Braun (electrical appliances)

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brown

logo
legal form GmbH
founding 1921
Seat Kronberg im Taunus , GermanyGermanyGermany 
management Managing Directors : Bettina Buschhoff, Gabriele Hässig, Franz-Olaf Kallerhoff, Peter Constantin Loebus, Stefan Schamberg, Astrid Teckentrup, Matthias Weber

Chairman of the Supervisory Board : Heinz-Joachim Schultner

Number of employees 3813 (2011/2012)
sales 499 million euros (2011/2012)
Branch Electrical appliances
Website www.braun.de www.braunhousehold.com

The Braun GmbH is an in Kronberg im Taunus based manufacturer of small electrical appliances. The company has become particularly known for its product design , with which it occupies an important place in the history of industrial design and played an international pioneering role.

Braun AG was sold in 1967 to the US company The Gillette Company , which in turn was taken over in 2005 by the US group Procter & Gamble , to which Braun GmbH has belonged ever since.

The company has increasingly focused its business activities on personal care products and offers devices for men's shaving, hair care and removal.

The company was founded in 1921

Pre-war period

Trumpf brand drive belt connectors - the beginning of the company

The company was founded in 1921 in Frankfurt-Bockenheim at Jordanstrasse 12 by the East Prussian engineer Max Braun as an apparatus construction workshop (Max Braun oHG). The first product to be manufactured was a patented drive belt connector called Trumpf . In 1923, Max Braun constructed his first radio receiver , the Trumpf roller detector , so named after its cylindrical detector . The sales success of the roller detector encouraged him to become a member of the Association of the Radio Industry. From around 1925 he produced tube bases and plastic parts for the expanding industry .

In 1926, Max Braun and his workforce moved into their first own factory in Frankfurt am Main, where tube sockets, transformers , capacitors and connectors , among other things, were produced on Kiesstrasse . In 1928 the company moved to a new factory building on Idsteiner Strasse. A power amplifier was built as the first complete device . At the end of the 1920s, Braun took over the radio production of the Carl Sevecke company and thereby became a "building permit holder". Own radio receivers that worked with electron tubes were manufactured from 1933. In 1934, Max Braun designed the company logo with the raised "A" in the name of Braun, which today is still a striking trademark of all Braun products in its modernized form.

The first own radio sets in 1933 were among other things the model "Mozart" and the model "Edelsuper" or in 1934 the "Super 4W". Max Braun was one of the first to combine a radio and a record player in one housing, creating a new kind of music chest, for example the "Phono-Super 637 GW" from 1936. The portable radios produced from 1936 to 1939 , such as the 1936, were a great success The built “BKS 36” or the modern “239 D”, which had a case cover embossed with crocodile skin.

During the Second World War , the company had to take on armaments contracts, and in particular radio devices and radio control devices were manufactured. In 1944, both Frankfurt plants were destroyed by air raids.

reconstruction

Plant II around 1960, seen from Frankenallee

The factories, which were almost completely destroyed during the war, only allowed the production of flashlights and turntable chassis. In 1945 the manufacture of the dynamo flashlights "Manulux" began and in 1947 a modest production of radio sets began again.

Max Braun laid the foundation for the company's subsequent success with the development of the electric dry shaver model "S 50". In 1949 the patent for the foil dry razor developed by Max Braun was granted and production and sales began in 1950. For the German market, the standard packaging was a dark brown Bakelite tin with a transparent lid and a raised logo. Accessories included a razor-colored power cord with a holder, an instruction manual and a cleaning brush. The "S 50" was available in ivory and black, among others. Max Braun also began developing new kitchen machines , in 1950 the “Multimix” kitchen appliance was introduced.

Max Braun's sons, Artur (1925–2013) and Erwin (1921–1992), took on technical and commercial functions in the company in 1950. In addition to the reconstruction of Plant I on Idsteiner Strasse in the Gallus district of Frankfurt , a few hundred meters away, Plant II was moved into in 1951, where there was sufficient space for production lines, development laboratories, workshops, social rooms and a training workshop. In 1954, a branch for the production of electric shavers was opened in Walldürn and has been continuously expanded since then. In 1961 the Marktheidenfeld plant was added (for the production of household appliances) and construction of what would later become the company's headquarters, today's technical headquarters of Braun GmbH, began in Kronberg im Taunus .

