1896
Ingvar Kamprad's grandparents emigrated from Germany to Småland, Sweden, in 1896.
“Ingvar's grandmother and grandfather had immigrated there to small land from Germany only 30 years before Ingvar was born, so in 1896.”
Topic
Ingvar Kamprad
11 facts from 1 episode, in date order. These are what speakers said on the shows, each linked to the moment it was said. They aren't independently verified.
1926
Ingvar Kamprad, the founder of IKEA, was born in March 1926 on the Elmtaryd farm in Småland, Sweden.
“in March of 1926, when our protagonist, Feodor Ingvar Kamprad, or just Ingvar, as he is known, is born.”
1938
As a boy in 1938, Ingvar Kamprad took a 500-kroner bank loan in Elmhult to import fountain pens to sell.
“So, he goes to the village in Elbhult and he takes out a 500 kroner loan from the bank there, Swedish kroner.”
1943
Ingvar Kamprad registered his trading firm in 1943, and the name IKEA combines his initials with those of his family farm Elmtaryd and the nearby parish Agunnaryd.
“He names it his name and his mailing address. Ingvar Kamprad Elmterud Agunyard. I-K-E-A.”
1948
Ingvar Kamprad added furniture to the IKEA catalog in 1948, after seeing competitors offer it.
“in 1948, Ingvar makes a fateful, but again not unique, decision, which is that he decides to add furniture to his catalog.”
1970s
Sweden in the 1970s imposed an annual wealth tax of 2.5% of calculated wealth, which the hosts cite as a motive for Kamprad's restructuring of IKEA's ownership.
“there was an annual wealth tax in Sweden at the time, which was 2.5% of your calculated wealth annually.”
1973
Ingvar Kamprad and his family moved to Denmark in 1973 to avoid Swedish wealth tax, and later settled in Switzerland in 1978.
“in 1973, which is the first year that IKEA expands outside of Scandinavia, Ingvar and his family emigrate to Denmark first to avoid the wealth tax.”
1976
In 1976 Ingvar Kamprad wrote "The Testament of a Furniture Dealer," a nine-point statement of IKEA's operating principles.
“in 1976, he writes this document that is intended to serve as sort of a like forever operating system of the company.”
1994
When Kamprad's youthful involvement in a Swedish fascist movement became public in 1994, he said he bitterly regretted it and called it the most stupid mistake of his life.
“The net of all this is, in 1994, when this came out, he immediately came out and said that his fascist activities were a part of my life which I bitterly regret and the most stupid mistake of my life.”
2018
Ingvar Kamprad died in January 2018 at age 91, while still involved in IKEA's operations.
“Two, Ingvar passes away in January 2018 at age 91.”
Undated
Ingvar Kamprad owned 100% of IKEA and built it into the world's largest furniture retailer without outside shareholders, according to the hosts.
“Ingvar always owned 100% of Ikea. He built it into the world's largest furniture store and one of the world's largest retailers, period, without anybody else owning a single share of the company.”
Episodes