks and buses
Henschel entered truck and bus manufacturing in 1925. The business complemented its railway activities and later became part of the Hanomag-Henschel commercial-vehicle combination. Henschel also built articulated steam trucks based on Doble designs and produced other road-transport equipment. Henschel began manufacturing trucks and buses in 1925. The road-vehicle business complemented its railway and machinery operations and later became part of the Hanomag-Henschel commercial-vehicle combination before passing to Daimler-Benz.
Electric road transportation · 1941
Henschel trolleybuses
Henschel manufactured trolleybuses from 1941 through 1962, producing at least 680 complete vehicles and chassis for additional bodies supplied by other manufacturers. Customers included transport companies in Germany and Austria, Buenos Aires (175 vehicles), and São Paulo (50 Henschel-Uerdingen trolleybuses).
Armored fighting vehicle
Tiger I
Henschel was the sole manufacturer of the Tiger I heavy tank during the Second World War. Its production formed part of the company's extensive wartime involvement in German armored-vehicle manufacturing.
Military aerospace
Henschel aircraft and guided weapons
Henschel Flugzeugwerke developed and produced a broad group of military aircraft, prototypes, missiles, glide bombs, and anti-aircraft systems. Associated projects included the Hs 123 and Hs 129 attack aircraft, the Hs 126 reconnaissance aircraft, the Hs 293 guided weapon, and the Hs 117 Schmetterling surface-to-air missile.
Public-transport vehicles · 1941
Trolleybuses
Henschel built trolleybuses from 1941 through 1962, producing at least 680 complete vehicles and chassis for additional bodies supplied by other manufacturers. Major export orders included 175 vehicles for Buenos Aires and 50 Henschel-Uerdingen trolleybuses for São Paulo.
Armoured vehicles
Tiger I and Tiger II tanks
Henschel was the sole manufacturer of the Tiger I heavy tank during the Second World War and produced Tiger II tanks in cooperation with Porsche. These vehicles were part of the company's wartime armaments production and are also associated with the ethical and historical record of forced labor at its factories.
Aircraft
Henschel Hs 129
The Hs 129 was a purpose-built ground-attack aircraft developed and produced by Henschel Flugzeugwerke for the German Luftwaffe during the Second World War. It formed part of a wider aviation portfolio that included reconnaissance aircraft, prototypes, and military weapons.
Guided weapons
Henschel Hs 293
The Hs 293 was a rocket-boosted glide bomb associated with Henschel’s wartime aviation and weapons activities. It was developed as an anti-shipping weapon and illustrates the company’s expansion from conventional engineering into guided military systems.
Controversies
1945
Use of forced labor during the Second World War
Henschel's wartime factories used forced labor extensively while producing tanks, aircraft, weapons, and other military equipment for Nazi Germany. The issue is a major ethical and historical aspect of the company's wartime record. Henschel's wartime factories used forced labor extensively while producing tanks, aircraft, locomotives, weapons, and other military equipment for Nazi Germany. The issue is a major ethical and historical aspect of the company's wartime record and must be considered alongside the destruction of its Kassel facilities in the final phase of the war.
Brand decisions
2021
Successor locomotive operations enter AlstomM&ABackground
The former Henschel transportation lineage had passed through several reorganizations and was operating within Bombardier Transportation.
Action taken
Alstom acquired Bombardier Transportation, including the successor Kassel locomotive operation.
Aftermath
The Kassel site continued as an Alstom manufacturing location associated with Traxx locomotives.
1996
Move into ABB Daimler-Benz TransportationM&ABackground
Further consolidation reshaped the European railway-equipment industry and brought Henschel’s rail operations into a larger international structure.
Action taken
The business became part of ABB Daimler-Benz Transportation, later known as Adtranz.
Aftermath
The successor rail operation later passed to Bombardier and then Alstom, while the Kassel site retained a locomotive-manufacturing role.
1969
Combine truck operations with HanomagM&ABackground
Commercial-vehicle manufacturing was being reorganized to achieve greater scale and reduce duplication. Henschel and Hanomag sought to consolidate their commercial-vehicle activities.
Action taken
Henschel's truck production was merged with Hanomag to create Hanomag-Henschel.
Aftermath
Daimler-Benz later acquired the operation and discontinued the Hanomag-Henschel brand in 1974.
1964
Acquire Rheinische StahlwerkeM&ABackground
Industrial consolidation offered a route to greater scale and a broader materials and engineering base. Postwar industrial consolidation prompted Henschel to broaden its corporate structure and steel-related activities.
Action taken
Henschel took over Rheinische Stahlwerke and operated under the Rheinstahl-Henschel AG name.
Aftermath
The company moved further toward a diversified industrial group and subsequently underwent additional ownership changes. The transaction began a sequence of reorganizations that ultimately separated and recombined the company’s vehicle and rail businesses.
1935
Expand into armored vehiclesProduct launchBackground
The German rearmament program created demand for military vehicles and weapons alongside Henschel’s established railway and machinery businesses.
Action taken
Henschel began manufacturing Panzer I tanks and subsequently produced Panzer III, Tiger I, and Tiger II tanks.
Aftermath
The company became a major armaments supplier, exposing its factories to intensive bombing and tying its history to forced labor and Nazi war production.
1925
Diversify into road vehiclesStrategyBackground
Henschel sought to extend its transportation expertise beyond railways.
Action taken
The company began building trucks and buses.
Aftermath
Road vehicles became an important secondary business before later consolidation with Hanomag.
1848
Enter locomotive manufacturingStrategyBackground
The growing railway industry created demand for large-scale metalworking, boilers, and precision machinery.
Action taken
Henschel began producing locomotives at its Kassel works.
Aftermath
Rail equipment became the company's defining business and eventually made Henschel Germany's largest locomotive manufacturer.
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