The realignment of the company in 1951

Kitchen machine KM 3 from 1957

After the sudden death of 61-year-old Max Braun on November 5, 1951, his sons Artur and Erwin Braun took over the company, with Erwin Braun in particular initiating a new, comprehensive corporate culture , similar to what AEG and Olivetti had tried to do before . Erwin Braun saw the company not only as a business, but also as a cultural project and made friends with like-minded people such as the entrepreneur Philip Rosenthal . In addition to a “balance” of the departments, healthy canteen food and a uniform, rational appearance, the new corporate culture also included a radically changed product range. In 1952, among others, the German graphic artist and advertising specialist Wolfgang Schmittel was hired for the new overall appearance of the company . He had a decisive influence on the then new design concept in the area of ​​communication and revised the company logo designed by Max Braun. In 1953 Fritz Eichler , a comrade from the war with Erwin Braun, was hired to be responsible for the overall design of the company, as was Albrecht Schultz , who was responsible for sales and the "razor items" division and became a member of the board in 1962. Since 1974 he was responsible for the marketing division, the board member Alfred M. Zeien took over the building services division from him. The household and razor product ranges were combined in 1971 in the "home technology product range".

On January 1, 1962, “Max Braun oHG” became “Braun AG”, a stock corporation with DM 12 million share capital. The supervisory board consisted of Artur and Erwin Braun, Fritz Eichler, Werner Greutert, Anneliese Ginkel and Edmund Hubert.

Design - the origin of the brown design

The company's new design concept also provided for a change in the appearance of the product range. This was followed by the design department , later the product design department . Their task was to give the Braun products a new form that should be simple and functional. This laid the foundation for the company's new product design . A decisive role in the emergence of what since the 1980s Braun design is called, had Fritz Eichler as heads of departments forming and advertising design. He also made contact with the Ulm School of Design (HfG-Ulm). Braun awarded them numerous design contracts, most of which were carried out by the lecturer Hans Gugelot . He also applied fundamental design principles such as system and clarity to Braun products. Other early designers included Herbert Hirche and Wilhelm Wagenfeld , both former students of the Bauhaus . In 1955, the interior designer Dieter Rams was hired, who headed the design department from 1961 and was finally put in the foreground by marketing as Mr. Braun , which caused conflicts and even legal disputes and, paradoxically, led all other designers to emphasize their authorship . Until then, all designs were marked as "factory design". In fact, the project of special product design at Braun was always a team effort.

A turning point in the company's history was the appearance of the new entertainment electronics range at the Düsseldorf radio exhibition in 1955. The modular exhibition stand built there was designed by the student Hans G. Conrad and the lecturer for visual communication Otl Aicher , both from the Ulm School of Design, designed and based on the basic idea that the Braun appliances are presented in a modern setting.

The Braun design in the early days was mainly the result of commissioned work that was awarded to the Ulm School of Design or the Thun workshops in Jettingen, for example, and was therefore designed by their employees. During this time, however, there was also a mixture of our own employees and external consultants and designers. This changed at the end of the 1960s and more permanent employees were hired to continue and develop the design of the beginning.

Braun wall clock model ABW 41 "domodisque"
Braun radio alarm clock

First products in a new style

Braun tube radio model "SK 2"

Early pioneering products include the small SK 1 tube radio , the “PK-G” radio / turntable combination, the “  KM 3/32 ” kitchen appliance and the “studio 1” compact device. The reactions to the Spartan style, which was supposed to revolutionize not only the new table radio, but also the entire design of industrial products in terms of “good form”, were sometimes extreme. Max Grundig , a competitor, found that the Braun sons would gamble away their father's inheritance. But by 1960 almost the entire industry had followed suit. Similar to a butler, the devices should always be at your service, but otherwise remain in the background, also linguistically. The new model names mostly consisted of a simple combination of letters and numbers.

