MINERVA (GRUNDIG) SUPER COLOR 8446/30 SERIE 30T26SL (GSC600) YEAR 1979.

THE MINERVA (GRUNDIG) SUPER COLOR 8446/30 SERIE 30T26SL (GSC600) IS A Very Heavy 26 inches color screen.

The set here in collection is indeed a GRUNDIG with the Historical GRUNDIG Chassis GSC600.

It has 30 programs and VST Tuning search (first time using the TMS1100 microcomputer) (green rising bar on screen during search).
MICROPROCESSOR and microcomputer i.c.s seem to be cropping up everywhere since 1979. It's hardly surprising therefore that TV manufacturers have found uses for them. First, what's the difference? Well, they both enable a great deal of digital signal processing to be carried out in a single chip to control tuning as example. The differences relate to the internal memory arrangements. Clearly the chips require memories so that they can remember what they're supposed to do and how to do it, and to store data as necessary during the processing operations. A microprocessor's memory is of the ROM (read-only memory) type, i.e. it provides outputs as required but you can't feed data in and get it back later. Typical examples of ROMs are the character and graphics generator i.c.s used in VDUs and teletext decoders. A microcomputer is more flexible because it also incorporates a RAM (random-access memory) which will hold and release data as instructed. The data store in a VDU and the page memory device in a teletext decoder are of the RAM variety. The use of digital techniques in domestic TV sets started a few years back in the 70's - with a rather expensive, up-market Barco colour receiver. This had an automatic tuning system - similar to the arrangement used as example in the Grundig SVR videocassette recorder.. Digital tuning and remote control systems are becoming increasingly common in TV sets, and are also found in the latest VCRs. Once you start using digital control systems, it's logical to employ a microcomputer i.c. to control the system. Both Philips and ITT and Texas and Motorola and National  have published details in the 70's of microcomputer TV receiver control systems recently, and we shall doubtless find these in the more complex TV sets featuring teletext and viewdata facilities before long. One of the first items of domestic TV equipment I've had The microcomputer chip itself is the  TMS1000. ........ however, let's briefly outline what a microcomputer is and can do. It's a simple computer of course, and has been described as a very large-scale integrated circuit (VLSIC) which, by performing a sequence of programmable (in manufacture) operations, can fulfil a wide range of different electronic functions. The advantages of using a microcomputer are its low cost (today less than few pennies), the low component count achieved, and the ease with which the instructions (and thus the functions the device will perform) can be changed by the i.c. manufacturer to cater for different applications.

The set was first MINERVA/GRUNDIG models series having a tuning control unit featured by a Microcomputer system based around Texas instruments TMS1000 and other group of Asic's.(Microcomputer processing approach for a non-volatile TV station memory tuning system, Previously developed electronic channel tuning systems have not been sufficiently flexible to enable wide-spread use for a variety of different types of television sets in applications. For example, certain previously developed systems have required extremely uniform varactor tuning diodes to enable channel tuning, thereby allowing insufficient tolerances for conventional variances between varactor diodes.
 Other previously developed systems have not been sufficiently modular to enable a selection of various types of channel access or displays. Moreover, previously developed electronic channel tuning systems have not been sufficiently economical to fabricate and have required uneconomical printed circuit boards or other uneconomical fabrication techniques for construction. For example, certain prior systems have required expensive potentiometers for each channel desired to be tuned. In addition, previously developed electronic television tuning systems have not satisfactorily satisfied recent regulatory requirements which call for a television tuner to provide a comparable capability and quality of tuning for both VHF and UHF stations. Specifically, such prior tuning systems have not enabled selection of precise UHF channels, nor have the prior systems provided means for easily changing selected UHF channels.
A major disadvantage in the channel tuning sections of television receivers has been the inability to electronically program and store tune voltages under all operating and non-operating conditions without using an auxiliary power source or a mechanically programmed memory. Existing electronically operable tuners are dedicated electronic circuitry to program tune voltage information in volatile memories where the volatile memories require batteries to provide standby power when the main power source is removed. The batteries are undesirable because they represent an additional cost to the manufacturer and a present a long-term tune voltage jeopardy if they fail when the main power source is removed. Memory loss due to battery failure can occur if there are poor battery connections, battery corrosion, or excessive battery drain. Other tuning systems use potentiometers to retain the channel tune voltage, but are also undesirable because they are not electronically alterable, and require a potentiometer for each channel to be tuned.
In accordance with the present invention, the undesirable characteristics are eliminated by using a non-volatile DIFMOS memory matrix to store the channel tune voltages. The DIFMOS memory (dual injection floating gate MOS technology) is electronically alterable and has a projected memory retention capability of over 100 years with power removed. The control circuitry for the system uses a microcomputer type architecture to integrate the user control inputs and to generate the signals needed to access and alter the DIFMOS memory matrix. A principal advantage of this type of control compared to the dedicated control circuit approach is the ease with which different manufacturers' system requirements can be satisfied by simply reprogramming the algorithm of the instruction memory.)
change program on screen displayed......
This invention relates generally to a television receiver and more particularly is directed to a television receiver which can indicate the numeral of a channel after the channel is changed.There is proposed a television receiver in which when a channel is changed, the numeral indicative of the channel after the channel is changed is indicated on the screen of a cathode ray tube during a predetermined period. A conventional channel indicator used in such television receiver requires a special LSI (large scale integration) chip to indicate the numeral of the channel. However, such LSI chip requires a substantial investment in time and money from its designing to the completion, and when the designing thereof is changed midway, it is quite difficult to cope with such change.

The MINERVA (GRUNDIG) SUPER COLOR 8446/30 SERIE 30T26SL (GSC600) is a color television with remote control with programmable digital clock. Thereafter a digital control clock automatically selects the pre-entered information at the appropriate times and provides a control signal to the channel selector of the television receiver.Simple programmable television receiver controllers would provide a number of advantages over conventional channel selectors, and even over remote controlled channel selectors for a number of reasons. There may be programs of particular merit or interest which a viewer does not want to miss. As shall subsequently be described in detail, the systems are particularly simple to fabricate, easy to program, and easy to interface with conventional television tuners, particularly these newer tuners having some form of numerical remote control clock system. This invention relates to a presetting device by which the channel selection of a television receiver or the like operation is performed automatically at the designated times according to a preset schedule pre programmed at remote control level at  the GRUNDIG TELEPILOT 310.

Lots of connections for Audio speakers, VIDEO2000 Recorders, Tape audio recorders, Headphones , AV with DIN 5 POLE SOCKET (WAS THE BEST in comparison with the crappy SCART SOCKET);

