December 31, 2025

OLYMP: Nine Decades of Shirt Pioneer Eberhard Bezner

Eberhard Bezner, long-standing former managing director and current co-partner of OLYMP Bezner KG as well as co-founder of the OLYMP Bezner Stiftung (a charitable foundation based in Germany) in Bietigheim-Bissingen (Ludwigsburg district, Baden-Württemberg, Germany), will celebrate his 90th birthday on 31 December 2025.

Eberhard Bezner was born on 31 December 1935 in Stuttgart, Württemberg, as the only child of OLYMP founder Eugen Bezner and his wife Wilma (née Klaus). He grew up in Bietigheim and Ingersheim (in the district of Ludwigsburg) before completing his schooling in Bietigheim in 1950 and beginning a qualified apprenticeship as a textile and retail salesperson at a textile wholesaler in Ludwigsburg. He then joined his parents’ company, OLYMP, on 1 September 1953, initially as a regular employee.

Following the sudden death of his father, Eugen Bezner, in January 1960, Eberhard Bezner, aged just 24, had to take on full responsibility for the up-and-coming medium-sized shirt company overnight. He devoted himself to this task as owner and CEO for many decades, putting all his entrepreneurial energy into it. He then handed over the reins to his son and successor, Mark Bezner, who is now successfully running the internationally active family business in its third generation.

One of Eberhard Bezner’s key entrepreneurial achievements was his recognition of the growing difficulties facing domestic textile production in Germany as early as the late 1960s. At that time, it was becoming increasingly difficult to meet the demand for skilled production workers. Given near full employment, the local textile and clothing industry, especially in the Middle Neckar region, was constantly losing workers to traditionally strong industries such as the mechanical engineering and automotive sectors. For this reason, alternatives for shirt production had to be found abroad, as this was the only way to preserve the medium-sized company and secure jobs in Germany as a business location.

As an ambitious and persistent perfectionist and stickler for quality, Eberhard Bezner also worked tirelessly to further improve the outstanding characteristics of OLYMP’s shirts, such as non-iron, wrinkle resistance, breathability, wearing comfort and durability. As a Swabian entrepreneur and resourceful inventor, he implemented numerous ideas for modern shirt manufacturing, which laid the foundation for the company’s ongoing commercial success.

In addition to his many years of entrepreneurial activity, Eberhard Bezner also took on political responsibility at the local level in his hometown of Bietigheim for decades. From 1968 to 2004, he was at times the longest-serving council member of the CDU faction in the city of Bietigheim-Bissingen. He also held the honorary position of municipal leader, representing the then Lord Mayor Manfred List (CDU). For his numerous services to the community as a citizen, patron, sponsor and elected representative, he was awarded the Badge of Honour of the State of Baden-Württemberg and is also a recipient of the Cross of Merit on Ribbon of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany. In October 2013, Eberhard Bezner was also honoured by the Baden-Baden Economic Forum for his life’s work as the doyen of the German shirt industry and as a partner in OLYMP.

Under the humanistic motto “It is more blessed to give than to receive”, Eberhard Bezner, a committed philanthropist, has always been involved in charitable humanitarian aid projects. Together with his son Mark Bezner and his daughter Birgit Bezner-Fischer, this motivation led him to establish the OLYMP-Bezner-Stiftung in 2008 with a private endowment of one million euros, which has since been committed to the education, health and training of children and young people worldwide.

In 2010, Eberhard Bezner opened the hotel and restaurant “EBERHARDS”, now run by his grandson Bastian Fischer, as a stylish address in Bietigheim-Bissingen. In a prime city centre location – directly on the Enz river, next to the Bietigheim railway viaduct, the town’s landmark, and opposite the municipal indoor swimming pool – Eberhards combines high-quality accommodation for business travellers and holidaymakers with culinary experiences for connoisseurs and lovers of regional gastronomy.

Eberhard Bezner is also a proven music lover and initiator of the “Jazz in OLYMP” festival, which has been held annually on the company premises since 2001. With its numerous international music groups, performers and bands, the festival has established itself as a cultural highlight not only in Bietigheim-Bissingen, but throughout the Stuttgart region.

As an enthusiastic sports fan and generous sponsor, Eberhard Bezner has provided significant support to local sports clubs in Bietigheim-Bissingen for decades. In particular, his long-standing and extensive sponsorship of handball – both through OLYMP Bezner KG and through private funding by Eberhard Bezner himself as a passionate handball fan – is now one of the most successful corporate commitments in German top-level sport and reflects an internationally unique success story up until 2025.

CONTACT: Marc Fritz | +49 7142 592-170 | marc.fritz@olymp.com | www.olymp.com