The innovations from the field of entertainment electronics, such as the SK 4 radio-record player combination , the portable radio-record player combination "combi" or the T 1000 world receiver , brought the company a considerable boost to its image, but no economic success. This was mainly achieved with razors, flash units or slide projectors. In the course of the company's history, it became clear that of the many Braun products, the “razor product range” was the top-selling item and became the mainstay of the company.

In 1935 a company logo with the raised "A" was created, which Wolfgang Schmittel brought into the world-famous shape with exact quadrant arcs in 1952. This shape was initially retained after the takeover by the Gillette Company in 1967, but changed to the current rounded shape in the 1990s.

The sale in 1967

The Gillette Company takes over Braun

Technical headquarters of Braun in Kronberg

Due to the great success of the Braun electric razor, the Gillette Company became aware of the company in 1966 . The American company was active in the field of wet shaving and saw the Braun razors as an ideal complement to enter the dry shave market. Therefore, the Gillette Company made Artur and Erwin Braun, the two main shareholders, a takeover offer in 1967, which was accepted in early December 1967. The 18 million ordinary shares and 4.5 million preference shares held by the Braun main shareholders went to the Gillette Company, in return the main shareholders received Gillette shares and cash amounts totaling approximately 200 million DM. On December 19, 1967, the Gillette Company received the majority of shares in Braun AG.

Artur and Erwin Braun decided to sell Braun AG in order to ensure the company's growth and to continue to exist in the market. Braun AG had significant market shares in Germany and Europe, but not worldwide. Since they did not have the financial means to expand, they only saw the possibility of selling to the Gillette Company, which should better establish Braun products on the world market. Maxon Motor AG , founded in Switzerland in 1961 , remained family-owned. This manufactured electroplated shaving foils for the Braun razors and later mainly electric motors. The company name Maxon alludes to the founder of the company as a short form of Max-Sohn .

Braun after 1970

The product range of Braun GmbH includes electric shavers, body groomers , beard trimmers, epilators & lady shavers , hand blenders and hair care devices (as of 2013). Braun is the world market leader in the field of foil razors, epilators and hand blenders.

Article area photo

Up to 1970 the flash units belonged to the "Electronics article area", but were assigned to the "Photo article area" after the reorganization of the company. Up to 1970, flash units were produced by Braun Electronic GmbH in Waldkirch, a 100 percent subsidiary of Braun AG. In 1971 Braun took over the production itself; "Braun Electronic GmbH" took over the sales of the measuring and control devices. The production of flash units was relocated to the Munich-Allach plant, where film cameras and projectors have been produced since 1969. The board member Ernst Krull was responsible for the area from 1962 to 1971 and was also managing director of Niezoldi & Krämer GmbH . On January 1, 1972, he became technical director at Minox . Then board member Gotthard Mahlich took over the area until 1974, followed by Gösta Widtskiöld.

1980 Niezoldi & Krämer GmbH and the Braun flash unit production were sold to Eugen Bauer GmbH in Stuttgart, a subsidiary of Robert Bosch GmbH . The photo article area was completely sold in 1980.

Electronics article area

In May 1990 it was decided to discontinue the consumer electronics business, the "electronics article area" was dissolved. From 1962 to 1970, board member Karl Buresch was responsible for the technology division and for the electronics product division, after which board member Gotthard Mahlich took over the division.

Since the end of 2011, Braun alarm clocks and wristwatches have been licensed by Zeon Ltd. expelled in London.

Home technology article area

The household and razor product ranges were combined in the building technology product range in 1971 . In April 2012, the Italian electrical appliance manufacturer De'Longhi acquired the rights to use the brand and the associated patents for small “Braun household appliances” from Procter & Gamble. The production of razors, epilators and hair care products remains with Procter & Gamble.

