Where would Samsung, Sony or Apple be without the German ingenuity? Not existent. German engineers did important pioneering work in the early days of communications and radio technology at the beginning of the 20th century. The PAL system and thus color television is primarily associated with one name: Telefunken. When color television was launched in Germany on August 25, 1967 by Federal Chancellor Willy Brandt, Telefunken no longer existed as an independent brand. What happened?
Telefunken rose to prominence during the German Empire. There are turbulent times and the countries around Germany are hostile to each other. At the end of the 19th century, Europe was like a powder keg. A new, fast technology promises the rapid transmission of messages in the event of a war. The so-called spark telegraphy makes it possible. The age of radio has just begun after Heinrich Hertz discovered electromagnetic radiation, the basis for radio or radio waves, in 1886. However, there are no devices yet.
At that time, two electrical companies in particular were driving research in the field of radio technology in Germany. One group around Adolf Slaby and Georg Graf von Arco works for the Allgemeine Elektricitäts-Gesellschaft – AEG for short. Another group conducts research under the direction of Karl Ferdinand Braun at Siemens & Halske. AEG takes care of the radio equipment of the Imperial Navy. Siemens, on the other hand, is one of the pioneers in the field of radio technology for the German Army.
Telefunken is created at the imperial request
The then Kaiser Wilhelm II did not like this situation at all with two large electrical companies. Allegedly at the request of the German Emperor, both companies join forces. Thus, on May 27, 1903, the Society for Wireless Telegraphy Ltd., System Telefunken, was founded in Berlin. The newly founded company chooses the short telegram address “Telefunken” as its trademark.
The importance of radio technology increases in the years that follow. The sinking of the Titanic in 1912 boosted business in the area of marine radio technology. Telefunken is already one of the leading companies here. Unfortunately, Telefunken technology in the field of communications also played an important role in the First World War.
Telefunken develops the first radio and TV sets
After the end of the First World War and the fall of the German Empire, radio technology picked up speed. With the beginning of radio transmission in 1923, the company changed its name to Telefunken, Gesellschaft für WIRELESS TELEGRAPHY. The focus is now on the development of radios. As early as the end of 1923, Telefunken began broadcasting regular radio programs itself. At the same time, Telefunken is researching the first television sets. Telefunken presented the first model at the 1928 radio exhibition in Berlin.
In 1930, a Telefunken engineer developed a process so that TV images arrived flicker-free on the few television sets. The National Socialists later recognized the potential of television. In 1939, the so-called German standard television receiver E 1 also included technology from Telefunken.
Interestingly enough, in 1932 the group founded an offshoot called Telefunken-Platte GmbH, making it one of the largest German companies in the record industry at the time. It continued to exist under the Teldec name from 1950 and was sold to the US media group Time Warner in 1987.
In between lies the dark chapter of the Second World War. During this time, Telefunken was one of the most important companies in the field of radio technology for the German military – on land, at sea and in the air.
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PAL color television system made by Telefunken
After the war, Telefunken concentrates on the production of radios and televisions. To this end, the company is establishing new locations in Ulm and Backnang.
At the beginning of the 1950s, however, Telefunken did not just want to produce televisions. The company thinks big: the development of its own color television system. To this end, the group is setting up its own basic television laboratory. Walter Bruch is in charge. In 1962 the Telefunken electrical engineers made their breakthrough. The PAL system was born, paving the way for color television in Germany.
It will then be another five years before colorful images can be seen on German TV sets. The inventor of German color television, on the other hand, disappeared from the scene almost unnoticed. AEG took over the rights from Telefunken in 1967. The story ends unspectacularly. However, due to the appeal of the name, Telefunken reappears on the scene in the 2010s. Turkish electronics group Vestel has been using the name to sell TVs and home appliances for a while.
Asian countries in particular now play a leading role in the field of electrical engineering. However, it was German engineers and companies like Telefunken who did important pioneering work in the field of radio and radio technology.