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{{short description|German cologne}}
<!-- the history sections contains unmarked references. too hot today to figure out the correct tag for that situation. also the pop refs is a bullet list in disguise. -->
<!-- the history sections contains unmarked references. also the pop refs is a bullet list in disguise. -->
[[File:4711c.jpg|right|thumb|4711 Eau de Cologne]]
[[File:4711 Eau de Cologne (logo).jpg|right|thumb|4711 Eau de Cologne]]
'''4711''' (pronounced "forty-seven eleven", "four-seven-eleven" or ''"siebenundvierzig elf"'') is a brand of [[Eau de Cologne]] by [[Mäurer & Wirtz]], a subsidiary of the [[Dalli Group]] owned by the Wirtz family. It is produced in Stolberg near [[Aachen]], [[Germany]].
'''4711''' is a traditional German [[Eau de Cologne]] by [[Mäurer & Wirtz]]. Because it has been produced in [[Cologne]] since at least 1799, it is allowed to use the [[geographical indication]] ''Original Eau de Cologne''. The brand has been expanded to various other perfumes and products besides the original ''Echt Kölnisch Wasser'', which has used the same formula for more than 200 years.


The original 4711 store at Glockengasse 4 in Cologne is a popular [[Tourism in Germany|tourist]] attraction.
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== History ==
[[File:1805-Frankfurter-Nachrichtsblaetter-No80.jpg|thumb|Farina's bulletin concerning Mülhens, Frankfurter Nachrichtsblätter, 20 September 1805]]
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At the outset of the 18th century, the Italian expatriate [[Johann Maria Farina]] (1685–1766) created a new fragrance and named it ''Eau de Cologne'' ("water from Cologne"), after his new residence, [[Cologne]]. Over the course of the century, the fragrance became increasingly popular.


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==History==
In 1803, [[:de:Wilhelm Mülhens|Wilhelm Mülhens]] bought the license and company rights from a person named Carlo Francesco Farina, unrelated to the [[Johann Maria Farina|Farina]] family of the perfume business. Mülhens resold this licence to more than twenty individuals; however, in 1835 these transactions were voided and judged as invalid by a court and the illegitimate 'Farina' companies were liquidated. Nevertheless, the son of Wilhelm Mülhens set out to find another unaffiliated Farina in [[Italy]], making him a business partner instead of merely buying rights to his name. Another company by the name of Farina was established.
[[File:1885-Molanus-Flasche.JPG|thumb|right|upright|An original 4711 bottle from 1885]]
[[File:Eau de Cologne 1280470.JPG|upright|right|thumbnail|Today's flacon: the so-called "Molanus bottle"]]


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In the early 18th century, [[Johann Maria Farina]] (1685–1766), an Italian living in [[Cologne]], [[Germany]], created a fragrance. He named it ''Eau de Cologne'' ("water from Cologne") after his new home. Over the next century, the fragrance became increasingly popular.
In 1881, a court ruled that [[Ferdinand Mühlens]], grandson of Wilhelm Mülhens, was not allowed to ever again use the company name of Farina. He then chose his office's former [[house number]], 4711, as the name for his brand and company. This number had been in effect between 1797 and 1811, before Cologne had switched from a city-wide numbering system (implemented during the occupation by French troops) to more common street-wide house numbering in 1811, so the house had in fact long been No. 12 when he selected the name.


According to legend, on 8 October 1792, a [[Carthusian monk]] made a wedding gift for the merchant Wilhelm Mülhens (1762&ndash;1841): the secret recipe of a so-called "aqua mirabilis", a "miracle water" for internal and external use. Mülhens then founded a small factory at Cologne's "Glockengasse" and established the first "Eau de Cologne" as a [[Cure|remedy]].
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The company name was ''Eau de Cologne & Parfümerie Fabrik Glockengasse No. 4711 gegenüber der Pferdepost von Ferd. Mülhens in Köln am Rhein'' until 1990, but was then renamed ''Mülhens GmbH & Co. KG''<!-- Cross-reference to "Eau de Cologne" has been deleted as that article did not seem to offer any information on this topic -->.


