1926	The beginning: It all began under water Karl Bernhardt had already successfully completed two careers by the time the First World War ended. Not only did the public applaud him as a court opera singer in Darmstadt and Stettin, but his superiors held him in high regard as a judicious cavalry officer. However, neither of these two careers had good prospects in post-war Germany. With knowledge from his technical capabilities, Karl Bernhardt founded the company "Ingenieur Karl Bernhardt Apparatebau," which manufactured diving equipment. more information about "The beginning"
	1957 1959	The tragedy: The sinking of the „Pamir“ A shipping tragedy shocks all of Germany. The training sailing ship Pamir sinks on September 21st, 1957, in a hurricane off the coast the Azores. Of the eighty-six crewmembers, only six exhausted men were rescued. The raging sea took away all the other lives, despite the fact that they were wearing life jackets. This became Jost Bernhardt’s motive for constructing life saving equipment which protected the wearer from drowning, even while unconscious. more information about "Pamir" more information about "Jost Bernhardt"
	1963 1964	The way up: Lifejackets for the German Navy Aggressive communism in Europe as well as the Korean War triggered the Federal Republic of Germany to join the western defense alliance, NATO, in 1955. In the years that followed, not only a land army was built up, but also a navy. Feeling the full force of the sea too often, many officers recognized the importance of using high quality personal protection equipment during their operations in the war. These officers put their trust in Bernhardt Apparatebau, and in 1964 the initial equipping of the German Navy with the standard lifejacket MRS 3 began. The German Navy and Bernhardt Apparatebau formed a bond that has since endured. more information about "Lifejackets for the German Navy"
	1970	The breakthrough: From inland waterways to leisure time fun At this time, statistics showed that approximately 100 sailors drowned each year. This unfortunate situation provided more than enough reasons for SECUMAR to further develop its products. Appearing on the market in 1970, the SECUMAR BS 8 brought several innovations and advantages to ocean safety. By means of fully automatic inflation, this model is able to turn an unconscious person face upwards in water. In addition, it is handy and inconspicuous, due to a folded design of the buoyancy chamber. This tempting comfort in wear has implications far beyond the bounds of professional shipping. In the realm of sailors and leisure captains, the SECUMAR BS 8 was a breakthrough that continues to develop. more information about "SECUMAR BS 8"
	1975	The upswing: sailing fun with safety In former times, sailing was considered a pastime only amongst the elite. Above all, the aristocracy and maybe a few other captains of industry indulged in this expensive leisure-time pursuit. To the typical individual, this water world enjoyed by those such as Kaiser Wilhelm II was closed. The only opportunity for the average man to catch a glimpse of this life was as a flag-waver on land. With time, however, history changed. Along with the Kaiser's death, sailing has changed considerably. This dream sport is now open to the "little man," who can acquire reasonable ships today with a decent income. The result is that now approximately a quarter of a million citizens in Germany pursue sailing as a sport. SECUMAR provides the comfort and safety that all classes of men need for sailing fun. more information
	1986	The knighthood: SECUMAR in the German Museum The German Museum in Munich possesses an unmatched collection of technical master achievements from various areas and epochs. SECUMAR is represented here not only for its lifejackets for shipping and sailing. Some SECUMAR lifejackets have found their place in a variety of places, including an aerospace exhibition. more information
	1993	The partnership: Cooperation with STEARNS A relationship between SECUMAR and the American enterprise STEARNS was formed. This strategic transatlantic partnership began in 1993 and has continually expanded since. SECUMAR has, amongst other things, foam life jackets by STEARNS in its product line, while the Americans profit from inflatable life jackets and components manufactured in Germany. more information
	1995	The future: The will to be innovative No technical equipment is so perfect that there is no room for improvement. This fact provides the will to be innovative, as well as an incentive to be quality-assured. The result of this attitude imparts new, future-oriented products, ranging from single details like the automatic inflation device 4001 S, to complete systems such as the DGzRS lifejacket. more information

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