I wonder how big or small a company Hopf was during the 60's. I mean, would it be profitable for a one man company to get a lam press? I know absolutely nothing about their pricing but for what I've seen in the Höfner video the machine is pretty big. And by the looks I'd say it had been used for decades before the video was filmed. Based on the Jazzgitarren site the German guitar manufacturing was more or less about smaller companies who bought services from each other, stamping the brand according to which of them got the big order. Then again, who knows if several small companies used the same lam press, stacking tops on their shelves for the next few months? Also, as the current Hopf employs half a dozen people, wouldn't they have grown bigger with effective mass production?
The production in Europe must have been very small compared to USA or even Britain, there's no iconic brands outside Höfner basses and even that is just because a certain Paul used one. The Italian Eko (whose manufacturing also seems to have been split among several companies) is the only European brand I can remember from my youth being somewhat common here, the rest was either the two big American names or the Japanese ones like Yamaha, Cimar, Kawai and later Ibanez. For what I've heard the local youth bands here built their own electric guitars in the sixties, I've even seen one. Supposedly post-war Germany was pretty much struggling with similar issues, making do with what they had. Interesting models but small production - that's why they're collectors items now!
Just as a proof of local building having been a must, legend tells that the first Fender Stratocaster in Britain was bought as late as 1959 after the import law was abolished, by one Harry Webb as a gift to his friend Brian Rankin who played guitar in his band.