May 18, 2001



Board of Directors
Gardner Denver, Inc.
1800 Gardner Expressway
Quincy, Illinois 62301

         Re:      Registration Statement on Form S-8
                  Long-Term Incentive Plan, as amended
                  Employee Stock Purchase Plan, as amended

Ladies and Gentlemen:

         We have served as counsel to Gardner Denver, Inc. (the "Company")
in connection with the various legal matters relating to the filing of a
registration statement on Form S-8 (the "Registration Statement") under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the Rules and Regulations
promulgated thereunder, relating to 750,000 shares of common stock of the
Company, par value $.01 per share (the "Common Stock"), reserved for
issuance in accordance with the Company's Long-Term Incentive Plan, as
amended (the "LTIP Plan"), and 225,000 shares of Common Stock (the 750,000
shares and 225,000 shares, collectively, the "Shares") reserved for issuance
in accordance with the Company's Employee Stock Purchase Plan, as amended
(the "ESP Plan") (the LTIP Plan and the ESP Plan, collectively, the
"Plans").

         We have examined such corporate records of the Company, such laws
and such other information as we have deemed relevant, including the
Company's Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws, certain resolutions
adopted by the Board of Directors of the Company relating to the Plans and
certificates received from state officials and from officers of the Company.
In delivering this opinion, we have assumed the genuineness of all
signatures, the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals,
the conformity to the originals of all documents submitted to us as
certified, photostatic or conformed copies, and the correctness of all
statements submitted to us by officers of the Company.







Board of Directors
Page 2
May 18, 2001



         Based upon the foregoing, the undersigned is of the opinion that:

         1.       The Company is a corporation duly incorporated, validly
                  existing and in good standing under the laws of the State
                  of Delaware.

         2.       The Shares being offered by the Company, if issued in
                  accordance with the Plans, will be validly issued and
                  outstanding and will be fully paid and non-assessable.

         We consent to the use of this opinion as an exhibit to the
Registration Statement and to the use of our name in the Registration
Statement. We also consent to your filing copies of this opinion as an
exhibit to the Registration Statement with agencies of such states as you
deem necessary in the course of complying with the laws of such states
regarding the issuance of the Shares pursuant to the Plans.

                                 Sincerely,

                                 Schmiedeskamp, Robertson, Neu & Mitchell


                                 By: /s/ Harold B. Oakley
                                    -------------------------------------
                                         Harold B. Oakley