Peter Joseph Mülhens and his son [[Wilhelm Mülhens]] had been in a dispute over the use of the name "Farina" from 1800 to 1881. The Farina family accused Mülhens of using the name without authorization. The firm "Johann Maria Farina gegenüber dem Jülichs-Platz" feared confusion between the products because they also produced perfumes. In 1832, Wilhelm Mülhens lost the dispute, whereupon he employed another Mr. Farina from Mortara in order to continue using the name.
⚫
In 1994, the company of the Mülhens family was bought by ''Wella AG'', [[Darmstadt]], Germany. Since 1997, Wella has operated its cosmetic activities under the name Cosmopolitan Cosmetics GmbH, although the name Mülhens GmbH & Co. KG was still in use. In 2003, Wella AG was taken over by the American competitor [[Procter & Gamble]].


⚫
The company name was ''Eau de Cologne & Parfümerie Fabrik Glockengasse No. 4711 gegenüber der Pferdepost von Ferd. Mülhens in Köln am Rhein'' until 1990, when it was renamed ''Mülhens GmbH & Co. KG''.
In the summer of 2006, Procter & Gamble announced its intention of selling the "local" 4711 brand, along with three other former Mühlens brands, in an effort to focus its portfolio on "global" brands. Several interested parties competed over a period of several months until it was announced in December 2006 that the brand rights had been sold to the perfume company Mäurer & Wirtz of Aachen, a subsidiary of the Dalli Group.


⚫
In 1994, the Mülhens family company was bought by ''Wella AG'', [[Darmstadt]], Germany. Since 1997, Wella has operated its cosmetic activities under the name Cosmopolitan Cosmetics GmbH, although the name Mülhens GmbH & Co. KG was still in use. In 2003, Wella AG was taken over by the American competitor [[Procter & Gamble]].
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== House number 4711 ==

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[[File:4711 Glockengasse Cologne.jpg|right|thumb|Glockengasse 4 in Cologne, the headquarter of 4711]]
In summer 2006, Procter & Gamble announced it would sell the 4711 brand and three other former Mühlens brands, as part of an effort to divest "local" brands and to focus on global brands. The offer attracted several interested parties; in December 2006, P&G announced that the brand had been sold to the perfume company [[Mäurer & Wirtz]] in [[Aachen]], a subsidiary of the Dalli Group. In 2006, 4711 had the second highest market share in Germany right behind Chanel.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Koch |first=Brigitte |date=2006-12-13 |title=Übernahme: Ein neues Kapitel für 4711 |url=https://www.faz.net/aktuell/wirtschaft/uebernahme-ein-neues-kapitel-fuer-4711-1383278.html |access-date=2024-01-11 |work=FAZ.NET |language=de |issn=0174-4909}}</ref>

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==House number 4711==
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[[File:4711-Stammhaus Glockengasse-2712.jpg|left|thumb|Glockengasse 4 in Cologne, the headquarters of 4711]]
[[File:Adressbuch1797-Nr4711-detail.jpg|right|thumb|Third address book of Cologne, 1797, page 179]]
[[File:Adressbuch1797-Nr4711-detail.jpg|right|thumb|Third address book of Cologne, 1797, page 179]]
[[File:Advertisement of 4711main station Cologne.JPG|right|thumb|''4711'' advertisement at [[Cologne Central Station]], which has covered the station's western facade for several decades as of 2010]]


On October 3, 1794, in view of the French troops standing just outside of Cologne, the city council approved a plan proposed by the guard-committee to number all houses in the city without exception and to install what would be considered appropriate lighting for each location. Orders were given to install the lighting immediately, while the numbering was left to fate.<ref>HAStK, Bestand 10 (Ratsprotokolle) Nr. 241 Bl. 216v.</ref>
On 3 October 1794, in view of the [[Military of France|French troops]] standing just outside Cologne, the city council approved a plan proposed by the guard-committee to number all houses in the city without exception and to install what would be considered appropriate lighting for each location. Orders were given to install the lighting immediately, while the numbering was left to fate.<ref>HAStK, Bestand 10 (Ratsprotokolle) Nr. 241 Bl. 216v.</ref>


