June 4, 2025, 9:48 am | Read time: 4 minutes
You’ve likely seen this doorstop before. It’s usually white and looks like a small, split ball attached to a wall. This is known as the “Bumms.” There’s an interesting story behind its creation and name.
What initially sounds a bit strange marks a milestone in German design history. Professor Rido Busse was one of the most significant industrial designers in this country until his death in 2021. He is credited with the invention of “Bumms” and “Bummsinchen” in the late 1970s. The worldwide trademark rights are held by the company Hansi in Göppingen. Company founder Hans “Hansi” Siebert managed to make the name “Bumms” a colloquial term for a doorstop, similar to how Tempo is synonymous with a tissue. myHOMEBOOK spoke with Hans-Peter Siebert, one of Hans Siebert’s sons and the current managing director of Hansi, about how the product and its unusual name came to be.
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“My father wanted to find a solution for installation without drilling holes”
myHOMEBOOK: What was the initial problem before the “Bumms” doorstop existed?
Hans-Peter Siebert: “Of course, doorstops existed in the 1970s to prevent wall damage. To install the models at that time, holes usually had to be drilled into the wall or floor. My father disliked this. He always saw himself as a problem solver for people. So, he wanted a product that could be mounted without screws. At that time, more and more people were renting. Holes in walls or floors often led to disputes with landlords. Essentially, it was about finding a solution for installation without drilling holes. Designer Professor Rido Busse was a close friend of my father’s. The two of them discussed the problem together.”
How did the idea for “Bumms” come about?
“First, Professor Rido Busse, in close consultation with my father, came up with a suitable design. There were various drafts. Ultimately, it became a bulging, circular cover. This cover had to be made of plastic. Artificial materials were considered chic and trendy at the time. Environmental concerns were far less pronounced than they are today. Various materials were tested. Hard plastic was quickly ruled out because it crumbled easily when the door handle hit it. Eventually, the idea of a lens-shaped cover emerged. This was to be pulled over a kind of plate, creating a hollow space underneath. The plate had an adhesive back, allowing it to be easily attached to any part of the wall without drilling and later removed.”
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“When a door handle hits a wall, it goes boom”
And how did the product get its name?
“Actually, quite simply. If you imagine a door handle hitting a wall, it goes boom. The bang sound is then a Bumms. And just like that, the name was born. Later, there was a smaller version of our ‘Bumms’ doorstop. This was affectionately named ‘Bummsinchen’.”
How do you advertise a “Bumms”?
“In the early days, we opted for a double entendre. I must say, we wouldn’t do that today. One of the advertising slogans back then was: ‘Bumms protects, preserves, and prevents.’ This ad hasn’t been used for over 30 years. However, it was very successful at the time.”
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“The ‘Bumms’ is sold throughout Europe”
Has the “Bumms” remained a success story to this day?
“We have been producing ‘Bumms’ and ‘Bummsinchen’ for nearly 50 years now. The shape of the doorstop has remained almost unchanged. We’ve only made the appearance a bit more appealing over time. The success of our ‘Bumms’ has naturally led to countless imitation products. We regularly take legal action against such counterfeits. The ‘Bumms’ is 100 percent made in Germany and sold throughout Europe. However, we also sell more than 2,000 products besides our successful product. These are mostly small or larger problem solvers, such as those used in the kitchen.”