The end of Braun HiFi

In 1981, the consumer electronics division was spun off from Braun AG and transferred to "Braun Elektronic GmbH" (BEL) in Kronberg, whose shareholders were the Gillette Company and the American company "Analog & Digital Systems Incorporation". Analog & Digital Systems was an importer and exporter of entertainment electronics, but also developed its own hi-fi products, such as car hi-fi systems. It had been a licensee for Braun loudspeakers since 1974 and in 1975 introduced the “ADS” brand to the American market. The company's founder, Godehard Günther , became the managing partner of “BEL”. The range included car hi-fi components such as loudspeakers and amplifiers (power amplifiers); the Braun Atelier series and Braun loudspeaker boxes. The products were sold with the Braun logo in Germany from 1981 to around 1987.

"Braun Elektronic GmbH" was dissolved on September 22, 1987 and then continued to operate with its headquarters in Kronberg and the same shareholders under the name "a / d / s / Analog and Digital Systems GmbH", since the license agreement with Braun AG expired was. At the radio exhibition in 1989, the new products from the atelier series were not presented under the Braun brand, but the a / d / s / brand, but with the reference to "Design by Braun".

In 1989, the Gillette Company bought back the shares from Godehard Günther , making "a / d / s / Analog and Digital Systems GmbH" a 100% subsidiary of the Gillette Company. Ernst Ortmann became the new managing director and the products were again marketed under the Braun brand. In May 1990 it was decided to discontinue the consumer electronics business. In March 1991 the "a / d / s / Analog and Digital Systems GmbH" was dissolved, which ended the era of Braun design for audio and phono equipment.

From 1981 to 1990 the commercial success of the entertainment electronics products did not materialize, which was due on the one hand to the fact that only a certain group of customers was willing to pay the required price for the design and concept of the Braun devices, and on the other hand because the Atelier Devices could hardly be combined with other hi-fi products. Most of the devices were sold on the German market and were difficult to sell on foreign markets. As sales continued to decline, the end of consumer electronics production was announced in 1990 with full-page advertisements in specialist magazines. Braun invested 2.5 million DM in an advertising campaign for a “Last Edition” under the name Braun Atelier .

The British radio manufacturer Pure Smart Home has been producing and selling loudspeakers in the classic Braun design under license since the end of 2019 .

The product areas

Household items

The household and razor product ranges were combined in the building technology product range in 1971 .

domestic appliances

Juicer with cylindrical centrifuge
model "Multipress MP 31"

Since the 1950s, household appliances have been generating part of the company's profits, while entertainment appliances have been a losing proposition from a business perspective. Nonetheless, they continued to do so until 1991, as they had the largest share in the spread of the Braun design. The household appliances were also designed by the product design department, where they received timeless Braun designs.

Food processors
Max Braun designed the Multimix kitchen appliance series as early as 1950, which consisted of a stand mixer and a food processor . Gerd Albrecht Müller designed the Multimix M 2 stand mixer and the Multipress MP 2 juicer, both made of red Bakelite , in 1952 . It was not until 1958 that a new Braun stand mixer followed, the Multimixer MX 3/31. In 1960 the first hand mixer from Braun appeared, the "M 1", which was also one of the first on the German market. The Braun design is primarily reflected in the " KM 3 kitchen machine " (KM 3/31) from 1957; this machine, designed by Gerd Alfred Müller, was produced in almost unchanged form until 1991.
water heater
In 1961 the express cooker ( kettle ) "HE 1" designed by Reinhold Weiss appeared . The pot is made of brass, which is chrome-plated on the outside and tin-plated on the inside. The temperature is kept constant by a thermostat via the settings Baby to Cooking on a black scale. Until 1985, the HE 1 was the only kettle that Braun had in its range.

