Former Trigema boss Wolfgang Grupp has made an attempted suicide public.
“I am 84 years old and suffered from so-called age depression. (…) I also tried to end my life,” wrote the 83-year-old in a letter to his former employee, who is available to the German Press Agency. First the “Bild” newspaper reported about it.
He had thought about whether he was still needed. He very much regret what had happened and would like to undo it, writes the entrepreneur from Burladingen, Swabian.
According to the circumstances, he is doing well, his thanks go to everyone: inside, rescue and nursing staff, Grupp writes in the letter. “It can take a little longer before I’m completely healthy again.” Grupp appealed to other people suffering from depression: “Search for professional help and go to treatment.”
Clinic stay for days
At the beginning of last week it became known that Grupp was in a hospital. Trigema had commented on Grupp Senior’s health only once after the hospital stay became known. It was good for him age, it said at the time. Since then, a spokeswoman had not given further information and pointed out that one would communicate again in due course.
Regardless of the company, the police had confirmed an assignment in Burladingen at the time – Grupp’s place of residence. Accordingly, an injured person from a private apartment was taken to the hospital with the rescue helicopter. The police did not want to give any details. Officials were on site and had not found any external participation and no criminal offense. There is therefore no reason for an investigation.
Grupp led Trigema more than 50 years
The textile entrepreneur Wolfgang Grupp was born in Burladingen in 1942. The city is located on the Swabian Alb (Zollernalbkreis) and has a little more than 12,000 inhabitants. In 1969 Grupp took over the company founded by his grandfather. He led Trigema out of the red numbers with an iron hand. Trigema is a manufacturer of laundry, leisure and sports clothing and advertises 100 percent “Made in Germany”. In 2023 the production turnover was 129.3 million euros, the number of employees at a good 1,140.
In his letter, Grupp writes: “I tried to put my whole life into the service of Trigema and the struggle for the interests of the economy and the middle class in Germany. I know that I was often uncomfortable, but I am grateful for what I was able to achieve and experience.”
In early 2024, Grupp cleared the chief position and released the management to his son Wolfgang Grupp Junior and his daughter Bonita. Both children had previously worked in the company. Grupp junior explained the division of tasks at the end of 2024: “My sister takes care of personnel, e-commerce and marketing. My mother is responsible for the test transactions. I am responsible for the B2B area, sale, logistics and IT.”
Iconic TV spots with monkey
Grupp Senior is considered one of the most distinguished and dazzling merchants in Germany. He became known through iconic television spots. In these, a chimpanzee in the white shirt and with a black tie – disguised as a news speaker – campaigned for the medium -sized company. The living animal has now been replaced by a computer animation.
The former sole trigema owner was also often guests in talk shows. There he criticized a megalomania of some entrepreneurs: inside and called for personal liability for all bosses: “We need entrepreneurs again: inside with responsibility, discipline and role model function.”
This post was updated on July 17, 2025 at 4:28 p.m.