I want to draw our conversation to a close by telling you about two people who are not, strictly speaking, family members. Perhaps you should think of them as we do. They are, at least metaphorically, members of the Reuter extended family. Martin Biller, whose name heads this section of my introduction, was born (1959) in the very town which is the Geigenbauschule's home, Mittenwald. His parents were Josef and Hermine Biller. His father is an electrician. According to Martin, that fact is important. Any electrician puts much of his energy into figuring out how things work. His father drew him into developing, at least broadly speaking, "mechanical" interests. Martin became fascinated with, as he like to put it, "building things." And Martin sometimes speculates that his strong inclination--to build things, but especially to build things from wood--was influenced by the magnificient alpine forests that surround Mittenwald.

In addition, violin making was part of his family tradition. Early in the twentieth century, his great grandfather, Karl Zunterer, had made a reputation for himself as a luthier. What is more, music was important within his immediate family. He started playing the violin when he was only six years old--which, as he now tells the story, fostered a real love for the violin. More and more, he was drawn to the performing musician's art--and to the art which created the instruments which musicians play. That is how Martin found himself following in his grandfather's footsteps. That's how he chose to become a student at his home town's Geigenbauschule. Of course, from the Reuter family's perspective, there's a nice symmetry to this. As you know by now, this was the very school from which I, my father, and my uncle all graduated--and from which Martin himself graduated on February 17, 1978.

Following graduation, Martin moved to Cologne to work as a journeyman for the man who was then the head of the German Association of Violin and Bow Makers--namely, Wolfgang Bunnagel. Then, in October of 1982, Martin was given a chance to bring his Geigenbauschule education, plus everything he had learned in Bunnagel's shop, to the United States. Michael Becker had an opening; for the next three years, Martin exercised and extended his skills in the repair and restoration of old instruments. Then came October of 1985. We at FRITZ REUTER & SON were fortunate to find that Martin was able to join us. He would do repair and restoration work, yes, but also--and this is a matter of great moment for him, and for us--undertake the making of new stringed instruments.

By now, he has been with us for thirteen years. And all of us have agreed that, in a real and important way, he really is part of both family and firm.