Born on 7 June 1901 in Zurich, Schoenenberger grew up in an environment that would shape his future path. Walks through meadows and fields with his stepfather, growing his own herbs and carefully observing nature – from a young age, he developed a keen understanding of plants and their effects.
His original ambition to study medicine was thwarted by his family’s financial situation after the First World War. Instead, he chose to study pharmacy – a decision that laid the foundation for his later pioneering work. During his training and studies, he deepened his knowledge of medicinal plants and repeatedly came across evidence that fascinated him: freshly pressed plant juices seemed to possess a particularly powerful effect.
Driven by curiosity and conviction, Schoenenberger set out to prove these observations. He systematically analysed the juices for minerals, bitter compounds, tannins, pigments, essential oils, vitamins and trace elements. In doing so, he recognised that freshly pressed juices were superior in their effectiveness to dried plants. This insight led him to establish his own business centred on fresh plant juices.
In the early days, he experimented using simple means in his mother’s kitchen in Bad Cannstatt near Stuttgart. Medicinal plants collected by bicycle and carried in a bagpack were washed in the sink, chopped using a mincer, pressed by hand and bottled in containers sterilised with hot water on the kitchen stove. After moving to a small rented garage, the first proper production facility was soon established in Magstadt – laying the foundation for today’s company.
Schoenenberger’s approach went far beyond manufacturing products. He pursued a clear vision: to reform herbal medicine. He was convinced that only fresh plants could unfold their full potential. Consistently, he adopted natural cultivation methods at an early stage, without artificial fertilisers or pesticides – a principle that continues to define the organic quality of the juices today.
Despite numerous setbacks – including economic crises, the war years, displacement, destruction and rebuilding – Schoenenberger remained true to his convictions. His perseverance paid off: in 1961, fresh plant juices were officially recognised as medicinal products and established as a distinct dosage form under German pharmaceutical law.
Walther Schoenenberger passed away in 1982, but his life’s work continues to this day. The fresh plant therapy he founded remains the basis of the company’s products. His 125th birthday is an opportunity to remember a man whose foresight, courage and tireless spirit of research had a lasting influence on natural medicine – and whose ideas continue to benefit people around the world.
