Inter­na­ti­o­nale Mineralien- und Fossilientage Freiburg

The history of the Freiburg Mineral and Fossil Fair dates back to June 1958, when the exhibition “More Leisure Time – What Now?” was held at the Stadthalle Freiburg. On this occasion, Reinhold Lind and other collectors organized a mineral display, which ultimately led to the founding of the Freiburg regional group of the VFMG on September 27, 1958.

Just one year later, the newly established group demonstrated its organizational capabilities by hosting the VFMG summer meeting in Emmendingen, which included a small exhibition and exchange fair. In 1965, the first official Freiburg mineral fair took place, featuring 13 exhibitors and attracting 440 visitors.

A major milestone was reached in 1978, when a larger mineral and fossil fair was organized to mark the 20th anniversary of the association. With 2,360 visitors, the event reflected growing public interest. Following its relocation to the Stadthalle in 1979, the fair quickly developed into one of the leading events of its kind.

From 1978 to 1998, the fairs were organized under the direction of Klaus Schneider, followed by Wolfgang Fischer from 1999 onward. Since 2000, the event has been held at the Neue Messe Freiburg and continues to take place annually on the third weekend of October.

Today, the Freiburg Mineral and Fossil Fair is considered a well-established event in the regional calendar and an important meeting point for collectors and enthusiasts.