The story of Krumpe’s Do-nuts began when Rudolf Max Albert Lewis Krumpe, a young German, came to the United States shortly before World War I.

Rudolf was born on July 10, 1894 in or near Rudolstadt, Germany, which is located in east-central Germany on the Saale River.  Rudolstadt was a small industrial city which produced chemicals and porcelain.  As a young boy, Rudolf dreamed of going to sea, and as teenager set out to become a merchant seaman.   As a merchant seaman, Rudolf had the opportunity to travel all over the world.

One particularly important voyage landed young Rudolf in the United States on a merchant ship, the Julia Luckenback.  On January 3, 1913 the Julia Luckenback was steaming on its way back to Baltimore from a voyage delivering coal to Tampa, Florida.  As they approached the mouth of the Cheasapeake Bay the weather became treacherous – gale force winds, ice and snow.  The night before, Rudolf had carefully packed his sea-bag in anticipation of returning to Baltimore for a “real sailor’s holiday”.  However, at 7:45 a.m. the Julia was struck by The British ship Indrakuala.  In just a few minutes the Julia sunk to the bottom of the Chesapeake Bay with only eight members of her thirty-man crew surviving.  Luck, fate, or the Grace of God spared Rudolf.  We mention this only because here our story might have ended.

As with most families, World War I was a significant event in Krumpe history.  At the outbreak of World War I Rudolf was in the United States.  Fortunately, the war prevented him from returning to his native Germany.  Had he been able to do so, he would certainly have been conscripted into the “Kaiser’s Army”.   Instead, he continued to work as a merchant seaman, but his trips were mostly along the east coast and on the Great Lakes.

Eventually during the war, Rudolf enlisted and served in the United States Coast Guard.  While on a trip to Pittsburgh, PA he met Anna Lee Palmer who had grown up in Alberta, VA (Stevens City).  They married and Rudolf retired from the sea.  He worked at various jobs including painter and steeple-jack. 

In the early 1930’s Rudolf took a job as an apprentice baker in a do-nut shop in York, PA.  He enjoyed making the do-nuts, and was fortunate to buy the recipe from the owner.  Coincidentally, this was about the same time that Dunkin Do-nuts and Krispy Kreme Do-nuts were getting their start.  The do-nut had become an integral part of American culture.  In fact, Presidents and celebrities were often photographed eating do-nuts.

Rudolf started his own business first as a “bob-tail” route which he established in Harrisburg, PA.  He would buy the do-nuts from the baker in York at a discount and sell them to his wholesale customers who sold them in their stores.   After his route grew enough to support his own shop, he opened the first “Mother Krumpe Do-nuts” shop in Harrisburg. 

In 1936 Rudolf moved his family to Hagerstown, MD where he opened the second “Mother Krumpe’s Do-nut” shop and a third shop in Winchester, VA.   Soon after moving to Hagerstown, Rudolf’s wife, Anna Lee passed away, leaving behind Rudolf and their four children.    

These were still the depression years.  Unemployment was as high as twenty-five percent, and it was hard to make a living.  As the decade ended there were new war tremors in Europe and a growing anti-German sentiment – and even a boycott of German heritage businesses  in the United States.

Again, like most American families the Krumpe’s were affected by World War II.  Almost every able-bodied man of age served in the war effort.  Rudolf’s oldest sons Max and Bill both dropped out of high school and joined the United States Merchant Marine.

While the two boys were sailing around the world with the Merchant Marines, the war caused shortages and rationing of commodities such as flour and sugar back home.  There was even a black market for some of these materials.  Consequently, “Mother Krumpe’s Do-nuts” could not survive.  The shops were closed and the Krumpe family moved to Funkstown, MD, located just outside Hagerstown.  Here the family opened “The Do-nut House”.  The family lived above the small shop, while making do-nuts and operating a small restaurant below.  Rudolf and his second wife, Margaret Palmer, continued to operate “The Do-nut House” until his death in 1970.  It was finally closed about ten years later when Margaret retired.

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