Olymp: Nine decades of shirt pioneer Eberhard Bezner

Eberhard Bezner was born on December 31, 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 Ludwigsburg district. After completing his schooling in Bietigheim in 1950, he began a qualified apprenticeship in textile wholesale and retail in Ludwigsburg. He then joined his parents' company, OLYMP, as an employee on September 1, 1953.

Following the unexpected death of his father, Eugen Bezner, in January 1960, Eberhard Bezner had to assume full responsibility for the burgeoning medium-sized shirt company overnight at just 24 years old. He dedicated his entire entrepreneurial energy to this role as managing partner for many decades. This continued until the complete handover to his son and successor, Mark Bezner, who now successfully leads the international family business in its third generation.

One of Eberhard Bezner's key entrepreneurial achievements was recognising the growing difficulties of domestic textile production in Germany as early as the late 1960s. The demand for skilled production workers could hardly be met during this period. Faced with near-full employment, the local textile and clothing industry, particularly in the Middle Neckar region, continuously lost workers to traditionally strong sectors like mechanical engineering and the automotive industry. Therefore, alternatives for shirt manufacturing had to be found abroad, as this was the only way to preserve the medium-sized company and secure jobs in Germany.

An ambitious and persistent perfectionist and quality enthusiast, Eberhard Bezner constantly worked to further improve the outstanding properties of OLYMP shirts. These included non-iron finishes, crease-resistance, breathability, comfort, and durability. As a Swabian entrepreneur and resourceful innovator, he implemented numerous ideas for modern shirt manufacturing, laying the foundation for the brand's sustained market success.

Alongside his long-standing entrepreneurial activities, Eberhard Bezner also took on political responsibility at the municipal level in his hometown of Bietigheim for decades. From 1968 to 2004, he was at times the longest-serving council member of the CDU parliamentary group in the city of Bietigheim-Bissingen. He also held the honorary position of deputy mayor, representing the then Lord Mayor Manfred List (CDU). For his numerous services to the community as a citizen, patron, sponsor, and official, he received the Badge of Honour of the State of Baden-Württemberg. He is also a recipient of the Order of Merit on Ribbon of the Federal Republic of Germany. In October 2013, Eberhard Bezner was also honoured by the Baden-Baden Business Forum for his life's work as a doyen of the German shirt industry and as a partner of OLYMP.

Guided by the humanistic motto, “It is more blessed to give than to receive”, committed philanthropist Eberhard Bezner has always been involved in charitable work for humanitarian aid projects. In 2008, this motivation led him, along with his son Mark Bezner and daughter Birgit Bezner-Fischer, to establish the OLYMP-Bezner-Stiftung. The foundation was endowed with a private capital of one million euros and has since been dedicated to supporting the education, health, and training of children and young people worldwide.

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

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

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