WAS First MINERVA - GRUNDIG Television featuring the PHILIPS 30AX CRT Tube,The 30AX system, which Philips introduced in 1979, is an important landmark in the development of colour picture systems. With previous systems the assembly technician had to workthrough a large number of complicated setting-up procedures whenever he fitted a television picture tube with aset of coils for deflecting the electron beams. These procedures were necessary to ensure that the beams for the three colours would converge at thescreen for every deflection. They are no longer necessary with the 30AX system: for a given screen format any deflection unit can be combined  with any tube to form a single 'dynamically convergent' unit. A colour-television receiver can thus be assembled from its components almost as easily as a monochrome receiver. The colour picture tube of the PHILIPS 30AX system displays a noticeably sharper picture over the entire screen surface. This will be particularly noticeable when data transmissions such as Viewdata and Teletext are displayed. This has been achieved by a reduction in the size of the beam spot by about 30%. Absence of coma and the retention of the 36.5 mm neck diameter have both contributed to increased picture sharpness. Coma has been eliminated by means of corrective field shapers embedded in the deflection coils which are sectionally wound saddle types. The new deflection unit has no rear flanges. enabling uniform self-convergence to be obtained for all screen sizes. without special corrections, adjustments, or tolerance compensations. Horizontal raster distortion is reduced and no vertical correction is required. One of the inventions in 30AX is an internal magnetic correction system which obviates static convergence and colour purity errors. This enables the usual multiple unit to be dispensed with. together with the need for its adjustment !  New techniques have been employed to achieve close tolerance construction of the glass envelope. In addition, the 30AX picture tube incorporates two features whereby it can be accurately adjusted during the last stages of manufacture. One is the internal magnetic correction system. The other is an array of bosses on the cone that establish a precise reference for the axial purity positioning of the deflection unit on the tube axis and for raster orientation. During its manufacture, each deflection unit is individually adjusted for optimum convergence. The coil carrier also incorporates reference bosses that co-operate with those on the cone of the tube. ' Since every picture tube and every deflection unit is individually pre-aligned, any deflection unit automatically matches with any picture tube of the appropriate size. The deflection unit has only to be pushed onto the neck of the tube unit it seats. Once the reference bosses are engaged, the combination is accurately aligned and requires no adjustment for convergence, colour purity or raster orientation. With no multiple unit and a flangeless deflection unit, there is more space in the receiver cabinet. Higher deflection sensitivity means that less current is consumed, and consequently less heat is produced. This increases the reliability of the TV receiver again. 30AX means simple assembly. Any picture tube is compatible with any deflection unit of the appropriate size and is automatically self-aligning as well as being self-convergent.
Now that the new Philips 30AX tube has put in an appearance, some details can be filled in. The new tube has been developed from the 20AX, which has been in production since 1974, but brings with it several important advances. First, no dynamic convergence, static convergence, purity or raster correction adjustments are necessary. Secondly the new yoke design gives improved deflection sensitivity, a straight NS raster, and reduced EW raster distortion. Due to the close mechanical tolerances and the inclusion of positioning bosses on the tube bowl, the tube and yoke can be aligned simply by being pushed together - any 30AX yoke will automatically match any 30AX tube of the appropriate size. Thirdly the newly designed electron gun gives a sharper spot, with greater focus uniformity over the screen area. An internal magnetic ring is used to give correct purity and static beam convergence, in place of the multipole unit used in previous in -line gun tube designs. This results in a strikingly compact assembly. The automatic yoke/tube alignment does away with the need for preset mechanical tilt and shift adjustments which, Philips point out, correct one error by introducing another. The new tube is being produced in the 26, 22 and 20in. screen sizes. The power consumption of a set fitted with the 30AX is typicaly 100W compared to 120W with the 20AX system, at 1.2mA beam current and with an e.h.t. of 25kV. This compares with 88W for a set fitted with a 90° narrow -neck tube and hybrid yoke, under the same conditions.
The well-known 20AX features of HI-Bri, Soft-Flash and Quick-vision are maintained in the new 30AX systern.  In their work on the design of deflection coils in the last few years the developers have expanded  the magnetic deflectionfields into 'multipoles', This approach has improved the understanding  of the relations between coil and field and between field and deflection to such an extent that  designing deflection units is now more like playing a difficult but fascinating game of chess than  carrying out the obscure computing procedure once necessary.


 AV 6 pins DIN socket is present rear side toghether with AV Grundig data connector to connect it with VCR V2000 systems and allowing the control of both television and VCR with one remote.This is the DIN connector, a member of a family of circular connectors that were initially standardized by Deutsches Institut fur Normung (DIN  (45323 (6-pin)) for analog audio signals. Some of these connectors have also been used in analog video applications and digital interfaces. All male connectors (plugs) of this family of connectors feature a 13.2 mm diameter metal shield with a notch that limits the orientation in which plug and socket can mate. Electrical connectors of the DIN type are known and they include a dielectric housing in which three to eight electrical terminals are molded. The terminals are soldered to electrical conductors of a shielded cable. Metal clamshell members are mounted onto the housing with one of the clamshell members having a U-shaped ferrule that is crimped onto the metal shield of the cable to terminate the shield and provide strain relief. An insulating strain relief member is disposed or molded onto the clamshell members and engages the cable adjacent the U-shaped ferrule thereby holding the clamshell members in position on the housing and providing a strain relief.

The  Horizontal Beam Deflection  and high voltage generating circuits are realized with Thyristors circuits. 
       Numerous circuit designs for completely transistorized television receivers either have been incorporated in commercially available receivers or have been described in detail in various technical publications. One of the most troublesome areas in such transistor receivers, from the point of View of reliability and economy, lies in the horizontal deflection circuits.
       As an attempt to avoid the voltage and current limitations of transistor deflection circuits, a number of circuits have been proposed utilizing the silicon controlled rectifier (SCR), a semiconductor device capable of handling substantially higher currents and voltages than transistors.
       The circuit utilizes two bi-directionally conductive switching means which serve respectively as trace and commutating switches. Particularly, each of the switching means comprises the parallel combination of a silicon controlled rectifier (SCR) and a diode. The commutating switch is triggered on shortly before the desired beginning of retrace and, in conjunction with a resonant commutating circuit having an inductor and two capacitors, serves to turn off the trace switch to initiate retrace. The commutating circuit is also arranged to turn oft the commutating SCR before the end of retrace.

Integrated circuits are presently known in the art for the convenient operation of television receivers, whereby the functions of on-off switching, channel selection, picture (video) and sound (audio) can be remotely controlled by the received telecontrol signal. In particular, the following function can be operated by such a system: Switching on and off of the equipment, calling for different program channels, variations and basic adjustments of sound level, brightness and color saturation, silencing of the sound as well as inserting of time references. With a known and presently available operating system up to 16 channels can be installed, so that it is possible, to select directly that number of programs and to tune the receiver to the appropriate channel.
Television receivers available in yr 1979 in many designs provide for up to 30 remotely controlled channels or channels controlled by the received signal (tele-signal) to properly operate. Additionally, infrared control is also becoming popular.
These controls provide commands by means of a databus so that the operation of the various functions is possible with the provision of additional commands.
It is further known to equip peripheral equipment such as video tape recorders with a so-called electronic-tap-key rather than keys with a long throw so that all parts which are susceptable to mechanical wear are eliminated and replaced by digital controls.
It has become of interest to connect the peripheral equipment such as the video tape recorder to the television receiver so that both can be conveniently operated. With the development of new concepts simplification of design becomes critical for ease of operation and reduction of expense.
This series is rare. They were produced no more than 8 / 12 months btw 1979 and 1980, and due to the high costs of production (see the chassis) ended production very quickly.

It has even a basic OSD showing the channel search feature during tuning stations.
................and even a Video Game special socket fitted in the remote control compartment.

The GRUNDIG chassis GSC600 for a television set is constructed of individual plug- in modules, in which a number of generally smaller structural elements and components are enclosed, together with a printed circuit board in a unit which is generally functional in its own right. Each such module is provided with a housing which protects the assembled printed circuit board from external access and which additionally can have screening, thermal dissipation and diagnosis functions. On at least one external side, the housing has one or more sealing elements , which mate with cut-outs in the printed circuit board. The assembled printed circuit board cannot be removed from the housing until the sealing element  is destroyed. By this means, any non- specialist access into a module was /  is immediately identifiable.

A very heavy 26 inches color television from GRUNDIG since it has a mais transformer up to 500 Watt power capability and combined with the structure of the chassis itself.

These sets are rare and they were fabricated for a time inferior to a year in 1979 due to high costs of production and world unique chassis design (Even SONY or more "up" fabricants aren't to be compared).

Grundig in the West Germany, was the firm able to contrast the japanese electronics invasion of Europe in that era of time.

It has launched a new range of television equipment which should be considered a service
engineer's dream. The equipment, which includes both conventional colour TV receivers and a domestic TV projector , automatically Identifies faults and indi-cates the part: to be replaced.
In response to the criticism that such a system will make skilled engineers redundant, Grundig argues that the new design is not intended to encourage do-it-yourself repairs, But it should free TV retailers and rental companies from the obligation to send their best engineers to amend faulty sets in peoples homes.

According to Grundig, from now on the companies most proficient engineers can remain in the vrorkshop, where their time and abilities an most profitably deployed, leaving lees-skilled people to carry out the unproductive task of making the house calls.
All Grundig Super Color (Super color 80 range of TV receivers, and the Cinema 9000
TV projector) , are designed around a similar chassis. This contains a large circuit board to which just three components are solidly secured. All the remaining electronic parts are contained
in 12 modules plug-fitted into sockets on the circuit board. Each plug-in module, clad in metal to screen the components from outside electrical interference, carries a tiny light emitting diode (LED) If any component fails, the LED on the module containing the component cease to glow indicating task for eventually schematic search to identify and replace the faulty module,
which is returned either toGrundig or the service trained workshop for repair.


The remote, GRUNDIG TELEPILOT 300, allows controlling even a VCR and can be fitted in the house compartment after using it to avoid incidentally dropping and flying actions performed by eventually crappy childrens.

