Founded in 1923 by 18-year-old Martin Hanke as Hamaphot KG in Dresden, Germany, Hama began in Hanke's parents' flat manufacturing photographic accessories and wholesaling laboratory equipment. After the company was destroyed during the Dresden bombing on February 13, 1945, Martin Hanke rebuilt Hama in Monheim, Bavaria, where it remains headquartered today. Following Martin's death in 1958, his son Rudolph Hanke and son-in-law Adolf Thomas took over management in 1959, maintaining Hama as a family business. Grandson Christoph Thomas joined management in 1987, continuing the family legacy until his retirement announcement in October 2024, marking 2025 as the first year without family leadership. With approximately 2,500 employees worldwide (1,500 at German headquarters), Hama operates through 19 foreign locations and numerous sales partners globally. The company offers an extensive range of over 150 product categories including phone accessories, smart home devices, TV/audio accessories, PC/laptop peripherals, and consumer electronics. Recently, Rudolph Hanke, the founder's son and senior partner, passed away on May 7, 2024, at age 86, ending a remarkable era of family stewardship over this century-old German electronics accessory empire.