Florian Schneider's Kraftwerk Gear Going Up for Auction

Kraftwerk co-founder Florian Schneider’s collection of musical equipment, personal items, and more are set to hit the auction block next month.

Julien’s Auctions is hosting the upcoming “Florian Schneider Collection Auction,” which is set for November 19th in Nashville. The auction promises “an extraordinary assemblage of rare instruments, stage wardrobe, and historic ephemera from the visionary artist.”

“This auction fulfills Florian’s handwritten will for his instruments and personal collection to continue living beyond him,” according to a press statement about the late Schneider, who died in 2020. “He always believed that they are meant to be played and shared — not left unused or gathering dust in storage. He wanted his equipment to find their way to people who would truly value them: musicians, collectors, and those inspired by the art of sound.”

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The catalog totaling nearly 500 items also includes select memorabilia from different stages of his life, offering a glimpse beyond the instruments themselves. It has been organized in collaboration with his closest family members.

Among the items going up for auction include Schneider’s EMS Synthi AKS Suitcase Synthesizer (Estimate: $8,000–$12,000), the same model used on Kraftwerk’s 1974 album, Autobahn; a “Ruhe” (translation: “Quiet”) Electric Kling Klang Recording Studio Sign (Estimate: $500-700), originally located above the recording booth of the band’s Kling Klang Studios; the Panasonic Panaracer Road Bike from the music video for “Tour de France” (“Kling Klang Analog Mix”) with Polaroid photos (Estimate: $4000-$6000); his Korg PS-3200 Polyphonic Synthesizer and PS-3010 Keyboard (Estimate: $10,000–$20,000); and even a 1964 Volkswagen Type 2/T1 Kastenwagen (Estimate: $15,000–$20,000), personally owned and driven by Schneider.

The auction is slated for November 19th, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. CT / 11:00am ET, and bids can be placed online, over the phone, in person, or via absentee bid. Get more details here.

Photo by Ben Broomfield