(I guess they were higly more educated in that far era of time and see the fact that if they were 6 7 years old in 1979, according of the age of the tellye, TODAY THEY'RE mans of 38 39 YEARS OLD....NOW THINK HOW TIME IS........... RUNNING..............).

(Obsolete Technology Tellye Museum is a Time machine ! )




It's an interesting fact that the cathode ray tube, which was amongst the very earliest thermionic devices, seems likely to be amongst the very last in everyday use. Receiving valves are largely things of the past, while timebase valves now belong in the service department. The development of the CRT continues apace however, and one cannot see any likelihood of its demise. Solid-state displays have been talked about, and demonstrated, but anything likely to compete on cost and performance grounds with the modern colour tube seems forever to be "at least ten years away". The early experiments with cathode-ray tubes were carried out in the last century. By the turn of the century, crude CRTs could be made. An early CRT, the Wehnelt hot cathode tube of 1905, is on display at the IBA's Television Gallery. By 1910, Alexander Campbell -Swinton had come to appreciate the possibilities of the CRT as a pick-up and display device for television, and put forward suggestions for such a TV system. It was a while however before the type of tube we know today appeared. The tubes of the 1910-30 era were gas focused devices (relying on residual gas to focus the beam), the vacuum pumps of the period producing only a poor vacuum. By the time of the start of the BBC's TV service in 1936 however the modern type of tube had arrived. It was a triode device with external focusing and a deflection angle of around 50°. The usual sizes were 9 and 12in., and the e.h.t. was about 5kV. Post-war developments during the 1950s saw some important innovations. The deflection angle went to 70°, then 90°, then 110°; multi -electrode gun assemblies with electrostatic focusing were introduced; the e.h.t rose to 20kV; improved phosphors became available; and the advent of the aluminised screen considerably improved the brightness and contrast (by reflecting all the phosphor light emission forwards) while overcoming the problem of ion bombardment. Meanwhile, colour had come. The principle of the shadowmask tube had been suggested in the 1930s, but development (by RCA) had to wait until proposals for an acceptable, practical colour broadcasting system were put forward. A regular colour service was started in the USA in 1954, and the receivers were fitted with 21in. shadowmask tubes. Early developments included the use of improved phosphors, but essentially the same tube confronted us with the advent of colour transmissions in Europe in 1967. As you all know, it had three guns mounted in a triangular formation, a dot-phosphor screen, a massive convergence system in two sections (radial and lateral), plus purity magnets and a large metal shield on which the degaussing coils hung. It also needed both NS and EW raster correction circuitry. The first versions in Europe had a deflection angle of 90° : when the 110° version came along in the early 1970s the convergence and raster correction circuitry required were even more complex, but the degaussing shield had disappeared inside the tube. At much the same time however the first major breakthrough in large screen tube design occurred (we put it that way because the innovating Sony Trinitron was at the time mainly a small screen tube) - the RCA PIL tube with its in -line guns, phosphor -striped screen, and slotted shadowmask. The design of the yoke to provide self -convergence in conjunction with the in -line gun arrangement meant that no dynamic convergence system was required, while some simple manufacturer preset magnets provided static convergence and purity correction. Sets using this tube first appeared in Europe in 1975, and meanwhile the PHILIPS 20AX system had come along. Over the last few years the pace of development has quickened to a striking extent. We've had quick warm-up cathodes, the hi-bri technology which increases the shadow mask's transparency, the contoured line screen, the super -arch mask, pigmented phosphors, soft flash to reduce flashover damage, redesigned focus arrangements, and increased use of an earlier development, the black -stripe screen. The latest generation of tubes require no NS raster correction circuitry, which is all part of a parallel development in yoke technology, while the need for EW correction is also in the process of being designed out. With the new Philips 30AX tube, the static convergence and purity system disappear inside the tube in the form of a small internal magnetic ring. It's all a long way from Wehnelt's hot -cathode tube of 1905. The latest colour tubes are compact and have all the various correction arrangements required built in. They are amazing feats of precision engineering, and a solid-state alternative seems as far away as ever. Is there any farther to go along this path? Well, single -gun colour tubes using the beam indexing principle are now understood to be a practical proposition for small screen tubes, so we can't be too sure.


MINERVA is a long extint brand - manufacturing site in Vienna (AUSTRIA) in the past 1930's.


History

The factory was founded in Vienna in 1919 from Wilhelm Wohleber (Heidelberg 1890 - 1950) and in the 1924 the commercialization of the first radio began and was a radio made of parts manufactured from other marks with others parts of production . The small business that initially was called " Radiola" called its products in different way like Aeriola, Aerophon, Radioglobe, Radiopa.The quality of the products of the Minerva radios and the easy availability of parts from reciprocation with others gave to MINERVA the availabilty in the European market with 27 different models already in the season 1929/' 30.

With the economic crisis of the years in the 30's , Minerva in order to succeed to survive subdivided in three distinguished Markets.In the market of export in order to succeed to go around the customs duties that weighed with the exception of the inner products Wohleber it tightened of the agreements with other producers that had the licence thus to produce the same products that came manufactured from the Minerva Austrian.

It was thus that in Switzerland the Titans collaborated to the plan, in Poland the Elektrit, France the Giraud Frères and Italy the Luigi Cozzi dell' Aquila. During II the World war the plant Minerva di Vienna, comes destroyed from the bombs.

The Minerva Industry is refounded again and started again basically from zero having the factory to be reconstruct like pure the warehouses, while the raw materials and machinery had been seized.

In 1946 the production already resumed, and very slowly it returned to life on the market of radio receivers for civil use.

While in the 1950 at the age of 60 years old dies Wilhelm Wohleber the company passes in the hands of the wife Elisabeth Wohleber and the engineer Egon Mally and under their direction the company have had to maintain itself on high qualitative standards proposing between the first radio receivers of radio frequencies FM in 1950 and before to propose in Austria radios with transistor in 1957. It developed to the manufacturing of television and record player. In the 1969 the company comes totally sold to Max Grundig and from 1972 the Minerva brand has not been more used.

The tellye here in collection is indeed a "GRUNDIG" !


Grundig AG is (WAS) a German manufacturer of consumer electronics for home entertainment which transferred to Turkish control in the period 2004-2007. Established in 1945 in Nuremberg, Germany by Max Grundig the company changed hands several times before becoming part of the Turkish Koç Holding group. In 2007, after buying control of the Grundig brand, Koc renamed its Beko Elektronik white goods and consumer electronics division Grundig Elektronik A.Ş., which has decided to merge with Arçelik A.Ş. as declared on February 27, 2009


Max Grundig (7 May 1908 – 8 December 1989) was the founder of electronics company Grundig AG.Max Grundig is one of the leading business personalities of West German post-war society, one of the men responsible for the German “Wirtschaftswunder” (post-war economic boom).


GRUNDIG Early years

Max Grundig was born in Nuremberg on May 7, 1908. His father died early, so Max and his three sisters grew up in a home without a father. At 16, Max Grundig began to be fascinated by radio technology, which at the time was gaining in popularity. He built his first detector in the family’s apartment, which he had turned into his own laboratory. In 1930, he turned his hobby into his profession and opened a shop for radio sets in Fürth with an associate. The business prospered and soon Grundig was able to employ his sisters and buy out his associate. By 1938, he was already manufacturing 30,000 small transformers.



GRUNDIG Success after World War II

Max Grundig’s real success story began after World War II. On May 15, 1945, Grundig opened a production facility for universal transformers at Jakobinerstraße 24 in Fürth. Using machines and supplies from the war era, he established the basis for what would turn into a global company at this address. In addition to transformers, Grundig soon manufactured tube-testing devices. As manufacturing radios was subject to a licence, Grundig had the brilliant idea of developing a kit that would allow anyone to quickly build a radio on their own. This kit was sold as a “toy” called “Heinzelmann”.

Following the monetary reform, Max Grundig quickly expanded his production under the new company name “Grundig Radio-Werke GmbH” and served the expanding mass market. From 1952, his company was the biggest European manufacturer of radios and the worldwide leader in the production of audio tape recorders.



Grundig became a real pioneer in consumer electronics. From 1951, the company’s portfolio also included the production and distribution of television sets, and dictaphones were added in 1954. The company was turned into a shareholding company, the Grundig AG, in 1971. In the 1970s, the company was one of the leading companies in Germany, employing more than 38,000 people in 1979. Max Grundig had built a strong company from the ruins of the war.


