Thuringia’s Prime Minister Dr. Bernhard Vogel visits PIKO On March 18, 1999, PIKO welcomed an important visitor in Sonneberg. On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of PIKO model railroads, Dr. Bernhard Vogel, Prime Minister of the State of Thuringia decided to visit the company’s premises in Sonneberg. Accompanied by several ministers and state secretaries, Dr. Vogel visited the PIKO plant and had a tour with the Presidents Ortrun D. Wilfer and Dr. René F. Wilfer. On this occasion, Dr. Vogel was also introduced to the history of PIKO. The first PIKO model train appeared in 1949, while the PIKO Spielwaren Ltd. was founded in 1999. Dr. Vogel talked about his youth and mentioned that he used to play with his brother’s model railroad. He expressed his happiness about being Prime Minister in a State where a model train company has been manufacturing model railroads for such a long time.

Ortrun D. Wilfer and Dr. René F. Wilfer presented Thuringia’s Prime Minister Dr. Bernhard Vogel with a “PIKO Book” and an anniversary car “50 Years of PIKO Model Railways”.

In the course of a round table talk, Dr. Bernhard Vogel, Prime Minister of the State of Thuringia, talked about his experiences with model railroads in his childhood. Sibylle Abel, Mayor of Sonneberg (in the middle of the picture), and several other guests took part in the conversation.

Dr. René F. Wilfer explained the coloring of the new DB AG double deck car to Prime Minister Dr. Vogel. Sibylle Abel, Mayor of Sonneberg and Chistine Zitzmann, Member of the Thuringian State Parliament, watched the demonstration attentively.