Over three million people have left Venezuela already, many companies have made out of the dust. The company by Thilo Schmitz, however, remains. Because of the German-Venezuelans firmly believes in his country.
Sometimes there are noodles. On other days, sometimes chicken or fish. In any case, the lunch, which costs about two dollars, hot. For the 65 employees who are still working in the company of Thilo Schmitz in the Venezuelan capital, is the meal in any case, a matter of survival. “Many are there only because of the lunch. If you were to get with us, you would already be long gone!”, is convinced the German-Venezuelan entrepreneurs. “In Venezuela, the pure despair prevails, the people here are all at the end of your powers!”
The medium-sized company in Caracas, distributes school supplies, paper and Office supplies, produces, paints and adhesives. More than 200 employees, the company still had a few years ago, before the severe economic crisis. Now, the operation in the red, it’s simply a question of the bare existence – in the truest sense of the word. “It’s all about food”, says Schmitz, “the air conditioning is broken, or the worn car tire, which is dangerous, or even the toys for the kids for Christmas. It’s just a matter to have enough to eat.”
“In Venezuela there are no pigeons and dogs on the streets, and more” – Thilo Schmitz about the desperate search for Food
As the warehouse worker who asks for a new pair of pants, because he eats only once per day, lost 20 kg and the old pants no longer fit him. Since the large bags with food, the Schmitz Christmas pushes each of his staff in the Hand. Or the thing with the fruit. “They buy 50 tangerines and place them on a large tray, so that the employees take carbohydrates and vitamins. On a normal Tuesday afternoon. And within two minutes all is gone.” But Schmitz‘ workers do not even eat the mandarins, but bring them home to their families.
A story of success, yet without a Happy-End
The history of Thilo Schmitz is actually quite a success story. In 1967, he was born in Caracas, at the German school in high school. For the teaching of Schmitz goes to Bremen, studied in Frankfurt am Main, self-employed, working at Deutsche Bank. Schmitz sees his future in Germany, until 1994, his father asks to take over the operation in Caracas. He doesn’t have to think long: “it was a Chance to take over a family business and develop it further, you get only once in your life!”
A short time later, in January 1996, dares to Schmitz, the jump across the pond and is on a punch-in-chief of 34 employees. From the writing instrument company, a company for writing instruments and scissors, and later, for paper goods, office supplies and stationery. The Shop is buzzing. But then the 6 comes.December 1998. On the day of the socialist Hugo Chavez wins elections in Venezuela, you may remember Schmitz. “We were very scared of this guy, and were all pretty shocked. But then we thought that no one can be so stupid to make a so beautiful country be destroyed so easily.”
Even before the election, confident of victory: Hugo Chávez in the Venezuelan presidential election campaign at the end of 1998
In fact, the Fears prove to be as unfounded, the company is also booming in the coming years. Schmitz holds on to the new game rules, to criticize the government publicly and successfully flies under the Radar. “We were not relevant enough, we were in the food sector or in any of the major industries.” Education in the government of Chávez, in contrast, priority, and folders, pencils and erasers for everyone. If it is necessary, then, as is the Schmitz school in the slums for the low, low price of outputs, is to be on the safe side.
Back to Germany
Hugo Chávez is pushing for, meanwhile, his socialism of the 21st century.Century, the gushing oil, the President is pumping the lush profits from oil into social programs, the living standards of many Venezuelans is growing. “Chávez has done a lot of Good,” says Thilo Schmitz today, mildly, “but you can Finance the socialism with subsidies and gifts only if one of the bags full of money. If the price of oil goes up then look down, you have a Problem!”
Even today, one-fifth of the world’s oil reserves lie almost in Venezuela, Chávez price benefited from the high oil
As Chávez on 3.December 2006, the re-election, Schmitz sure that the socialist Era of Venezuela is finally over. The entrepreneur hopes on a victory of the social democratic Challenger, Manuel Rosales. But Chavez wins by a large margin and after the speech in front of the Miraflores Palace holds Thilo Schmitz a momentous decision: “I will go immediately. To Miami, Panama, or Germany, whatever. But the speech of Chávez was so terrifying, so fanatical, so aggressive, that shocked me for real.” In the end, it can take up to 8. August 2008, to Schmitz returns to Bremen. In the meantime, he is working to his successor in Caracas, Schmitz manages the company from Germany.
Hope for better days is the last to die
Venezuela has as many students as Germany, until the death of Hugo Chávez on 5.March 2013 power of the German-Venezuelans continue to be good for business. As Nicolás takes on Maduro, the entrepreneur decides to go into production. “Every new government wants to create jobs and this is only possible if one promotes such as we are the local industry.” The new strategy, in order to arrange with the successor government. “With Chávez we knew now, like he’s ticking,” recalled Schmitz, “Maduro, in contrast, is a blank slate. Nobody has a clue as to how to proceed with it with him!”
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With the new President of Venezuela begins a bitter crash. And also the by Thilo Schmitz‘ company. “We have implemented $ 50 million. Now we are just under a Million dollars.” Every year employees leave the company, emigrate to Colombia, Chile or in the United States. Other sends Thilo Schmitz in early retirement, some of the he must terminate. Only 65 of more than 200 employees are there, why he does not finally and like so many farms in Venezuela in front of him? “We have a responsibility to the employees, the company must survive,” Thilo Schmitz combative, “and we believe that sometime in Venezuela, again uphill. And if it is, I want in!”