Since exporting/importing tools decades ago was way less common, that's hard to say. Made no sense to export tools from Europe to the US since they made steel and tools on both continents.
I only checked the most famous German brands Hazet and Stahlwille, and both existed half a century before Snap On was even founded. Even knipex started out in the 19th century...
I doubt the history of Europe would be as industrial if they made low quality tools.
I can only speak from family experience.
My Grandfather was the most discerning tool purchaser I’ve ever encountered.
Throughout the 20’s, 30’s and 40’s, living and working in London, he had the option of buying tools of whatever origin he wanted. (Subject to the obvious difficulties sourcing German tools during the war)!
Many German companies were desperate to export after the First World War, and regularly sent reps to the U.K. - something of a hopeless task faced with anti German sentiment, and a substantial domestic manufacturing capability. They could only hope to sell on price.
My Grandfather (a First World War veteran) related the story of walking into a tool shop in the 1920’s. The proprietor, a friend of his, said “We’ve got a GERMAN here, trying to sell tools”!
My Grandfather thought he was a brave man, possibly without much work, and together they inspected the tools (Pliers). They turned out to be decent, and very reasonably priced. Grandfather bought some (which I still have) and his friends shop continued to stock them till the Second World War.
Most of the British motor trade bought their tools through one of many distributors and trade suppliers, all of who were trying to sell something different. British, German, American - everything was available. Grandfather always went for the best, and that was (for the most part) American made.
Blackhawk socket wrenches and accessories, for example, were his favourites. He was working on heavy trucks, and American 1/2” square drive sockets were much more suited to the task than British hex drive. He also thought they were better finished.
They were also far nicer to use than the German tools. So modern were they, that even now, they get mistaken for 1960’s Britool, when in fact they are a generation older.
As a matter of interest, I have a fair number of wartime era German tools too. My father, a British airline pilot, spent a lot of time on the Channel Islands in the 50’s and 60’s and acquired a lot of used tools. They are decent, but they’re not quite the quality of the American made tools of the same era.