GRUNDIG and the rules are changing

In the second half of the 1970s, another innovation entered the market for consumer electronics, the VCR. And with the VCR, competitors from Japan and later other countries of the Far East entered the world market. Even though the European competitors Philips and Grundig had developed the superior technology for recording video, the Japanese VHS succeeded on the market. The rules of the game changed dramatically in the field of consumer electronics. The competition for establishing the video standard proved that companies could only succeed in consumer electronics with the financial power of global corporations. In 1979, Max Grundig decided to sell some shares to his Dutch competitor Philips, and in 1984 he began the process of restructuring the ownership of the Grundig companies, which would be completed two decades later.



Max Grundig died on December 8, 1989 in Baden-Baden. The Grundig name continues to be known to this day and is now a globally recognised brand for innovative consumer electronics. Max Grundig is remembered in Germany as a dynamic entrepreneur from the post-war era.

Max GRUNDIG: Born on 7 May 1908 in the Denis Street 3 in Nuremberg
 workers district Gostenhof Parents of "Magaziners" or warehouse worker Max Emil and his wife Marie. The enlargement of the family through the birth of three sisters require in the aftermath several moves within Nuremberg.
In 1920, his father died unexpectedly at the consequences of an appendectomy. The already poor family is financially worse rapidly. This is followed by further moves into ever smaller and cheaper housing. Max Grundig starts in April 1922 commercial apprenticeship at the installation company Jean Hilpert in Nuremberg. His interest lies in the crafting of radios, a hobby, the early 1920s was indulged by tech-savvy youngsters often. But Max Grundig tinkering not only simple radios, but also more complex technical equipment such as image receiver.(Photos refering to
Father and Mother of Max GRUNDIG.)

After the end of his teaching is Max Grundig 1927 Head of a new branch of the company in Fürth Hilpert and supervised by commercial side of the installation work of the under construction Municipal Hospital Fürth. In May 1928 and in October 1930 Grundig also occurs on a radio dealer and take part in an event organized by Workers' Radio Association Germany on the occasion of Fürth Kirchweih 1930 radios exhibition. A first marriage in 1929 held only briefly. From her daughter Inge comes.
Following the closure of Fürth Branch company Hilpert for the finished installation works at the hospital, Max Grundig together with Karl Wurzer, who was funders primarily, on 15 November 1930 as a radio dealer in Sternstraße 4 in Fürth independently. Today this street Ludwig-Erhard-Straße is, since there - was directly opposite the first by Max Grundig Radio Load - - the business of the parents of the future economy minister and Chancellor Ludwig Erhard (1977 1897).
His radio action called Max Grundig "Radio Sales Fürth" short RVF. On June 21, 1934, a procession of RVF in the Schwabacher Straße carried 1. The partnership Karl Wurzer is paid, Max Grundig is now the sole owner. In addition to selling and repairing radios Grundig starts construction of transformers. In 1938, he is Sales millionaire. In the same year he married the singer and manufacturer's daughter Annelie Jorgensen. The marriage remains childless.

During the Second World War Grundig continues its production of small transformers continued on a larger scale in the Fürth suburb Vach, where he rents rooms in three inns. He himself is in 1941 drafted into the army, some time must remain as a corporal in Paris, but shortly before his entire company is reassigned to the East - also because of its possibilities, to provide supervisors with radios - "indispensable" (uk) provided and forwards Fuerth his company to continue the war.

On 18 May 1945, the US Army occupied the suburb Vach. Grundig's stock will not be plundered, neither of German or foreign looters nor by the US military because the workforce that consists partly of Ukrainian slave laborers, has a sign "Off limits" - "no trespassing" - at the door, protects the company. In June 1945, Grundig rented a factory building in the Jakobinenstraße 24 in Fürth. are manufactured now transformers and measuring instruments: The tube tester "Tubatest" and the fault locator "Nova Test". The commercial license is replaced by the Radio-sales Fürth on 7 November 1945. In December 1945, Grundig has 42 employees.

On April 10, 1946 Max Grundig starts own production of radios. His first instrument is the "Heinzelmann" This radio can also complete as a kit or under the hand, but are always acquired without tubes. But the tubes are widely available on the black markets of the early postwar years. Since a wireless without tubes per se is not operational, allowing the American military government Max Grundig, "no quota", ie without limitation in quantity, produce radio and distribute. With the mass sale of "Heinzelmann" Max Grundig creates the basis for further economic success of the company as a manufacturing company after the Second World War.
As of August 1, 1946 is the company "RVF - Electrotechnical Factory". Beginning in March 1947, work began in the Kurgartenstraße 37 in Fuerth, the later main plant of the company Grundig. On 7 July 1948 re-naming of the company is carried out in "Grundig radio-Werk GmbH". As of spring 1948, the superhit radio "Weltklang" comes on the market. In February 1949, the 100,000th Wireless is already prepared. In the same year built a Grundig FM radio stations trying to prepare for the introduction of the ultra-short wave on 15 March 1950. In December 1949 the company Grundig counts 1,600 employees.

In May 1951 Max Grundig acquires Lumophon radio stations in Nuremberg and Georgensgmünd and integrates them into its "Grundig radio-Werke GmbH". In September and October 1951, he is with a purpose-built television station Directorate building his company in Fürth the first public television broadcasts in Southern Germany. he produced 94 televisions this year. The production of tape recorders starts 1951st
1954 lets Max Grundig his first dictation machine, the "Stenorette" build. In 1957 he buys the office machine manufacturer Triumph-Adler in Nuremberg and Adler in Frankfurt that remain until 1968 in his possession. In 1958 he founds the Grundig Bank in Fürth. In the same year, with the introduction of the transistor instead of the Radio tube, penetrate the first Japanese companies like Sony in the European and German market, initially still in the lowest price segment. 1960 Grundig has 16,495 employees.

The 1960s are marked by the further expansion of the company: Grundig is the biggest radio manufacturer in Europe. In 1961 he acquired a large area in Nuremberg-Langwasser, on the 1963 first tape recorders are produced. In other parts of Germany companies to buy or newly built shortly afterwards in Italy and Austria.
1964 leads the Dutch company Philips in tape recorders, the compact cassette CC and thus the cassette recorder, and it initially in the lower price range. The leader Grundig countered in 1965 with the cassette system DC International, but can not prevail.
After 1967, the beginning of color television initially causes a strong boom in the production of related hardware. This results not only in their own country overcapacity, but the Japanese competition suppressed due to lower wages and production costs at the same time always noticeable with affordable devices on the European and German market.
1969 bring the company Philips and Grundig together the first video recorder for home appliances on the market. It is still a tape machine. But soon the world led the struggle for the enforcement of various video cassette systems begins.

In 1970, Grundig has approximately 25,000 employees. This year, Max Grundig builds to his company. He built on 22 February 1970, the "Max Grundig Foundation", added on 12 March 1970, the "Grundig-family club". The Max Grundig Foundation is now the sole owner. In addition, on 1 April 1972, the "Grundig-Werke GmbH" in a corporation, the "Grundig AG" converted. The foundation holds about 94% of the capital.
From 1970, the television production is relocated to Nuremberg-Langwasser. The expectations regarding equipment sales for the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich true. With the Super-Color TVs a new product range is presented in a modular design. In Nuremberg-Langwasser, daily production reached 1,200 color TV.
1977 founds the Grundig "Hotel Management Max Grundig Foundation". The Hotel Forsthaus Fuerth and Hotel Fuschl near Salzburg to buy. A year later Grundig donates 30 million DM for the "Grundig Academy of Economics and Technology", which serves the training of professionals and executives. 1978 produced in Langwasser also a new VCR plant.
Increasingly Max Grundig is weakened by illness, repeated he needs surgery. The European consumer electronics industry is committed to strategies against existing overcapacity and the growing economic influence of companies from the Far East. In Europe, these are mainly the French state company Thomson-Brandt, the Dutch company Philips and Grundig.
The cooperation with the Dutch company Philips thickens in the VCR production. In 1979 share swaps. Philips makes 24.5% of the shares of Grundig AG, Grundig 6% of Philips and is thereby the largest single shareholder.