On October 6, 1794, French troops occupied the city. On October 7, 1794, the city council decided that every local government official had to hand in an inventory of all citizens and non-citizens in his district within 48 hours. Furthermore, the guard-committee received autorisation to number the houses as agreed previously.<ref>HAStK, Bestand 10 (Ratsprotokolle) Nr. 241 Bl. 225v.</ref>
On 6 October 1794, French troops occupied the city. On 7 October 1794, the city council decided that every local government official had to hand in an inventory of all citizens and non-citizens in his district within 48 hours. Furthermore, the guard-committee received authorisation to number the houses as previously agreed.<ref>HAStK, Bestand 10 (Ratsprotokolle) Nr. 241 Bl. 225v.</ref>


On October 20, 1794, Senator Gottfried von Gall noted in his diary that the numbering and the written documentation of the houses which started eight days earlier was being continued.<ref>HAStK, Bestand 7030 (Chron. u. Darst.) Nr. 175, Bl. 71v.</ref>
On 20 October 1794, Senator Gottfried von Gall noted in his diary that the numbering and the written documentation of the houses which started eight days earlier was being continued.<ref>HAStK, Bestand 7030 (Chron. u. Darst.) Nr. 175, Bl. 71v.</ref>


The printer Heinrich Josef Metternich (a council member) applied for permission to publish an address calendar. This calendar was supposed to include, amongst other things, the house numbers which had recently been assigned. He also sought permission to collect all the relevant details.<ref>HAStK, Bestand 350 (Franz. Verw.) Nr. 306, Blatt 3-6</ref>
The printer Heinrich Josef Metternich (a council member) applied for permission to publish an address calendar. This calendar was supposed to include, amongst other things, the house numbers which had recently been assigned. He also sought permission to collect all the relevant details.<ref>HAStK, Bestand 350 (Franz. Verw.) Nr. 306, Blatt 3-6</ref>


In the second address book of Cologne (1797), the widow of Wilhelm von Lemmen seel. was still listed as the tenant of the Klöckergasse house, which had been given the number 4711.<ref>RWWA Abt.33, 2. Adreßbuch: Gemeinnütziger Addresse-Kalender der Stadt Köllen, Cologne 1797, page 103</ref>
In the second address book of Cologne (1797), the widow of Wilhelm von Lemmen was still listed as the tenant of the Klöckergasse house, which had been given the number 4711.<ref>RWWA Abt.33, 2. Adreßbuch: Gemeinnütziger Addresse-Kalender der Stadt Köllen, Cologne 1797, page 103</ref>


Wilhelm Mülhens was listed as the tenant of the house no sooner than in the third edition of the address book of Cologne; his occupation was listed as "''in Speculationsgeschaeften''" (which translates to [[speculator]]). He is not yet listed under the manufacturers of Eau de Cologne in the mercantile directory.<ref>RWWA Abt.33, 3. Adreßbuch: Verzeichnis der Stadt-Kölnischen Einwohner, Cologne 1797, page 179.</ref>
Wilhelm Mülhens was listed as the tenant of the house no sooner than in the third edition of the address book of Cologne; his occupation was listed as "''in Speculationsgeschäften''" (which translates to [[speculator]]). He is not yet listed under the manufacturers of Eau de Cologne in the mercantile directory.<ref>RWWA Abt.33, 3. Adreßbuch: Verzeichnis der Stadt-Kölnischen Einwohner, Cologne 1797, page 179.</ref>


In 1811, the continuous house numbering was changed to a system of numbering streets separately, as is common today.
In 1811, the continuous [[house numbering]] was changed to a system of numbering streets separately, as is common today.


In the preface to the 1813 French edition of the address book, the publisher Thiriart claimed that there had not been any house numbering before the arrival of the French in the city ("''inconnu á Cologne avant l´arrivée des armées françaises au bord du Rhin''") and that the order to number the houses had been given in 1795.<ref>RWWA Abt.33, Itinéraire de Cologne, 1813, page 12.</ref>
In the preface to the 1813 French edition of the address book, the publisher Thiriart claimed that there had not been any house numbering before the arrival of the French in the city ("''inconnu à Cologne avant l´arrivée des armées françaises au bord du Rhin''") and that the order to number the houses had been given in 1795.<ref>RWWA Abt.33, Itinéraire de Cologne, 1813, page 12.</ref>


