Bernhard-Helmuth Kratzsch was the nephew of Kratmo manufacturer Walter Kratzsch. Although he was a technical journalist by profession with a strong interest in automotive engineering, he was also a model engine enthusiast. He maintained a small design office and workshop, using which he prepared design drawings and constructed prototypes for a sizeable number of model engine designs, both spark ignition and diesel. These were promoted as BHK models. However, he never seems to have established his own model engine manufacturing operation, either selling plans for his designs or arranging to have certain models manufactured by others.

Like his uncle Walter, Kratzsch began his career during the 1930's in what was to become East Germany after WW2. After the war, he continued to publish his designs, including several small cyclemotors. However, a long illness caused him great hardship, and eventually he sold his designs and prototypes to Hans Hörnlein (to whom he may have been related), who continued to manufacture the BHK engines for some years before commencing the manufacture of the Taifun range for Johannes Graupner. 

The surviving prototypes of B-H. Kratzsch's designs are beautifully-made units which run very well by the standards of their day. A detailed article about the work of B-H. Kratzsch may be found elsewhere on this website. This article includes bench tests of two of his surviving prototypes.