The company founder Otto Zern proceeded from Saxony to the so-called "Handwerkswalz" - a movement in which single unemployed tradesmen travelled around looking for work - and arrived in Berchtesgaden.

In 1928 he bought the building of a former locksmith's shop close to the "Bischofswieser Ache" - a small creek - and became self-employed. During that time the most important customers were farmers. They didn't need any luxury goods, but mainly repairings of agricultural vehicles and tools.

From 1933 till 1945 the firm mainly manufactured for the interior designers of the Third Reich like for example Professor Heinrich Michaelis. It created lamps, banisters and other objets d'art for the erected buildings of that time.

After World War II Otto Zern was close to ruin again and started the successful new beginning with cylindrical iron stoves he now forged from the useless fog-producing machines being left from Berchtesgaden's air defence.

In 1976 his son Karl Zern took over the firm, extended it and by using new technics and working methods continued the old traditions. The name Zern was carried out far across the borders of Berchtesgaden and became well-known.

Due to the traditional working methods and the love for detail customers from Europe and America were won.

In 1999 Otto Zern's grandchild Thomas took over the firm. The old fabric of the building was completely renewed following the example set by historical role model and the company's structure was modernized.

But even if today's contracts are mainly wrought iron works, which are delivered into the whole world, and much was modernized, it's about to give the wrought iron work a certain soul, an unmistakeable work that bears it's creator's mark