In 1854 Peter Joseph Mülhens moved from Glockengasse 12 into a newly constructed commercial building with a neo-gothic facade at Glockengasse 26-28. Glockengasse 12, which had been assigned the number 4711 in 1794, remained vacant for a period of time and was torn down after it was sold. <ref>RWWA Abt.33 Kölner Adressbücher.Economic Archive of Rhine Westphalia, section 33, Cologne Street Indexes</ref>
In 1854, Peter Joseph Mülhens moved from Glockengasse 12 into a newly constructed commercial building with a neo-gothic facade at Glockengasse 26-28. Glockengasse 12, which had been assigned the number 4711 in 1794, remained vacant for a period of time and was torn down after it was sold.<ref>RWWA Abt.33 Kölner Adressbücher.Economic Archive of Rhine Westphalia, section 33, Cologne Street Indexes</ref>


The depiction of a French military officer painting the house number 4711 on the facade of the house in the Glockengasse while sitting on his horse is a product of advertising. A piece of tapestry, a [[gobelin]] which had been ordered and made in the 1920s, served as a model. A scenic version spread widely in the 1950s and the 1960s.<ref>RWWA Abt.33, 160 Jahre N° 4711 1752-1952, Cologne 1952, o. S.</ref>
The depiction of a French military officer painting the house number 4711 on the facade of the house in the Glockengasse while sitting on his horse is a product of advertising. A piece of tapestry, a [[gobelin]] which had been ordered and made in the 1920s, served as a model. A scenic version spread widely in the 1950s and the 1960s.<ref>RWWA Abt.33, 160 Jahre N° 4711 1752-1952, Cologne 1952, o. S.</ref>


==In popular culture==
==Popular references==
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In [[Yevgeny Zamyatin]]'s novel ''[[We (novel)|We]]'', the name S-4711 is a reference to the [[Eau de Cologne]].<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Ermolaev |first1=Herman |date=October 1982 |title=Review of ''Three Russian Writers and the Irrational: Zamyatin, Pil'nyak, and Bulgakov'' by T. R. N. Edwards |journal=[[Russian Review]] |volume=41 |issue=4 |pages=531–532 |doi= 10.2307/129905 |last2= Edwards |first2= T. R. N. |jstor=129905}}</ref>


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During [[World War II]] [[Nazi Germany]]'s ''[[Kriegsmarine]]'' (navy) issued vast amounts of 4711 perfume to the submariners of the [[U-boat]] fleet. As there were limited facilities and few opportunities for bathing, the scent was to be used in an attempt to improve the odour aboard the vessel. Crew members typically didn't use much of it and would take home bottles as presents for mothers, wives or girlfriends.<ref>Taken from interview with Peter Peterson in the DVD documentary ''U-boat War Attack America''. Produced and directed by Nigel Turner 2004. ITN/Discovery Channel MCMXCVII. Peter Peterson served aboard a [[German Type IX submarine]] U-518 during the Second World War.</ref>
* The number 4711 is sometimes used by [[software engineer]]s where an indeterminate, but specific, number is needed.<ref>
[http://books.google.com/books?id=5uYbmQerI08C&q=4711#search "Business entities like account 4711, customer Jones, account 007, customer Smith are located on the banking company server."] Software Architectures: Advances and Applications.<br />
[http://www.mirbsd.org/cman/man8/crash.htm The point of the crash usually looks something like this "function+0x4711".] MirOS Manual: crash(8).<br />
Also have a look at articles on ''[[Metasyntactic variable]]'' and ''[[Placeholder name]]''.
</ref>


