About us

A future built on established roots

In 2023 our company celebrated its 90th anniversary

  • 1920
  • 1928

    Founded in 1928 by Willy Schmädicke, the company can look back on an eventful history.

  • 1945

    Bombed out in April 1945, Willy Schmädicke and his family moved to Trebbin in 1945, where the company was rebuilt.

  • 1966

    In 1966, Willy Schmädicke's daughter Rotraud Knabe followed in his footsteps and began training as an "assistant in tax matters" (as tax consultants were then known), which she successfully completed in 1972.

  • 1990

    After being appointed as a tax consultant in January 1990, she took over the company and began to expand it continuously.

  • 2001

    In 2001, Stephan Knabe was officially appointed as a tax consultant.

  • 2003

    2003 – Stephan Knabe opens a tax consultancy office in Potsdam, thereby returning to the place where the family tradition was first established.

  • 2005

    Since 2005, the company has once again been an auditing company following the appointment of Dr. Stephan Knabe as auditor.

  • 2011

    The law firm Dr. Knabe GmbH Rechtsanwaltsgesellschaft was founded in 2011 as the result of many years of successful cooperation with Alexandra Flieger.

  • 2018

    Our company celebrates its 90th anniversary and we begin the construction work at our new office location in Potsdam’s Schiffbauergasse street.

Dr. Knabe
Dr. Knabe – Kanzleivideo

See how we make a difference.

Dr. Knabe is your single-source provider of comprehensive advice and for handling matters dependably.

Beruflicher Werdegang

2009
Specialist consultant for international tax law
2007
PhD in economics
2006
Lecturer in international accounting, taxation and auditing at the University of Riga
2005
Auditor
2004
Certified Fraud Examiner – CFE
since 2003
Own company in Potsdam
2001
Tax consultant examination
1998-2003
KPMG, working in auditing and financial advisory services with duties in Germany, UK, France, Switzerland and the Netherlands
1992-1997
Studied economics, business administration and business law at the University of Potsdam and the Free University of Berlin, graduating with a degree in business administration.
until 1992
Specialist School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Kleinmachnow
Dr. Knabe – Kanzleivideo

See how we make a difference.

Dr. Knabe is your single-source provider of comprehensive advice and for handling matters dependably.

Ausgezeichnete Qualität

Darauf sind wir stolz.

  • brandeins

    Exzellenter Arbeitgeber

    The quality seal "Excellent Employer" stands for employee participation, an appreciative work culture, excellent qualification and development opportunities and an attractive salary.

  • brandeins

    TOP Arbeitgeber

    The TOP Employer Seal is awarded by the business magazine "FOCUS Business" and recognises the 1,000 best employers in Germany with whom employees are particularly satisfied.

  • brandeins

    Digitale Kanzlei

    The DATEV label "Digital Tax Firm" is awarded to selected firms that distinguish themselves through consistent digital cooperation with their clients.

  • brandeins

    brand eins

    With the brand eins award "Best Tax Consultants and Auditors 2021" Dr. Knabe leads in the areas of international tax consulting, transformation, restructuring & M&A, annual and group auditing.

  • Handelsblatt

    Handelsblatt

    The award of the renowned business magazine was given to us in the fields of tax consulting and auditing, and once again underscores our competence as seen by experts.

  • manager magazin

    manager magazin

    The strict test criteria of manager magazin and WGMB identify Dr. Knabe as one of the best auditing firms in Germany. Above all, our experts stand by your company as competent consultants.

  • Focus

    Focus

    The Focus Special "Germany's Top Tax Consultants", is published annually as a special edition and identifies our firm as a leader in a selection of more than 12,000 tax consultants and auditors.

  • Focus Money

    Focus Money

    Out of more than 10,000 tax firms in Germany, we have been awarded this seal for many years in a row. This means TOP quality and service for our clients "est 2006"!

  • ISO Zertifizierung

    ISO Zertifizierung

    Dr. Knabe meets the requirements for a certified quality management system based on the internationally harmonized standard ISO 9001:2015.

  • QM

    QM

    As one of the first tax consulting firms in Berlin/Brandenburg, we received the quality seal of the German Tax Consultants Association and still bear it today.

In order to optimize and monitor the quality of our services, we have introduced a quality management system (QM system).

QM – Certified System - ISO 9001

DIN EN ISO 9001 is an internationally harmonized standard that defines the requirements for a quality management system. Within this, the company has to set out which the measures are used to sustainably meet the requirements and expectations of clients and which resources are utilized to continuously review and improve work processes and structures.

Certificate as PDF document

QM – Reviewed by the German Association of Tax Advisers

In October 2011, we were one of the first tax consultancy companies in Berlin/Brandenburg to be awarded the German Association of Tax Advisers’ Seal of Quality for our company’s management system. Its requirements go far beyond those of DIN EN ISO 9001 because job-specific content must be included.

Certificate as PDF document

With us, quality management means:

Client orientation

We gear ourselves to the needs of our clients. You determine the scope and the time invested. We place particular focus on clients’ individual requirements, with the aim of improving or securing their financial position.

Transparency

Transparent, standardized workflows and clear responsibilities create efficiency both for ourselves and our clients. The continual, structured flow of information between our company and our clients creates trust and light within the jungle that is taxation.

Qualifications

In order to meet the requirements of our clients and as a prerequisite for our high-quality standards, our employees possess a sound education, a high degree of technical knowledge and many years of experience. We ensure our employees’ professional, corporate and personal competence using a continuous training concept.

Quality assurance

We carry out extensive checks in order to review our work processes in the preparation of financial and payroll accounting, tax returns, annual financial statements or in the monitoring of deadlines and dates and in consulting services as well as to ensure the accuracy of the results of our work. To achieve this, we use individualized checklists and the principle that two pairs of eyes are better than one.

It’s great that we can help

Institutions we are glad to support

  • Villa Ritz Kindergarten

    Villa Ritz Kindergarten

    Villa Ritz is a private kindergarten that has been offering loving and flexible childcare since 2007 for children from 9 weeks old until school age.

    Visit website
  • Foundation Against Leukemia

    Foundation Against Leukemia

    The aim of the foundation is to give leukemia patients new opportunities in life. It helps to search for suitable donors and accompanies them before, during and after the donation. As a result, we save about 10 lives every year!

    Visit website
  • Urban Green Foundation

    Urban Green Foundation

    Spending your whole day in an office makes you appreciate a healthy environment. The non-profit foundation for urban green spaces helps enhance the quality of life in Potsdam by renaturing abandoned production sites located within residential areas.

    Visit website