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Historie Europa-Park

About Europa-Park

Around 5,000 people work at Europa-Park, the Rulantica water world and the associated themed hotels every day, to put a smile on your face. Our goal is to create your most unforgettable stay with us, true to our motto: Experience. Time. Together.

We would like to present a glimpse of the story of our company and our values.

50 Jahre Motiv

Europa-Park anniversary season 2025

A year full of highlights

To celebrate our 50th birthday, a year full of highlights awaits you, with new shows, an exciting parade and special themed parties. You can look forward to plenty of big and small moments that will amaze you!

Find out more
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The history

The history of Europa-Park goes back to the 18th century. The workshops in Waldkirch at the time, founded by Paul Mack, quickly established a name for themselves for their skills in wagon construction. At the beginning of the 20th century, the family business started producing attractions for fun fairs. In 1972, Franz Mack and his son Roland went on a big trip to the US. There they both came up with the crucial idea: To build their own theme park that can also be used as showcase for the rides manufactured in Waldkirch.

On 12th July 1975, it was finally time: Europa-Park in Rust received its first visitors - the beginning of an unstoppable success story. The number of 250,000 visitors per year, which was reached in the first season, is increasing rapidly and the opening of various European themed areas contributes significantly to the popularity of the park.

Today, Europa-Park with over 6 million visitors a year, over 100 attractions, 20 themed areas, 6 themed hotels and the associated water world Rulantica, is not only a visitor magnet, but also an important company for the regional economy.

You can find the complete company history on our webpage.

The family behind the theme park

Europa-Park has been family-owned ever since its founding.
Roland Mack

Roland Mack

In the 1970s, the trained mechanical engineer built Europa-Park with his father, Franz Mack, and his brother, Jürgen. From 2011/12, Roland Mack was the first German president of IAAPA (International Association of Amusement Parks & Attractions).

In 2023, the successful entrepreneur from Baden became the first theme park owner to receive the renowned 'Buzz Price Award' from the Themed Entertainment Association (TEA) for his life's work and his outstanding entrepreneurial achievements as well as his great commitment to the industry.

Jürgen Mack

Jürgen Mack

Jürgen Mack studied industrial engineering and joined the management department as a partner after graduating in 1988. He is responsible for human resources, finance and controlling.

Michael Mack

Michael Mack

The graduated International Business Manager has been part of the management of MACK Rides GmbH & Co KG since 2005. Michael Mack has been one of the managing partners of Europa-Park since 2016 and is responsible for the in-house design and onstruction department, marketing, sales & digital, operation & services as well as the subsidiaries MACK One, MACK Animation and VR Coaster.

Thomas Mack

Thomas Mack

The qualified hotelier has been an authorised signatory since 2007, and a managing partner since 2016 for the hotel resort, park and event catering, as well as the entertainment and Confertainment areas.

Ann-Kathrin Mack

Ann-Kathrin Mack

The studied architect (M.A.) has been a partner at Europa-Park since 2017, works in the MACK Solutions department, and is jointly responsible for the new construction of the hotel ‘Krønasår’ and an employee campus, among other things.

Frederik Mack

Frederik Mack

Since the beginning of 2023, Frederik Mack has been Director of Human Resources as well as Management Representative for Finance & Controlling. In the future, he will continue to drive alignment and transparency in the corporate group from a financial perspective.

Roland Mack receives Thea Award

International award for his life's work

On 15.04.2023, the Themed Entertainment Association (TEA) awarded the popular 'Thea Award' to Roland Mack. The successful entrepreneur from Baden, Germany, is the first ever theme park owner to receive the 'Buzz Price Award' for his life's work as well as his outstanding entrepreneurial achievements and his engagement for the industry. The award was handed over during a gala event with more than 1,000 international guests in the Disney Hotel in Los Angeles. The Thea Awards have been given since 1994 and recognise people and companies for their outstanding achievements in the entertainment industry.

The Buzz Price Award is considered one of the industry's most prestigious lifetime achievement awards. This award recognises Roland Mack's lifetime of extraordinary creative and technical innovation.

Roland Mack runs a family business par excellence: together with his father Franz, his wife Marianne and brother Jürgen, he developed Europa-Park and led the nearby almost 250-year-old production company MACK Rides to worldwide success. Now, Roland Mack is gradually handing the company over to the next generation. Sons Michael and Thomas have long been active in the management, daughter Ann-Kathrin is a qualified architect and authorised signatory.

100 years of Franz Mack

Europa-Park pioneer & founding father

Franz Mack was born on 7th March 1921 and took over his father's factory (now ‘MACK Rides’) in Waldkirch with his brothers after the war. "The world is my playground" served as the family motto and is representative of his efforts towards international expansion. Franz Mack, who was inducted into the ‘Hall of Fame’ of IAAPA in 2006, has numerous inventions and innovations to his name. Following his death in 2010, his creation, Europa-Park, is now under the operation and direction of his children and grandchildren, the 7th and 8th generation of Macks.

Franz Mack was a local entrepreneur through and through; modest, honest, hard-working, with high standards for himself and others. Those characteristics have formed the values of the family business and are the operating basics for his children and grandchildren.

On 7th March 2021, Europa-Park's founding father Franz Mack would have turned 100 years old. 

Read more about the exciting life of Franz Mack: To the portrait (In German language only)

Franz Mack - The Old Man And His Dream

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Sustainability & social commitment

With over 6 million visitors a year, Germany's largest theme park is one of the nation's most popular holiday destinations. Although the focus at Europa-Park is on fun and entertainment, the family business places great value on sustainability. The company pursues a holistic approach and continues to work on improving ecological, economic and social sustainability aspects.

Sustainability has always been part of our DNA, and is strongly anchored in our mission statement.

If you have any questions, please contact us at nachhaltigkeit@europapark.de

More information on sustainability

 

Social commitment is another topic that is very important to Europa-Park. Since its opening, Europa-Park has been able to raise donations worth double-digit million Euros for charitable purposes, through various campaigns and events.

You can find out more about the cultural record and the social commitment of Europa-Park in our online magazine ‘Open hearts’. Europa-Park has been committed to society since it opened in 1975, true to the motto: ‘Open hearts’. We hope you enjoy reading it!