In the novella ''[[Breakfast at Tiffany's (novella)|Breakfast at Tiffany's]]'' by [[Truman Capote]], the famed lead character Holly Golightly uses 4711.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://kaysmellsgood.wordpress.com/2014/05/05/on-breakfast-at-tiffanys-a-perfumers-guide-to-the-iconic-film/|title = On Breakfast at Tiffany's: A perfumer's guide to the iconic film|date =2014-05-05}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.pf.jcu.cz/stru/katedry/aj/doc/sukdolova/Truman_Capote_-_Breakfast_At_Tiffanys.pdf|title=Breakfast at Tiffany's|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221101174433/https://old.pf.jcu.cz/stru/katedry/aj/doc/sukdolova/Truman_Capote_-_Breakfast_At_Tiffanys.pdf |archive-date=2022-11-01}}</ref>
* In [[Finland]] the telephone number ''(09) 4711'' is a direct line to the ''Poison Information Centre'', that answers questions concerning the prevention and treatment of acute poisonings every day around the clock.<ref>[http://www.hus.fi/default.asp?path=59;403;19336;9739;9541 Poison Information Centre] Meilahti Hospital, [[Helsinki]]</ref>


Due to the cologne's usage as a [[surrogate alcohol]], ''4711'' was the original telephone number of the Finnish Poison Information Centre.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://twitter.com/myrkytystieto/status/1472503247856455693?lang=en|title = Mitä yhteistä on kölninvedellä ja Myrkytystietokeskuksella?|date = 19 Dec 2021|website=twitter.com|publisher=Poison Information Centre (Finland)|language=fi|access-date=19 Jan 2023}}</ref> Currently, the number directs to the branch exchange of [[Helsinki University Central Hospital|Helsinki University Hospital]].
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* In [[Yevgeny Zamyatin]]'s novel ''[[We (novel)|We]]'', the name S-4711 is a reference to the [[Eau de Cologne]].<ref>{{cite journal |quotes= |last=Ermolaev |first=Herman |authorlink= |coauthors= |year=1982 |month=October |title=Review of ''Three Russian Writers and the Irrational: Zamyatin, Pil'nyak, and Bulgakov'' by T. R. N. Edwards |journal=[[Russian Review]] |volume=41 |issue=4 |pages=531–532 |id= |accessdate= |doi= 10.2307/129905 |last2= Edwards |first2= T. R. N. |jstor=129905}}</ref>


In the 1991 [[Persia|Persian]] drama film [[Mother (1991 film)|''Mother'']], directed by [[Ali Hatami]], Mohammad Ibrahim (played by the late [[Mohammad-Ali Keshavarz|Mohammad Ali Keshavarz]]), mockingly says about his mentally disabled brother Gholamreza (played by [[Akbar Abdi]]): "Not that he is so fragrant as 4711, he is sitting in front of the wind at the window!" This line means that: "even though his body is not so fragrant, he is sitting in front of the wind so that the wind will carry his scent everywhere!" (a Persian proverb).
* In ''[[The Rocky Horror Picture Show]]'', ''4711'' is tattooed on Frank's upper thigh.<ref>[http://www.rockyhorror.org/faqframe/m-eatr.html Official RHPS FAQ Web Page (errors and trivia)] What does 4711 mean?</ref>


* Electronic musician [[Vladimir Ussachevsky]] composed a work called ''Improvisation on 4711'' (1958).<ref>Sitsky, Larry (2002), [http://books.google.com/books?id=9-M_jhnOuboC&q=4711#search Music of the Twentieth-Century Avant-Garde: A Biocritical Sourcebook].</ref>


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* The [[Kriegsmarine|German Navy during World War II]] issued vast amounts of 4711 perfume to the submariners of the [[U-Boat]] fleet. As there were limited facilities and few opportunities for bathing, the scent was to be used in an attempt to improve the odour aboard the vessel. Crew members typically didn't use much of it and would take home bottles as presents for mothers, wives, or girlfriends.<ref>Taken from interview with Peter Peterson in the DVD documentary `U-Boat War Attack America´ Produced and directed by Nigel Turner 2004. ITN/Discovery Channel MCMXCVII. Peter Peterson served aboard a [[German Type IX submarine]] U-518 during the second world war.</ref>

* "4711 Kommando" was a slang term used in the [[Buchenwald Concentration Camp]] to refer to a latrine work detail<ref>Stein, Harry. Konzentrationslager Buchenwald, 1937-1945. [http://books.google.com/books?id=u2Xx4fz5K4cC&pg=PA78&lpg=PA78&dq=4711+kommando&source=bl&ots=r8nmOAcdb2&sig=ZW4LaZ-2FVfLsCLDaTfZxwquSGQ&hl=en&ei=zFyvTNm7OoX6lwfQo8HpDw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=6&ved=0CC0Q6AEwBQ#v=onepage&q=4711&f=false].</ref>

* ''[[Are You Being Served?]]'' - In Series 8, Episode 5 [''Heir Apparent''], [[List of Are You Being Served? characters|Mr Humphries]] (playing the cross-dressing role of his mother) picks up a handkerchief allegedly belonging to her son (i.e., himself). She (he) sniffs it and says "So that's what happened to my 4711!". In Series 9, Episode 1 [''The Sweet Smell of Success''], Mr. Humphries answers the phone in menswear, identifying himself as 'Assistant 4711'.

