Telefunken was a German radio and television producer, founded in Berlin in 1903 as a joint venture between Siemens & Halske and the Allgemeine Elektrizitäts-Gesellschaft (AEG) ("General electricity company"). Prior to World War I, the company set up the first world-wide network of communications and was the first in the world to sell electronic televisions with cathode-ray tubes, in Germany in 1934. In 1941, Siemens sold its 50% stake to AEG making Telefunken a wholly-owned subsidiary. The two formally merged into a single AEG-Telefunken in 1967, and collapsed in 1982 after which Daimler acquired its assets and dropped the Telefunken name. Since then a number of third-party licensees have used the brand for its products.
Brand names The brand had several incarnations:
Gesellschaft für drahtlose Telegraphie m.b.H., System Telefunken, founded in 1903 as a joint venture between AEG and Siemens & Halske Telefunken, Gesellschaft für drahtlose Telegraphie m.b.H., in 1923; since 1941 as subsidiary of AEG alone Telefunken GmbH, in 1955 Telefunken Aktiengesellschaft (AG), in 1963 Allgemeine Elektrizitäts-Gesellschaft AEG-Telefunken, created in 1967 through a merger between Telefunken and AEG AEG-TELEFUNKEN AG, in 1979 The company also had several subsidiaries and spin-offs of its own:
TELEFUNKEN Fernseh und Rundfunk GmbH, formed in 1972 in Hanover as a subsidiary of AEG-TELEFUNKEN Telefunken electronic GmbH, a spin-off of AEG-Telefunken and DASA TEMIC TELEFUNKEN microelectronic GmbH, since 1992 Telefunken Semiconductors GmbH & Co. KG, formed in Heilbronn in 2009 Telefunken Lighting technologies S.L., since 2009 The company Telefunken USA was incorporated in early 2001 to provide restoration services and build reproductions of vintage Telefunken microphones. In 2023, the Telefunken brand was acquired by the advisory and investment firm Gordon Brothers.
History
1900s-1930s Around the start of the 20th century, two groups of German researchers worked on the development of techniques for wireless communication. The one group at AEG, led by Adolf Slaby and Georg Graf von Arco, developed systems for the Kaiserliche Marine; the other one, under Karl Ferdinand Braun, at Siemens, for the German Army. Their main competitor was the British Marconi Company. When a dispute concerning patents arose between the two companies, Kaiser Wilhelm II urged both parties to join efforts, creating Gesellschaft für drahtlose Telegraphie System Telefunken ("The Company for Wireless Telegraphy Ltd.") joint venture on 27 May 1903, with the disputed patents and techniques invested in it. On 17 April 1923, it was renamed Telefunken, The Company for Wireless Telegraphy. Telefunken was the company's telegraphic address. The first technical director of Telefunken was Count Georg von Arco. Telefunken rapidly became a major player in the radio and electronics fields, both civilian and military. Prior to World War I the company set up the first world wide network of communications and during the war they supplied radio sets and telegraphy equipment for the military, as well as building one of the first radio navigation systems for the Zeppelin force. The Telefunken Kompass Sender operated from 1908 to 1918, allowing the Zeppelins to navigate throughout the North Sea area in any weather. In 1911, Telefunken built a wireless station in West Sayville just north of the Long Island Rail Road tracks. A 500-foot tower that could be raised and lowered rose from a ball and socket joint atop a concrete foundation. It was completed in 1912 and wireless messages could then be transmitted to a similar tower in Nauen 3,500 miles away. From August 1, 1914, until April 6, 1917, the United States monitored messages sent over the Telefunken wireless and the United States Marine Corps guarded the station. After the U.S. declared war the station was sealed off, the wire fence surrounding it was charged with electricity, and floodlights were placed throughout. After World War I it was taken over by Mackay Radio and Telegraph Company and later the Federal Aviation Administration. It was demolished in 1938. Starting in 1923, Telefunken built broadcast transmitters and radio sets. In 1928, Telefunken made history by designing the V-41 amplifier for the German Radio Network. This was the very first two-stage, "Hi-Fi" amplifier. Over time, Telefunken perfected their designs and in 1950 the V-72 amplifier was developed. The TAB (a manufacturing subcontractor to Telefunken) V-72 soon became popular with other radio stations and recording facilities. The V-72S was the only type of amplifier found in the REDD.37 console used by the Beatles at Abbey Road Studios on many of their early recordings. In 1932, record players were added to the product line.
1940s-1970s In 1941, Siemens transferred its Telefunken shares to AEG as part of the agreements known as the "Telefunken settlement", and AEG thus became the sole owner and continued to lead Telefunken as a subsidiary (starting in 1955 as "Telefunken GmbH" and from 1963 as "Telefunken AG"). During the Second World War, Telefunken was a supplier of vacuum tubes, transmitters and radio relay systems, and developed Funkmess facilities (later referred to as radar devices by the US Navy) and directional finders, as part of the German air defence against aerial bombing. During the war, manufacturing plants were shifted to and developed in west of Germany or relocated. Thus, Telefunken, under AEG, turned into the smaller subsidiary, with the three divisions realigning and data processing technology, elements as well as broadcast, television and phono. Telefunken was also the originator of the FM radio broadcast system. Telefunken, through the subsidiary company Teldec (a joint venture with Decca Records), was for many decades one of the largest German record companies, until Teldec was sold to WEA in 1988.
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