1979 achieved the Grundig AG with 38,460 employees worldwide their personal peak. The company has 31 plants, nine branches with 20 branches and three Werksvertretungen, eight sales companies and 200 worldwide export missions. Also, sales continue to rise. But the profit is shrinking. In 1981, the Grundig AG writes first losses. After divorcing his second wife Annelie Max Grundig marries 1980, the French woman Chantal Girard. In the same year the daughter Marie was born.
1982 at the presentation of "Eduard Rhein honor ring" and before the European Commission, presents Max Grundig be EURO concept, the united front of the European consumer electronics market to Japanese companies: "Acting together, jointly produce, market share". But he can not prevail. Too much stalking and distrusts you also mutually in the European broadcasting industry. And Japan is not the only competitor. An agreement between the companies Grundig and Thomson-Brandt, which is scheduled also built in 1982, can - among other things due to the resistance of the Bundeskartellamt and because the company Philips is involved in Grundig - not be implemented.
On 26 March 1984 Philips increased its share of Grundig AG by 7.1% to 31.6%. In April 1984, the Federal Cartel Office approved the merger of Grundig and Philips under the condition that Grundig sells its voice recorders range. New CEO of Grundig AG is the Dutchman Hermanus Koning on April 1 (1924 - 1998). From 1984 to 1998, the Dutch have entrepreneurial saying. Max Grundig receives for his departure from the company, among other things a guaranteed 20-year-income annual return of 50 million marks.
Not quite voluntarily leaving Max Grundig the company he has built up and which bears his name. But there can be only one boss. 1985 must Grundig also his top job at the Grundig-Bank ad, which is sold to a Swiss institute.
Grundig expands its hotel ownership, 1986, he acquired the luxury hotel "Bühlerhöhe", which he renovated at great expense. On 8 December 1989 Max Grundig dies. Under great public participation he will be buried in Baden-Baden.

After a brief economic boom as a result of German reunification takes place until 1991 a rapid decline of the company Grundig. Between 1992 and 1996 the Grundig Group makes almost two billion marks loss. The number of employees decreased from 16,250 to 8,580 employees.
1998, the Philips Group withdraws. According to its own description Philips has been paying 1.5 billion marks. A consortium of banks and insurance companies under the leadership of the antenna manufacturer Kathrein, the personally liable partners of Kathrein Werke KG, takes on 18 December 1998 the Grundig AG.

In 2000 and 2001, the company headquarters and the remaining departments of Fürth be routed to Nuremberg. But Grundig continues to make losses. On 1 April 2003, Grundig AG announces insolvency.
2004 Turkey company Beko electronics in Istanbul, belonging to the Turkish Koc Holding, together with the British company Alba Radio Ltd. accepts the division consumer electronics. This company is now called "Grundig Intermedia". Both companies each own fifty percent of "Grundig Multimedia B.V.", which is a holding full ownership of Grundig Intermedia GmbH. In addition, proceeds from the office equipment division as buy-out the company "Grundig Business Systems" produced. The car radio range is taken from the Delphi Corporation, the activities of the former Grundig range satellites for "Grundig SAT Systems GmbH".
In October 2006 and January 2007, two production lines for TV at Grundig Elektronik in Istanbul are put into operation. On 18 December 2007, Koç Group acquires through its subsidiary Arçelik A.S. the shares of Alba plc. And that is the sole owner of Grundig Multimedia B.V. or the Grundig Intermedia GmbH. The development area in Nuremberg closes the end of 2008 as part of an ending in 2009 the restructuring process. When Grundig headquarters in Nuremberg with around 140 employees Sales, marketing, communications, design, quality assurance, customer service and the office staff remain. The Turkish Grundig Intermedia GmbH is now divided into six product areas: TV, Audio, HiFi, "Personal Care", "Floor Care" and kitchen appliances.

The Radio Museum in Fürth, located in the former Directorate of Max Grundig, shows in addition to the history of the development of broadcasting in Germany and the corporate and entrepreneurial story of Max Grundig, the man who the radio and television development in Germany after the Second World War three has for decades dominated the market leader.

He was married lastly to Chantal Grundig.

Early history

The history of the company began in 1930 with the establishment of a store named Fuerth, Grundig & Wurzer (RVF), which sold radios. After World War II Max Grundig recognized the need for radios in Germany, and in 1947 produced a kit, while a factory and administration centre were under construction at Fürth. In 1951 the first televisions were manufactured at the new facility with the company and the surrounding area growing rapidly. At the time Grundig was the largest radio manufacturer in Europe. Divisions in Nuremberg, Frankfurt and Karlsruhe were set up.

Grundig in Belfast

A plant was opened in 1960 to manufacture tape recorders in Belfast, Northern Ireland, the first production by Grundig outside Germany. The managing director of the plant Thomas Niedermayer, was kidnapped and later killed by the Provisional IRA in December 1973. The factory was closed with the loss of around 1000 jobs in 1980.

Philips takeover

In 1972, Grundig GmbH became Grundig AG. After this Philips began to gradually accumulate shares in the company over the course of many years, and assumed complete control in 1993. Philips resold Grundig to a Bavarian consortium in 1998 due to unsatisfactory performance.

Later history

At the end of June 2000 the company relocated its headquarters in Fürth and Nuremberg. Grundig lost €1.281 million the following year. In autumn 2002, Grundig's banks did not extend the company's lines of credit, leaving the company with an April 2003 deadline to announce insolvency. Grundig AG declared bankruptcy in 2003, selling its satellite equipment division to Thomson. In 2004 Britain's Alba plc and the Turkish Koc's Beko jointly took over Grundig Home InterMedia System, Grundig's consumer electronics division. In 2007 Alba sold its half of the business to Beko for US$50.3 million, although it retained the licence to use the Grundig brand in the UK until 2010, and in Australasia until 2012.

................The Federal Republic of Germany: struggling to stay on its feet ?

For more than thirty years after the Second World War, consumer
electronics in West Germany, as elsewhere, was a growth industry.
Output growth in the industry was sustained by buoyant consumer
demand for successive generations of new or modified products,
such as radios (which had already begun to be manufactured, of
course, before the Second World War), black-and-white and then
colour television sets, hi-fi equipment.” Among the largest West
European states, West Germany had by far the strongest industry.
Even as recently as 1982, West Germany accounted for 60 per cent
of the consumer electronics production in the four biggest EEC
states. The West German industry developed a strong export
orientation--in the early 1980s as much as 60 per cent of West
German production was exported, and West Germany held a larger
share of the world marltet than any other national industry apart
from the]apanese.ltwas also technologicallyextremelyinnovative-
the first tape recorders, the PAL colour television technology, and
the technology which later permitted the development of the video
cassette recorder all originated in West Germany.

The standard-bearers of the West German consumer electronics
industry were the owner-managed firm, Grundig, and Telefunken,
which belonged to the electrical engineering conglomerate, AEG-
Telefunlten. The technological innovations for which the West
German industry became famous all stemmed from the laboratories
of Telefunlten, which, in the 19605, still constituted one of AEG’s
most profitable divisions. Telefunlcen and Grundig together prob-
ably accounted for around one-third of employment in the German
Industry in the mid-1970s. Both had extensive foreign production
facilities. At the same time, compared with the other EEC states,
there was still a relatively large number of small and medium-sized
consumer electronics firms in Germany. Besides Grundig and
Telefunken, the biggest were Blaupunkt, a subsidiary of Bosch, the
automobile components manufacturer, Siemens, and the sub-
sidiaries of the ITT-owned firm, SEL. Up until the late 1970s, there
was relatively little foreign-owned manufacturing capacity in the
West German consumer electronics industry.

GOVERNMENTS, MARKETS, AND REGULATION

During the 1970s, this picture of a strong West German
consumer electronics industry began slowly to change and, by the
end of the 19705, colour television manufacture no longer offered a
guarantee for the continued prosperity or even survival of the
German industry. The market for colour television sets was
increasingly saturated——by 1978 56 per cent of all households in
West Germany had a colour television set and 93 per cent of all
households possessed a television set of some kind.2° From 1978
onwards, the West German market for colour television sets began
to contract. Moreover, the PAL patents began to expire around
1980 and the West German firms then became exposed to more
intense competition on the (declining) domestic market.

