Quelle

Quelle is the German word for source or origin and is used widely in the language. It is also the name of a former major German mail-order company that rose to prominence in the postwar period.

The company was founded in 1927 in Fürth, Bavaria, by entrepreneur Gustav Schickedanz. Its mail-order catalog offered a broad range of goods, from clothing to household items and later electronics. Through efficient logistics and a nationwide distribution network, Quelle became one of Europe’s largest mail-order retailers and played a significant role in shaping consumer shopping in Germany during the mid- to late 20th century.

In 1999, Quelle merged with the department store group Karstadt to form KarstadtQuelle AG, a holding that later carried the larger Arcandor brand name. Facing financial difficulties, Arcandor filed for insolvency in 2009, and the Quelle catalog and related retail operations were gradually wound down. The brand was largely phased out as a standalone retailer in the following years, although remnants and licensed uses persisted in limited forms.

Beyond its corporate history, the word Quelle remains a common German noun meaning “source” or “origin.” The rise and fall of Quelle is often cited in discussions of retail history as an example of the shift from traditional catalog shopping to integrated, multi-channel retailing and, eventually, to online commerce.

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