Anyone who plays or collects ocarinas knows the name Heinrich (or Henry) Fiehn. The internet is full of ads selling ocarinas in all shapes and sizes made by the Heinrich Fiehn factory in Vienna. It’s clear from the popularity, international appeal and sheer sales volume of his products that he was a prolific entrepreneur. He seized a market opportunity at the exact right moment.

On the occasion of writing an article on ocarinas and Heinrich Fiehn for this website, a few gaps and some inconsistencies in his biography were found in all the relevant literature. One spring evening and an old marriage certificate led to the discovery of the wrong name of a bride, plus the inspiration to tell his story and set the record straight.

Karl Ernst Heinrich FIEHN (04/10/1846) began working in Vienna as a sculptor around 1873. His first wife was Friederike Wilhelmine RABALD. They had five children together. He turned his hand to making ocarinas when ocarinas became all the rage in the city and across Europe. He won the support of the Austrian musician and Kapellmeister, Philipp FAHRBACH Sr. (1815-1885), who wrote a tutor for his ocarinas.   

Heinrich chose to be innovative and produce ocarinas on a mass scale, exporting worldwide and winning many awards for his craftmanship. He developed his own range of up to 28 sizes of ocarina in many keys. He patented his press and his products in several countries. The ocarinas featured a stunning black glaze with gold lettering and decoration. Their style was known as the ‘Viennese model’. Heinrich added a tuning slide and also two keys to the ocarinas.

Sadly, it is understood that his first wife Friederike died of tuberculosis. Heinrich married again in 1898. His wife was called Berta FREISINGER, who was 25 years younger than Heinrich. But there was another Berta… Yes, they had a child in 1901 and her name was also Berta FIEHN.  

Business boomed until the start of World War One, when one of Heinrich’s employees turned him. Then Heinrich became ill and confined to his armchair until his death on 1 April 1920. His widow Berta Fiehn, carried on the business until she also died on the same day and same month of 1922.

Their only child Berta married Erich Krombas the same year and the pair continued with the ocarina factory right up until the start of World War Two. The war separated them and would cause the end of their marriage and the ocarina factory.

The full article with notes is available for download here.

Special thanks

Special thanks are due to many in Vienna for their help in writing this article. A big thank you goes to the staff at the Bezirksmuseum Meidling for the use of their photos. Also, worthy of many thanks for their patience and expertise are the team members at the Evangelische Pfarrgemeinde A.B. in Vienna. Günter Nikles is a star – thanks Günter! But finally, the biggest thanks go to the surviving family of Heinrich Fiehn to whom I dedicate this article.

Vicki Stoten