Josef Fischer, the son of the company founder and owner of Fischer Sports GmbH, died on Aug. 26 at the age of 90.
After the passing of his father, Josef Fischer took over the management of the company together with his sister in 1959, when he was not even 30 years old. Thanks to his forward-looking ideas, the visionary kept reinventing the ski. Not only did he have innovative ideas in all areas of production and marketing, but also dedicated employees who helped him to realize these visions. Under his leadership, the company quickly grew into the largest and most modern ski factory in the world, as well as the technological pioneer of the ski industry. In July 1973, Josef Fischer took over the hosiery and knitwear manufacturer Löffler. In 1990, he withdrew from the day-to-day business, but remained chairman of the supervisory board until 2003. In 2007, he retired for good by also resigning as a simple member of the supervisory board, but always remained deeply attached to his company. Fischer was also president and later honorary president of the VSSÖ, the association of sports equipment manufacturers and suppliers in Austria.
His passion and love for skiing accompanied Josef Fischer throughout his entire life. Many world stars, from the Austrian skiing hero Franz Klammer to the Norwegian cross-country idol Bjørn Dæhlie, were inseparably connected with “Pepi” Fischer, as his friends called him, and his brand. In an interview on the occasion of his 70th birthday, Fischer characteristically named Egon Zimmermann’s victory at the 1964 Olympic Games in Innsbruck his own best experience.
After his death, Fischer’s lifework will continue to be 100 percent family-owned, thanks to the given structure with a company holding held by two family foundations.