The West German firms’ best chances for maintaining or
expanding output and profitability lay in their transition to the
manufacture of a new generation of consumer electronics products,
that of the video cassette recorder (VCR). Between 1978 and 1983,
the West German market for VCRs expanded more than tenfold, so
that, by the latter year, VCRs accounted for over a fifth of the
overall consumer electronics market.“ However, in this product
segment, Grundig was the only West German firm which, in
conjunction with Philips, managed to establish a foothold, while
the other firms opted to assemble and/or sell VCRs manufactured
according to one or the other of the two Japanese video
technologies. By 1981, the West German VCR market was more
tightly in the grip of Japanese firms than any other segment of the
market. More than any other, this development accounted for the
growing crisis of the West German consumer electronics industry in
the early 1980s. The West German market stagnated, production
declined as foreign firms conquered a growing share of the
domestic market and this trend was not offset by an expansion of
exports, production processes were rationalized to try to cut costs
as prices fell, employment contracted,” and more and more plants
were either shut down or—more frequently——taken over.

The relationship between the state and the consumer electronics industry in the long post-war economic ‘boom’ was of the ‘arm’s length’ kind which corresponded to the West German philosophy
of the ‘social market economy’. The state's role was confined largely to ‘holding the ring’ for the firms and trying to ensure by means of competition policy that mergers and take-overs did not enable any single firm or group of firms to achieve a position of market domination and suspend the ‘free play of market forces’.

The implementation of competition policy was the responsibility of the Federal Cartel Office (FCO), which must be informed of any planned mergers or take-overs if the two firms each have a turnover
exceeding 1 DM billion or one of them has a turnover of more than
2 DM billion. The FCC must reject any proposed merger which, in
its view, would lead to the emergence of a, or strengthen any
existing, position of market domination.“

Decisions of the FCO may be contested in the Courts, and firms
whose merger or take-over plans have been rejected by the Cartel
Office may appeal for permission to proceed with their plans to the
Federal Economics Minister. He is empowered by law to grant such
permission when it is justified by an ‘overriding public interest’ or
‘macroeconomic benefits’, which may relate to competitiveness on
export markets, employment, and defence or energy policy.”
However, the state had no positive strategy for the consumer
electronics industry and industry, for its part, appeared to have no
demands on the state, other than that, through its macroeconomic
policies, it should provide a favourable business environment. This
situation changed only when, as from the late 1970s onwards, the
Japanese export offensive in consumer electronics plunged the West
German industry into an even deeper crisis.

The Politics of European Restructuring
The burgeoning crisis of not only the West German, but also the
other national consumer electronics industries in the EC in the
early 1980s prompted pleas from the firms (and also organized
labour) for protective intervention by the state——by the European
Community as well as by its respective national Member States.
The partial ‘Europeanization’ of consumer electronics politics
reflected the strategies chosen and pursued by the major European
firms to try to counter, or avoid, the Japanese challenge. These
strategies contained two major elements:  measures of at least
temporary protection against Japanese imports to give the firms
breathing space to build up or modernize their production
capacities and improve their competitiveness uis-ci-uis the Japanese
and partly also to put pressure on the Japanese to establish
production facilities in Europe and produce under the same
conditions as the European firms and (b), through mergers, take-
overs, and co-operation agreements, to regroup forces with the aim
of achieving similar economies of scale to those enjoyed by the most
powerful Japanese firms. The first element of these strategies
implicated the European Community in so far as it is responsible
for the trade policies of its Member States. The second element did
not necessarily involve the European Community, but had a Euro-
pean dimension to the extent that most of the take-overs and mergers
envisaged in the restructuring of the industry involved firms from
two or more of the EEC Member States, including the French state-
owned Thomson (see above). As this ‘regrouping of the forces’ of
the European consumer electronics industry was to unfold at first
largely on the West German market, the firms could only
implement their strategies once they had obtained the all-clear of
the FCO or, failing that, of the Federal Economics Ministry.

The Politics of Video Recorder Trade between japan and the EEC:

The Dutch-based multinational conglomerate, Philips, was the first
firm in the world to bring a VCR on to the market. Between 1972
and 1975, it had no competitors at all in VCR manufacture and, as
late as 1977, it split up the European market with Grundig, with
which Philips developed the V2000 VCR which came on to the
market in 1980. By this time, the Japanese consumer electronics
firms had already built up massive VCR production capacities and
had cornered first their own market and then, unchallenged by the
European firms, the American as well. With the advantage of much
greater economies of scale, they were able to manufacture and offer
VCRs more cheaply than Philips and Grundig when the VCR
market did eventually ‘take off‘ in Western Europe. German
imports of VCRs, for example, increased almost eightfold between
1978 and 1981.2

The immediate background to the calls for protection against
imported Japanese VCRs by European VCR manufacturing firms
was formed by massive cuts in prices for Japanese VCRs, as a
consequence of which, in 1982, the market share held by the V2000
VCR manufactured by Philips and Grundig declined sharply.”
Losses incurred in VCR manufacture led to a dramatic worsening
of Grundig’s financial position. In November 1982 Philips and
Grundig announced that they were considering taking a dumping
case against the Japanese to the European Commission. The case,
which was later withdrawn, can be seen as the first move in a
political campaign designed to secure controls or restraints on
Japanese VCR exports to the EEC states. This campaign was
pursued at the national and European levels, both through the
national and European trade associations for consumer electronics
firms and particularly through direct intervention by the firms at
the national governments and the European Commission. However,
the European firms, many of whom had licensing agreements with
the Japanese, were far from being united behind it.

Philips, seconded by its VCR partner, Grundig, was the ‘real
protagonist’ of protectionist measures against Japanese VCRs. In
pressing their case on EEC member states and the European
Commission, they emphasized the unfair trading practices of the
Japanese in building up production capacities which could meet the
entire world demand for VCRs (‘laser-beaming’), and the threats
which the Japanese export offensive posed to jobs in Western
Europe and to the maintenance of the firms’ R. 8: D. capacity and
technological know-how. Above all, however, was the threat which
the crisis in VCR trade and the consumer electronics industry
generally posed to the survival of a European microelectronic
components industry, over half of whose output, according to
Grundig, was absorbed in consumer electronics products.”

These arguments found by all accounts a very receptive audience
at the European Commission, where, by common consent of
German participants in the policy-formation process, Philips wields
great political influence. By all accounts, Philips‘s pressure was also
responsible for the conversion to the protectionist camp of the
Dutch Government, which hitherto had been a bastion of free trade
philosophy within the EEC. By imposing unilateral import controls
through the channelling of imported VCRs through the customs
depot at Poitiers (see above), the French Government had already
staked out its position on VCR trade with Japan. It presumably
required no convincing by Philips and Grundig on the issue,
although it is interesting to speculate over the extent to which its
stance also reflected the preferences of Thomson which in the past
had been the ‘chief of the protectionists’ in the European
industry.”

With the Dutch Government having been shifted into the
protectionist camp by Philips, the greatest resistance to the

mposition of some form of import controls on Japanese VCRs
could have been expected to come from the West German
Government. Along with the Danish and (hitherto) the Dutch
Governments, the West German Government had generally been
the stoutest defender of free trade among the EEC Member States.
The Federal Economics Ministry’s antipathy towards import
controls may in fact have had some impact on the form of
protection ultimately agreed by the EEC Council of Ministers,
which was a ‘voluntary self-restraint agreement’ with japan.
However, even such self-restraint agreements had in the past been
vetoed by West Germany in the Council. The West German
Government’s abstention in the vote on the agreement in the
Council of Ministers signified if not a radical, then none the less a
significant, modification of its past trade policy.

Within the Bonn Economics Ministry, the section for the
electrical engineering industry-—characteristically—had the most
receptive attitude to the V2000 firms’ case. Elsewhere in the
Ministry, in the trade and European policy and policy principles
divisions and at the summit, the Ministry’s traditional policy in
favour of free trade was given up much more reluctantly. The
Ministry did not oppose the voluntary restraint agreement after it
had been negotiated, but it may be questioned whether the
Ministry’s acquiescence in the agreement was motivated solely by its
feeling of impotence vis-£1-vis the united will of the other Member
States. Abstaining on the vote in the Council of Ministers enabled
the V2000 protectionist lobby to reap its benefits without the West
German Government being held responsible for its implementation.
The Govemment’s abstention may equally have been the result of
the pressure exerted on the Economics Ministry by the V2000
firms, particularly Philips and Grundig, both of which engaged in
bilateral talks with the Ministry, and from the consumer electronics
sub-association of the electrical engineering trade association of the
ZVEI (Zentralverband der Elektrotechnischen lndustrie), in which
a majority of the member firms had sided with Philips and Grundig.
The Ministry, by its own admission, did not listen as closely to the
firms which were simply marketing Japanese VCRs as to those
which actually manufactured VCRs in Europe: ‘we were interested
in increasing the local content (of VCRs) to preserve jobs.’

