Rudolf-August Oetker's eight children from three marriages split the Dr. Oetker group in two in 2021

Rudolf-August Oetker ran the Bielefeld baking-powder company from 1944 to 1981 and built it into a group of about 350 companies. He had joined the Waffen-SS in 1942. He had eight children: Rosely from his first marriage, August, Bergit, Christian and Richard from his second, and Alfred, Ferdinand and Julia from his third, to Maja Oetker. On 14 December 1976 a kidnapper took Richard, aged 25, from a university car park at Weihenstephan. He was held in a wooden crate 1.45 metres long rigged to give electric shocks. A shock broke both his thighbones. His father paid 21 million marks, then a German record, and Richard was found after 47 hours^†. Dieter Zlof was convicted on circumstantial evidence on 9 June 1980 and given the maximum 15 years^†. In late 2002 Rudolf-August transferred large parts of his fortune to the next generations. After his death the eight branches, each a shareholder, fought for years; WirtschaftsWoche called it a "divorce war". On 22 July 2021 the owners announced a split, effective 1 November 2021. The three children of the third marriage took Henkell sparkling wine, Martin Braun, the Budenheim chemical works, several hotels and the art collection, with about 2 billion euros of revenue. The other branches kept Dr. Oetker foods and the Radeberger breweries. Julia left her siblings' group on 1 September 2024. In 2025 it was renamed Oetker Collection KG, owned by Alfred and Ferdinand. The remaining Oetker group reported 7.1 billion euros of revenue for 2025.