* Holly Golightly sprinkles her neck with this cologne in the novella [[Breakfast at Tiffany's]].


==Notes==
==Notes==
{{reflist}}
<references/>


== References ==
==References==
* Stiftung Rheinisch-Westfälisches Wirtschaftsarchiv (RWWA), Cologne: Genuine files 1803 u. Mülhens letters May 9, 1802 / June 22, 1819 / June 27, 1819 / October 31, 1824 / January 20, 1826 / February 3, 1826 / January 11, 1827
* Stiftung Rheinisch-Westfälisches Wirtschaftsarchiv (RWWA), Cologne: Genuine files 1803 u. Mülhens letters May 9, 1802 / June 22, 1819 / June 27, 1819 / October 31, 1824 / January 20, 1826 / February 3, 1826 / January 11, 1827
* Abt.33, Stiftung Rheinisch-Westfälisches Wirtschaftsarchiv (RWWA), Cologne. [http://www.ihk-koeln.de]
* Abt.33, Stiftung Rheinisch-Westfälisches Wirtschaftsarchiv (RWWA), Cologne. [http://www.ihk-koeln.de]
* Ulrich S. Soénius: ''Mülhens, Fabrikanten von Kölnisch Wasser. Familienartikel mit Einzelbiographien Wilhelm, Peter Joseph, Ferdinand und Peter Paul Mülhens.'' In: Neue Deutsche Biographie, Bd. 18, Berlin 1997, S. 299-303.
* Ulrich S. Soénius: ''Mülhens, Fabrikanten von Kölnisch Wasser. Familienartikel mit Einzelbiographien Wilhelm, Peter Joseph, Ferdinand und Peter Paul Mülhens.'' In: Neue Deutsche Biographie, Bd. 18, Berlin 1997, S. 299&ndash;303.


== External links ==
==External links==
{{Commons cat|4711 (brand)}}
{{Commons category}}
* [http://www.4711.com/ Official 4711 website]
* [http://www.4711.com/ Official 4711 website]


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{{Authority control}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:4711 (Brand)}}
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[[Category:Fragrances]]
[[Category:Companies based in Cologne]]


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{{DEFAULTSORT:4711 (Brand)}}
[[da:4711]]
[[de:4711]]
[[Category:Perfumes]]
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[[Category:History of Cologne]]
[[es:4711]]
[[fr:4711 (parfum)]]
[[Category:German brands]]
[[it:4711 (colonia)]]
[[nl:4711 (merknaam)]]
[[pt:4711]]
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Latest revision as of 21:33, 10 July 2024

4711 Eau de Cologne

4711 is a traditional German Eau de Cologne by Mäurer & Wirtz. Because it has been produced in Cologne since at least 1799, it is allowed to use the geographical indication Original Eau de Cologne. The brand has been expanded to various other perfumes and products besides the original Echt Kölnisch Wasser, which has used the same formula for more than 200 years.

The original 4711 store at Glockengasse 4 in Cologne is a popular tourist attraction.

History

[edit]
An original 4711 bottle from 1885
Today's flacon: the so-called "Molanus bottle"

In the early 18th century, Johann Maria Farina (1685–1766), an Italian living in Cologne, Germany, created a fragrance. He named it Eau de Cologne ("water from Cologne") after his new home. Over the next century, the fragrance became increasingly popular.

According to legend, on 8 October 1792, a Carthusian monk made a wedding gift for the merchant Wilhelm Mülhens (1762–1841): the secret recipe of a so-called "aqua mirabilis", a "miracle water" for internal and external use. Mülhens then founded a small factory at Cologne's "Glockengasse" and established the first "Eau de Cologne" as a remedy.