The success of the V2000 firms in obtaining any agreement at all
from the Japanese to restrain their exports of VCRs to the EEC
does not mean that they were happy with all aspects of the
agreement, least of all with its contents concerning VCR prices and
concrete quotas which were agreed with the Japanese. As the
market subsequently expanded less rapidly than the European
Commission had anticipated, the quota allocated to Japanese
imports (including the ‘kits’ assembled by European licensees of
Japanese firms) amounted to a larger share of the market than
expected and the European VCR manufacturers did not sell as
many VCRs as the agreement provided. Ironically, within a year of
the adoption of the agreement, both Philips and Grundig announced
that they were beginning to manufacture VCRs according to the
Japanese VHS technology and by the time the agreement had
expired (to be superceded by increased tariffs for VCRs) in 1985,
the two firms had stopped manufacturing V2000 VCRs altogether.

The Politics of Transnational European Mergers and Take-overs
The wave of merger and take-over activity in the European
consumer electronics industry which peaked around 1982 and
1983 had begun in West Gemany in the late 1970s, when Thomson
swallowed up several of the smaller West German firms- Normende,
Dual, and Saba ...and Philips, apparently reacting to the threat it
perceived Thomson as posing to its West German interests, bought
a 24.5 per cent shareholding in Grundig.3° The frenzied series of
successful and unsuccessful merger and take-over bids which
unfolded in 1982 and 1983 is inseparable from the growing crisis of
the European industry and the major European firms’ perceptions
as to how they could restructure in order to survive in the face of
Japanese competition.

The first candidate which emerged for take-over on the West
German market was Telefunken, for which AEG, itself in desperate
financial straits, had been seeking a buyer since the late 1970s.
Telefunken’s heavy indebtedness, which was largely a consequence
of losses it had incurred in its foreign operations, posed a
formidable obstacle to its disposal, however, and first Thomson,
which had bought AEG’s tube factory, and then Grundig, baulked
at taking it on as long as AEG had not paid off its debts. While talks
on Telefunken’s possible sale to Grundig were still going on in
1982, Grundig’s own financial position was quickly worsening as a
result primarily of its mounting losses in VCR manufacture.

Grundig confessed publicly that if the firm carried on five more
years as it was doing, it would ‘go under like AEG’, which, in
summer 1982, had become insolvent. Grundig intensified his search
for stronger partners, which he had apparently begun by talking
with Siemens in 1981. In late 1982, at the same time as Grundig
and Philips were pressing for curbs on Japanese VCR imports,
Grundig floated the idea of creating, based around Grundig, a
European consumer electronics ‘superfirm’ involving Philips,
Thomson, Bosch, Siemens, SEL, and Telefunken. Most of the
prospective participants in such a venture were unenthusiastic
about Grundig’s plans, however, and the outcome of Grundig’s
search for a partner or partners to secure its survival was that
Thomson offered to buy a 75.5 per cent shareholding in the firm.

Political opinion in West Germany was overwhelmingly, if not
indeed uniformly, hostile to Thomson’s plan to take over Grundig.
The political difficulties which Thomson and Grundig faced in
securing special ministerial permission for their deal were exacer-
bated by the probability of job losses given a rapidly deteriorating
labour market situation, and by the fact that, as late as 1982 and
early 1983, an election campaign was in progress. Moreover, the
Federal Economics Ministry was apparently concerned that, if
Thomson took over Grundig, the West German Government would
have been exposed to the danger of trade policy blackmail from the
French Government, which could then have demanded increased
protection for the European consumer electronics industry as the
price for Thomson not running down employment at Grundig (and
in other West German subsidiaries).

The decisive obstacle to Thomson's taking over Grundig,
however, lay not with the position of the Federal Economics
Ministry (or that of the Government or the FCO or the Deutsche
Bank), but rather in that of Grundig’s minority shareholder,

Philips. Against expectations, the FCO announced that it would
approve the take-over, but only provided that Philips gave up its
shareholding in Grundig and that Grundig also abandoned its plans
to assume control of Telefunken. As talks on Grundig’s plan to take
over Telefunken had already been suspended, the latter condition
posed no problem to Thomson’s taking over Grundig.

Once it had been put on the spot by the FCO's decision, Philips
was forced to leave its cover and declare that it would not withdraw
from Grundig. Apart from its general concern at being confronted
with an equally strong competitor on the European consumer
electronics market, Philips’s motives in thwarting Thomson's take-
over of Grundig were probably twofold. First, Thomson evidently
did not want to commit itself to continue manufacturing VCRs
according to the Philips—-Grundig V2000 technology, but wanted
rather to keep the Japanese (VHS) option open and, according to its
public declarations, to work with Grundig on the development of a
new generation of VCRs. Secondly, Philips was, ahead of Siemens,
Grundig’s biggest components supplier, with annual sales to
Grundig worth several hundred million Deutschmarks. lf Thomson
had taken over Grundig, this trade would have been lost.

A sequel to the failure of Thomson's bid for Grundig was that in
1984, with bank assistance, Philips assumed managerial control of
Grundig. Thus, at the end of this phase of the restructuring
programme of the European consumer electronics industry, two
main groups have emerged, one centred around Philips, the other
around Thomson, and Blaupunkt is the only significant firm in
West Germany left under West German control. But a common
European response (i.e. one involving Philips and Thomson) to the
Japanese challenge of the kind which Max Grundig had envisaged
in 1982 had not come about, and may be less likely given
Thomson’s acquisitions in Britain and the US which make it a much
more powerful competitor to Philips. But the acceleration in
Japanese and also Korean inward investment in Europe in 1986-7,
especially in VCR production where there are now a total of twenty
Far Eastern-owned plants, suggests that the process of restructuring
within Europe is far from complete.

The recent experience of the European consumer electronics
industry points to the critical role of the framework and instruments
of regulation in trying to account for the different responses of the
various national industries and governments to the challenges
posed by growing Japanese competitive strength and technological
leadership. At one extreme is self-regulation by individual firms,
where governments eschew any attempt to determine the responses
which particular firms make to changing market conditions, whilst
adopting policy regimes such as tax and tariff structures and
openness to inward investment which critically affect the conditions
under which self-regulation takes place." At the other extreme is
regulation by government intervention at the level of firm strategy,
where governments seek specific policy outcomes by offering
specific forms of inducement to selected firms and denying them to
others.”

HISTORY OF GRUNDIG IN GERMAN:

1930 gründet der Kaufmann und Radiobastler Max Grundig (1908-1989) den Radio-Vertrieb Fürth, Grundig & Wurzer (RVF), ein Radio-Fachgeschäft mit Werkstatt. Bald fabriziert der Betrieb auch Transformatoren und Spulen, später zudem Prüfgeräte. 1934 zahlt Grundig den Teilhaber und Freund Karl Wurzer aus. 1938 beträgt der Umsatz mehr als 1 Mio. RM. Während des Krieges fabriziert Grundig im Dorf Vach mit etwa 600 Personen, darunter vielen Ukrainerinnen, Kleintrafos, elektrische Zünder und Steuergeräte für die V-Raketen. Das Grundig-Vermögen schätzt man am Kriegsende auf 17,5 Mio. RM

Ab 18. Mai 1945 kann Grundig wieder in Fürth produzieren. Er lässt Transformatoren wickeln, Reparaturen ausführen und stellt kurz darauf das Röhrenprüfgerät «Tubatest» und das Fehler-Suchgerät «Novatest» her. Ab 15.1.46 lässt Grundig den externen Ing. Hans Eckstein, den früheren Konstrukteur bei Lumophon, einen Einkreiser-Baukasten mit späterem Namen «Heinzelmann» entwickeln. Anfang 1946 beschäftigt Grundig ca. 100 Personen. Ab Oktober 1946 läuft die Produktion des «Heinzelmann» und die Firma stellt bis Ende 1946 391 Baukästen her. Die vierseitige Geschichte dazu findet sich in der Zeitschrift «rft» 1991, ab Seite 421. Grundig hat auch 1947 grossen Erfolg, denn ein Baukasten ist ohne Bezugsschein erhältlich. Das erste Modell (A) ist ein Zwei-Röhren-Allstromempfänger mit Wehrmachtsröhren RV12P2000. Die Produktion findet bald mit 120 Mitarbeitern auf 400 qm statt. Anfang 1947 folgt Modell W [634701]. Der Baukasten erreicht 1948 eine Stückzahl von 39'256 [DRM].

