Older examples of this maker are marked "VEB Holz Und Drechslerwarren - Made in the German Democratic Republic". The maker's name was later shortened to HoDreWa and most recently, Hodrewa Legler, reflecting the current business owner.
The offerings of this maker were and are well made, diverse and attractive. Some of the older designs used thick cardboard for parts like hat visors and swords. These parts have not fared well with time and normal wear.
During one period of time, prior to German reunification, HoDreWa, Seiffener Volkskunst, VERO and possibly others, were substituting artificial white fleece, instead of rabbit fur, for hair and beards. I don't have information as to exactly when or why.
Along with new designs, some older designs are still being made but corners have been cut, undoubtedly, to stay competitive with the Chinese trade. Gone are the recessed eye sockets and added disk eyes. Details are no longer being hand painted. This makes for more uniform "perfect" results but to my eye, the hand-made quality of their appearance has been lost.