German Pens

What Fountain Pens Are German?

German pen manufacturers Pelikan, Kaweco, Lamy, and Montblanc have redefined what a quality fountain pen is.  Famous German fountain pens are the Lamy Safari, Montblanc Meisterstuck, and the green striped Pelikan Souveran.

German pen brands Diplomat, Faber-Castell, and rOtring are other well-respected German pen manufacturers that produce German fountain pens and writing instruments.

Our Experience with German Pens

On our trip to Germany in 2019, the Goldspot team searched for Deutschland's greatest treasures. The bread, the beer, the Autobahn, sausages, and castles were great - don't get me wrong. What we found to be the most impressive were Germany's writing instrument manufacturers.

The bounty of German pen brands warrants a dedicated page on our website. Not only are there so many German pen manufacturers, but they also represent some of the finest writing instruments in the world. One of the most iconic being Montblanc - there's just something magical about that white snowflake. Since 1906, the German manufacturer of writing instruments and luxury goods represents the pinnacle of luxury and status.

Established in 1761 by cabinet maker Kaspar Faber, the Faber-Castell brand is one of the oldest and largest German manufacturers of pens, pencils, office supplies, artist's supplies in the world. Originally started as an ink manufacturer in 1838, Pelikan rose to become a premier German pen brand when they introduced the patented piston-differential filling system in 1929. The Goldspot team had the honor of lodging in the old Pelikan factory (now converted to a hotel) and touring the new factory to see how these pens are made. Pelikan proudly honors its history with a dedicated museum archive called "Tintenturm" (or Ink Tower).



Here is us touring the Pelikan pens museum.



When we headed over to historic Heidelberg, we witnessed the application of modern technologies that produce the Bauhaus-inspired Lamy pens. This German pen company continues to evolve with the needs of the modern writer. They maintain a connection to the end-user through their flagship store. Here is a video of our team touring the Lamy flagship store.



Here is our team exploring the Lamy factory in Germany where they produce Lamy Safari's, Lamy Studios, 2000, and much more.


Founded in 1889, Kaweco originally started as the "Heidelberg Dip Pen Factory." Now based in Nuremberg under the stewardship of CEO Michael Gutberlet, the modern Kaweco takes inspiration from vintage pen designs to produce affordable and utility-driven writing instruments. Gutberlet's passion for stationery is evident in his family's dedication to preserving the heritage of German-made pens.



Regretfully, we could not visit all the various German pen manufacturers during our week-long trip. If we had more time, we would have loved to see two of the biggest fountain pen nib manufacturers in the world - Bock and Jowo. To supply our ballpoint pens, rollerball pens, and multi-function pens refills, we would have visited Schmidt Technologies - the largest manufacturer of pen refills made in Germany.

For paper, we could have stocked up with Rhodia pads and Leuchtturm1917 journals - both made in Germany. However, the extra weight might have put our luggage over the limit. Perhaps next time.

If you were taking a "stationery tour" around Germany, where would you visit? Check out our list of all German pen brands on this page to find out more about your favorite writing instruments.

German Fountain Pen Brands

We are proud to offer our full list of German pen brands and manufacturers:

Kaweco
Faber-Castell
Lamy
Pelikan
Montblanc
Diplomat
Rhodia
Leuchtturm1917
rOtring
Bock
Online
Otto Hutt
Rohrer & Klingner
Schmidt
Waldmann
Schneider