A life story at MAWA

Monika Schmid, who was born in 1945 and passed away in 2024, leaves behind an impressive 43-year career as a design engineer at MAWA. Her life was characterised by profound commitment, a successful balance between motherhood and work, perseverance and passionate dedication.

In a book she wrote for her daughter Anna, she describes not only her professional experiences at MAWA, but also the special bond she has with her family, especially her daughter.

Travelling to the girls' high school in Ingolstadt to train at MAWA: An Inspiring Beginning Story

Mrs Schmid's (née Maas) professional journey began with observing men in white coats at drawing boards during her daily bus journeys to the girls' grammar school in Ingolstadt. These observations sparked her interest in training as a technical draughtswoman, which she eventually completed at the MAWA company, which was initially founded in Prambach. 
Among other things, she later designed the bending devices for the metal hangers, made them more efficient, helped with decisions and planning for new acquisitions and was responsible for the dipping system and its employees at the PVC furnaces of the metal hangers.
She was later also a trainer for machine fitters and technical draughtsmen.

Unique challenges and triumphs: Experiences as a woman and mother in the industry

As one of the very few women in her industry at the time, Mrs Schmid had to face numerous prejudices and challenges. Nevertheless, she refused to be deterred and was able to score points with her wealth of ideas in a working world and industry that was dominated by men at the time. Due to her very engaging work, she remained childless for a very long time and had already closed this topic for herself. However, when she unexpectedly became pregnant quite late in life, her entire life was turned upside down. Six months after the birth of her daughter Anna in 1985, she returned to work because her boss at the time, Mrs Wagner, insisted and threatened to sack her if she did not. In today's world, such a scenario would be unthinkable, but she decided to return to work for financial reasons. 
But the time with a baby and a job was not easy and her husband Otto had to step in to look after the children, which he enjoyed. Her daughter often picked her mum up from work on foot, and as Monika devoted 120% of her time to her daughter after work, this did not detract from their love for each other. Her passion for her profession also paid off when she was able to register a patent for a trouser press clip in 1994.

Family ties and community at MAWA: The importance of support

Instead of bedtime stories and lullabies in the evenings, she and her young daughter planned inventions together to talk aloud about the problems that arose in her daily work, to look for solutions and also to stimulate the child's imagination. This exciting and unique mother-child relationship had such a strong influence on her daughter that at some point she also decided to become a technical draughtswoman and later even completed a part-time technical apprenticeship. The two of them met regularly during their lunch break to share their experiences, as their daughter's training centre was in the immediate vicinity. Until the end, they had a deep spiritual bond and each valued and respected the other's path in life. Mrs Schmid's husband used the hangers in his men's boutique "Schmid am Sparkassenplatz" in Pfaffenhofen and his experience with them also contributed to product optimisation.

Challenges and setbacks: Dealing with the insolvence

Over time, the daily work on the CRT screens increasingly impaired Mrs Schmid's eyesight and led to insecurity. Fortunately, such strains on eyesight are no longer imaginable today.
Despite all her successes, she also experienced difficult times, especially when the company went bankrupt and she was made redundant for financial reasons shortly before her retirement age. Nevertheless, she enjoyed being part of the company for 43 years. Monika Schmid passed away peacefully on 13 February 2024 at the age of 78, surrounded by her loved ones. Despite years of serious illness, she remained interested in technology and with a clear and alert mind to the end and never lost her curiosity about life. Her dedication and strength in the face of illness testify to her unshakeable will and perseverance.
We remember Mrs Schmid as a remarkably vibrant personality who not only enjoyed a successful career at MAWA, but also maintained her interests and passion to the end. Her legacy extends far beyond her professional achievements and leaves a lasting mark on those who were fortunate enough to know her.

Anna Schwertfirm, daughter:

"My mum has shaped me in every respect. With her enjoyment of her work, her enthusiasm, her inspiration and her commitment!"

Many thanks to Anna Schwertfirm for sharing her mother's story with us.