At the turn of the 20th century, everyday life in Germany was undergoing a rapid transformation. Steam engines, railroads and electricity had already become commonplace across much of Europe, and now individual trades were being industrialized as a burgeoning middle class brought with it a growing desire for consumer goods. New factories were built to keep up with demand, which resulted in many artisans being left by the wayside, including traditional shoemakers. No longer required to make shoes from scratch, many of these craftspeople were downgraded to the role of cobblers, whose sole task was to mend factory-made footwear. Many shoemakers nevertheless, had maintained their reputation as high quality shoemakers. Young Konrad Birkenstock was amongst these.
Konrad Birkenstock (b. 1873), the great-grandson of Johann Adam Birkenstock, made the family’s first genuine shoe making breakthrough. From 1895 they were based in Frankfurt – a city not far from the family’s ancestral home of Langen-Bergheim. Konrad took on what was known as the ‘shoe-reform’ movement and brought their theories to reality. Like other young shoemakers, he designed lasts, which were essential pieces of equipment used throughout the entire shoemaking process, setting the size and shape of the final product. In 1897 Konrad Birkenstock developed the anatomically-shaped shoe last. This innovation featured a rounded heel, a malleable sole, and it distinguished between the left and right feet. The mainstream industry would soon standardize these new lasts for different foot sizes and integrate them into industrial shoe production.