It was with great dismay that we learnt of the death of our former senior managing director, Hermann Abel, on Tuesday, 6 October 2026. It is with deep sorrow that we bid farewell to Hermann Abel. With his passing, the ABEL Group has lost an exceptional entrepreneur, a visionary and a man who had a decisive influence on our company for decades.
When Hermann Abel II took over the running of the business in 1968, the company employed six staff and was known as an electrical, radio and television retailer. Together with his brother Walter, he recognised the importance of radio technology at an early stage and systematically expanded the public sector and business radio divisions. Within a few years, this had developed into one of the largest specialist radio retailers in southern Germany. With the expertise gained during that period, Hermann Abel laid the foundations for a successful entry into mobile network expansion and for many business areas and strengths that continue to characterise the ABEL Group to this day.
Yet Hermann Abel was far more than just a successful entrepreneur. He was a man who took responsibility and who always believed in the future. Supporting young people, treating one another with respect and a deep attachment to his home town were values that set him apart and which continue to shape our corporate culture to this day. Hermann Abel also took on responsibility beyond the company. As the long-serving mayor of Engelsberg, he was deeply committed to the development of his home town and played a lasting role in shaping its future.
Many colleagues knew him personally. They remembered him as a man of clear vision, a down-to-earth person who always listened, and a senior partner who always viewed the company’s success as a collective achievement. Much of what defines the ABEL Group today bears his hallmark. We are grateful for everything Hermann Abel did for the ABEL Group and the people in our company.
At this difficult time, our thoughts are with his family and all those who were close to him. We shall honour Hermann Abel’s memory.
In silent remembrance
The Management