Peter Joseph Mülhens and his son Wilhelm Mülhens had been in a dispute over the use of the name "Farina" from 1800 to 1881. The Farina family accused Mülhens of using the name without authorization. The firm "Johann Maria Farina gegenüber dem Jülichs-Platz" feared confusion between the products because they also produced perfumes. In 1832, Wilhelm Mülhens lost the dispute, whereupon he employed another Mr. Farina from Mortara in order to continue using the name.

The company name was Eau de Cologne & Parfümerie Fabrik Glockengasse No. 4711 gegenüber der Pferdepost von Ferd. Mülhens in Köln am Rhein until 1990, when it was renamed Mülhens GmbH & Co. KG.

In 1994, the Mülhens family company was bought by Wella AG, Darmstadt, Germany. Since 1997, Wella has operated its cosmetic activities under the name Cosmopolitan Cosmetics GmbH, although the name Mülhens GmbH & Co. KG was still in use. In 2003, Wella AG was taken over by the American competitor Procter & Gamble.

In summer 2006, Procter & Gamble announced it would sell the 4711 brand and three other former Mühlens brands, as part of an effort to divest "local" brands and to focus on global brands. The offer attracted several interested parties; in December 2006, P&G announced that the brand had been sold to the perfume company Mäurer & Wirtz in Aachen, a subsidiary of the Dalli Group. In 2006, 4711 had the second highest market share in Germany right behind Chanel.[1]

House number 4711

[edit]
Glockengasse 4 in Cologne, the headquarters of 4711
Third address book of Cologne, 1797, page 179

On 3 October 1794, in view of the French troops standing just outside Cologne, the city council approved a plan proposed by the guard-committee to number all houses in the city without exception and to install what would be considered appropriate lighting for each location. Orders were given to install the lighting immediately, while the numbering was left to fate.[2]

On 6 October 1794, French troops occupied the city. On 7 October 1794, the city council decided that every local government official had to hand in an inventory of all citizens and non-citizens in his district within 48 hours. Furthermore, the guard-committee received authorisation to number the houses as previously agreed.[3]

On 20 October 1794, Senator Gottfried von Gall noted in his diary that the numbering and the written documentation of the houses which started eight days earlier was being continued.[4]

The printer Heinrich Josef Metternich (a council member) applied for permission to publish an address calendar. This calendar was supposed to include, amongst other things, the house numbers which had recently been assigned. He also sought permission to collect all the relevant details.[5]

In the second address book of Cologne (1797), the widow of Wilhelm von Lemmen was still listed as the tenant of the Klöckergasse house, which had been given the number 4711.[6]

Wilhelm Mülhens was listed as the tenant of the house no sooner than in the third edition of the address book of Cologne; his occupation was listed as "in Speculationsgeschäften" (which translates to speculator). He is not yet listed under the manufacturers of Eau de Cologne in the mercantile directory.[7]

In 1811, the continuous house numbering was changed to a system of numbering streets separately, as is common today.

In the preface to the 1813 French edition of the address book, the publisher Thiriart claimed that there had not been any house numbering before the arrival of the French in the city ("inconnu à Cologne avant l´arrivée des armées françaises au bord du Rhin") and that the order to number the houses had been given in 1795.[8]

In 1854, Peter Joseph Mülhens moved from Glockengasse 12 into a newly constructed commercial building with a neo-gothic facade at Glockengasse 26-28. Glockengasse 12, which had been assigned the number 4711 in 1794, remained vacant for a period of time and was torn down after it was sold.[9]

The depiction of a French military officer painting the house number 4711 on the facade of the house in the Glockengasse while sitting on his horse is a product of advertising. A piece of tapestry, a gobelin which had been ordered and made in the 1920s, served as a model. A scenic version spread widely in the 1950s and the 1960s.[10]

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In Yevgeny Zamyatin's novel We, the name S-4711 is a reference to the Eau de Cologne.[11]

During World War II Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine (navy) issued vast amounts of 4711 perfume to the submariners of the U-boat fleet. As there were limited facilities and few opportunities for bathing, the scent was to be used in an attempt to improve the odour aboard the vessel. Crew members typically didn't use much of it and would take home bottles as presents for mothers, wives or girlfriends.[12]

In the novella Breakfast at Tiffany's by Truman Capote, the famed lead character Holly Golightly uses 4711.[13][14]

Due to the cologne's usage as a surrogate alcohol, 4711 was the original telephone number of the Finnish Poison Information Centre.[15] Currently, the number directs to the branch exchange of Helsinki University Hospital.