Am 15.3.47 beginnt Grundig mit dem Bau eines modernen Fabrikgebäudes auf 8000 qm Fläche. Mitte 1948 kann die Firma den Superhet «Weltklang» anbieten; er findet ebenfalls guten Absatz. 400 Personen arbeiten auf 3000 qm Fläche. Im Juli 1948 benennt Grundig seine Firma in Grundig-Radiowerke GmbH um. Jetzt arbeiten 650 Personen im Betrieb. 1949 kommt als erstes deutsches Nachkriegs-Koffergerät der «Grundig-Boy» auf den Markt. Die Firma bringt eine Neukonstruktion des «Heinzelmann» auf den Markt. Zudem entsteht der Vier-Kreis-Super «Weltklang 268GW». Im Mai 1949 erreicht der Betrieb in der Bizone (eigentlich Trizone!) 20 % Marktanteil [664905]. Die Bizone ist der Zusammenschluss der amerikan. und brit. Besatzungszone von 1947 bis 8.4.49, die sich ab dann durch den Anschluss der frz. Besatzungszone zur Trizone erweitert.

Am 16. Mai 1951 übernimmt Grundig die Lumophon-Werke (ebenfalls in Fürth) für den Betrag von 1,7 Mio. DM. Im gleichen Jahr entstehen erste Grundig-Tonbandgeräte. 1952 beginnt die Produktion von Fernsehgeräten. Das Unternehmen beschäftigt nun 6000 Personen und feiert am 12. Mai 1952 den millionsten Rundfunkempfänger. Die Baureihe von 1952/53 ist erstmals technisch und formal einheitlich gestaltet, wobei Grundig die prinzipielle Form bis 1956/57 beibehält. Ausser Typ 810 mit Flankengleichrichter enthalten alle Geräte einen integrierten FM-Teil mit Ratiodetektor. 1955 bezeichnet sich Grundig als den grössten Tonbandgeräte-Hersteller der Welt. 1956 kauft er das Telefunken-Rundfunkgerätewerk Dachau [639071]. 1959 besteht Grundig aus sieben Werken, zwei Tochtergesellschaften plus einer Neugründung in den USA. 1964 übernimmt Grundig die Tonfunk-Werke, Karlsruhe. 1969 beteiligt sich Grundig mehrheitlich an der Kaiser-Radio in Kenzingen. Max Grundig ist seit 1970 gesundheitlich angeschlagen.

1978 gehören 31 Werke, 9 Niederlassungen mit 20 Filialen und drei Werksvertretungen, 8 Vertriebs- und 200 Exportvertretungen zur Grundig AG. 1979 beschäftigt das Unternehmen 38'000 Personen; der Umsatz liegt bei 3 Mrd. DM. Ein Hauptstandort ist Nürnberg. Grundig muss sich jedoch einer Umstrukturierung unterziehen und Philips erhält 1979 eine Beteiligung von rund 25 %. 1980/81 muss Grundig einen Verlust von 187 Mio. DM hinnehmen. Zusätzlich scheitert das Gerät «VIDEO 2000» finanziell.

Eine detaillierte Firmengeschichte enthält das 1983 erschienene Buch: «Sieben Tage im Leben des Max Grundig» von Egon Fein.

Allerdings lässt sich aus [481, Saba] auch wenig Schmeichelhaftes über das Machtstreben von Max Grundig erfahren.

1984 erhöht Philips die Beteiligung um 7 % und übernimmt die unternehmerische Verantwortung. 1986/87 kann das Unternehmen mit noch 19'500 Mitarbeitern wieder schwarze Zahlen schreiben. 1987/88 beschäftigt Grundig noch 18'700 Personen bei einem Umsatz von

3,2 Mrd. DM, wovon 90 % auf die Unterhaltungselektronik entfallen. In diesem Geschäftsjahr verlassen 2 Mio. Farbfernsehgeräte und 750'000 Videorecorder die Bänder. Max Grundig stirbt im Dezember 1989 [639071] - letztlich hatte er nicht das vierblättrige, sondern das dreiblättrige Kleeblatt als Firmenemblem gewählt.

Philips hat das Unternehmen vollständig übernommen. Mitte 90er Jahre beschäftigt Grundig noch 8000 Personen. Eine detaillierte Firmengeschichte findet sich in «kleeblatt radio» ab 5/93 des Förderverein des Rundfunkmuseums der Stadt Fürth eV.

1998 verkaufte Philips das Unternehmen an ein Konsortium unter Führung von Anton Kathrein von den Kathrein-Werken. Im Jahre 2001 wurde bei einem Umsatz von 1,2 Milliarden Euro ein Verlust von 150 Millionen Euro erwirtschaftet. Daher verlängerten die Banken im Herbst 2002 die Kreditlinien nicht mehr, was zur Insolvenz im April 2003 führte. In der Folgezeit wurden gewinnbringende Sparten (wie z.B. Bürogeräte, Autoradios) aus dem Konzern herausgelöst und einzeln verkauft. Verlustreiche Sparten wurden stillgelegt und die Mitarbeiter entlassen. Heute erhältliche Neuware von Grundig ist kaum noch "made in Germany".

References:

Einzelnachweise:

Stephan Maurer: Ein Jahr nach der Grundig-Insolvenz. In: Stern.de. 27. Juni 2004, abgerufen am 26. Juli 2013.

Alexander Mayer: Grundig und das Wirtschaftswunder. Reihe Arbeitswelten, Sutton-Verlag, Erfurt 2008, ISBN 978-3-86680-305-3, S. 7 f., 11 f.

Alexander Mayer: Grundig und das Wirtschaftswunder. Reihe Arbeitswelten, Sutton-Verlag, Erfurt 2008, ISBN 978-3-86680-305-3, S. 8.

Stephan Maurer: 100 Jahre Max Grundig: Pionier des Wirtschaftswunders. stern.de, 7. Mai 2008, abgerufen am 26. Juli 2013.

Hans Knoll: Ursprünge des Radiobaukastens „Heinzelmann“, S. 14. In: Rundfunk und Museum. Zeitschrift des Rundfunkmuseums der Stadt Fürth, Heft 71, Dezember 2009, S. 9–16.

Alexander Mayer: Grundig und das Wirtschaftswunder. Reihe Arbeitswelten, Sutton-Verlag, Erfurt 2008, ISBN 978-3-86680-305-3, S. 9, 17 ff.

Vgl. z. B. Nürnberger Nachrichten v. 28. September 1951, S. 3: „Fernseh-Uraufführung in Fürth“; der Sender strahlte täglich um 11, 14 u. 16 Uhr einen Spielfilm aus, der in Nürnberg u. Fürth empfangen werden konnte.

Alexander Mayer: Grundig und das Wirtschaftswunder. Reihe Arbeitswelten, Sutton-Verlag, Erfurt 2008, ISBN 978-3-86680-305-3, S. 9, 17 ff.

Alexander Mayer: Grundig und das Wirtschaftswunder. Reihe Arbeitswelten, Sutton-Verlag, Erfurt 2008, ISBN 978-3-86680-305-3, S. 9, 71 ff, 121 ff.

Alexander Mayer: Grundig und das Wirtschaftswunder. Reihe Arbeitswelten, Sutton-Verlag, Erfurt 2008, ISBN 978-3-86680-305-3, S. 9 f.

Aus dem Ruder, In: Der Spiegel 9/1985, abgerufen am 21. September 2015.

Alexander Mayer: Grundig und das Wirtschaftswunder. Reihe Arbeitswelten, Sutton-Verlag, Erfurt 2008, ISBN 978-3-86680-305-3, S. 10.

Grundig meldet Insolvenz an. Computerwoche, 14. April 2003, abgerufen am 26. Juli 2013.

Thiemo Heeg: Grundig ist wieder da. Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, 29. August 2012, abgerufen am 21. November 2013.

Abschied von Nürnberg: Grundig-TV verlässt die Region. In: Nordbayern.de vom 7. April 2016.

Uwe Ritzer: Grundig verabschiedet sich aus Nürnberg In: Süddeutsche Zeitung vom 11. April 2016, S. 33.

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"From Postenligaen to Grundigligaen - The Norwegian American". Na-weekly.com. 16 September 2014. Retrieved 15 January 2018.

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