In the 1991 Persian drama film Mother, directed by Ali Hatami, Mohammad Ibrahim (played by the late Mohammad Ali Keshavarz), mockingly says about his mentally disabled brother Gholamreza (played by Akbar Abdi): "Not that he is so fragrant as 4711, he is sitting in front of the wind at the window!" This line means that: "even though his body is not so fragrant, he is sitting in front of the wind so that the wind will carry his scent everywhere!" (a Persian proverb).


Notes

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  1. ^ Koch, Brigitte (2006-12-13). "Übernahme: Ein neues Kapitel für 4711". FAZ.NET (in German). ISSN 0174-4909. Retrieved 2024-01-11.
  2. ^ HAStK, Bestand 10 (Ratsprotokolle) Nr. 241 Bl. 216v.
  3. ^ HAStK, Bestand 10 (Ratsprotokolle) Nr. 241 Bl. 225v.
  4. ^ HAStK, Bestand 7030 (Chron. u. Darst.) Nr. 175, Bl. 71v.
  5. ^ HAStK, Bestand 350 (Franz. Verw.) Nr. 306, Blatt 3-6
  6. ^ RWWA Abt.33, 2. Adreßbuch: Gemeinnütziger Addresse-Kalender der Stadt Köllen, Cologne 1797, page 103
  7. ^ RWWA Abt.33, 3. Adreßbuch: Verzeichnis der Stadt-Kölnischen Einwohner, Cologne 1797, page 179.
  8. ^ RWWA Abt.33, Itinéraire de Cologne, 1813, page 12.
  9. ^ RWWA Abt.33 Kölner Adressbücher.Economic Archive of Rhine Westphalia, section 33, Cologne Street Indexes
  10. ^ RWWA Abt.33, 160 Jahre N° 4711 1752-1952, Cologne 1952, o. S.
  11. ^ Ermolaev, Herman; Edwards, T. R. N. (October 1982). "Review of Three Russian Writers and the Irrational: Zamyatin, Pil'nyak, and Bulgakov by T. R. N. Edwards". Russian Review. 41 (4): 531–532. doi:10.2307/129905. JSTOR 129905.
  12. ^ Taken from interview with Peter Peterson in the DVD documentary U-boat War Attack America. Produced and directed by Nigel Turner 2004. ITN/Discovery Channel MCMXCVII. Peter Peterson served aboard a German Type IX submarine U-518 during the Second World War.
  13. ^ "On Breakfast at Tiffany's: A perfumer's guide to the iconic film". 2014-05-05.
  14. ^ "Breakfast at Tiffany's" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2022-11-01.
  15. ^ "Mitä yhteistä on kölninvedellä ja Myrkytystietokeskuksella?". twitter.com (in Finnish). Poison Information Centre (Finland). 19 Dec 2021. Retrieved 19 Jan 2023.

References

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  • Stiftung Rheinisch-Westfälisches Wirtschaftsarchiv (RWWA), Cologne: Genuine files 1803 u. Mülhens letters May 9, 1802 / June 22, 1819 / June 27, 1819 / October 31, 1824 / January 20, 1826 / February 3, 1826 / January 11, 1827
  • Abt.33, Stiftung Rheinisch-Westfälisches Wirtschaftsarchiv (RWWA), Cologne. [1]
  • Ulrich S. Soénius: Mülhens, Fabrikanten von Kölnisch Wasser. Familienartikel mit Einzelbiographien Wilhelm, Peter Joseph, Ferdinand und Peter Paul Mülhens. In: Neue Deutsche Biographie, Bd. 18, Berlin 1997, S. 299–303.
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to 4711 (brand).

50°56′18″N 6°57′08″E / 50.93833°N 6.95222°E / 50.93833; 6.95222

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