Household technology

Cosmetic devices
The Braun cosmetic device "Smoothy" was a new type of electric massage device for facial care in 1955 . This white plastic massager uses infrared, vibration and contact heat. The "Smoothy" was sold in a red travel case made of real leather with a separate power supply for 44.50 DM.
Fan heater
The " H 1 heater ", designed by Dieter Rams in 1959, was a technical innovation at the time because this small and compact device had an output of 2000 watts. It is only 9 cm high, 27.5 cm wide and 13.6 cm deep and has been equipped with a tangential fan.
In 1982 the last of a total of seven fan heater models from Braun appeared, the "H 10" model.
Flashlights
As early as 1947, Max Braun was producing the dynamo flashlights “Manulux”, in 1964 Hans Gugelot and Hans Sukopp Braun resorted to the handheld dynamo lamp and designed the “Manulux DT 1”. It has a large reflector with a diameter of 5 cm and contains an eight-pole high-performance dynamo that is driven by an aluminum bracket. The aluminum bracket can be retracted and locked. Replaceable filter attachments in different colors were available as accessories for the olive-colored flashlight. In 1970 the last Manulux flashlight, the “Manulux NC”, was released, a 70 gram rechargeable flashlight in a black plastic housing, designed by Reinhold Weiss and Dieter Rams. As early as 1964, Hans Gugelot designed a flashlight in the shape of a discus , the "Discus" model. This circular flashlight has a diameter of about 6.5 cm and a height of about 3 cm. It was available in black, yellow and red. Braun did not include the battery flashlight in its range until 1970.
dishwasher
In 1961 Braun offered the dishwashers "HGS 10" and "HGS 20". However, they were not Braun's own products; they were sold in Germany under an American license. Of these devices manufactured by the American Ling Temco Vought Group , one in three of the first 2000 machines produced rusted. The front door crockery machine had dimensions of 76 cm × 46 cm × 43 cm, a weight of about 35 kg, and was also suitable for wall mounting.

Article area razors

Braun S 50 with storage box, cable and protective cap.
Sixtant SM 31, 1962.

Since Max Braun had developed the “S 50” electric shaver and was able to market it successfully worldwide, the razor product area has played an important role in the company. In 1965, the razors were particularly involved in the company's increase in sales. In Germany, Braun razors had the largest market share this year, and the shares could also be increased abroad. As a board member, Albrecht Schultz was responsible for the razor product area, which was the company's most profitable, until 1974.

The “S 50” electric dry shaver was the first series-produced electric shaver from Braun; it already worked with a swinging cutter head under a galvanically produced shaving foil that was unbuttoned on plastic spring elements; the cutter head was moved by an electromagnetic oscillating armature with the mains frequency . The S 50 razor presented in 1950 was designed by Artur Braun, son of Max Braun, and had a dark brown Bakelite tin with a transparent lid as standard packaging. The breakthrough came in 1962 with the Sixtant SM 31 model.

Up until the introduction of the combined mains-battery models, so-called mains razors were always available with this oscillating armature. In addition, battery models with DC motors were already being produced in the 1960s . From the 1980s, mainly combination models (mains / battery) with such motors are produced for mains operation. The principle - with both a resilient shaving foil and a resiliently mounted knife block - has been retained to this day, with the exception of rod razors.

Article area photo

35mm slide projector with Rodenstock lens
model "D40"

Flash units

Erwin Braun and Gerhard Lander developed the first electronic flash in the Hobby series as early as 1952 , the "hobby de Luxe", but it did not appear on the market until 1953. In 1956 the second model followed, the "hobby standard". This handheld flash unit was the first Braun flash unit with a sturdy plastic housing and was quite inexpensive compared to other electronic flash units available at the time. The power supply is 220 volts AC or three mono-cells , for battery operation is an electromechanical Kako- chopper used. The pearl reflector can be rotated by 180 °, which switches from normal to wide-angle illumination.

The hobby flash unit series was designed by Dieter Rams from 1958 , the new series begins with the “EF1” model, hobby standard , followed by the “EF2 / NC” model, hobby special , both in light gray. The production of flash units ended in 1989 with the model "SCA1", vario control . All models in the Vario series were designed by Robert Oberheim, who had previously designed numerous slide projectors, Nizo film cameras, film projectors and film accessories for Braun.

Slide projectors

35mm slide projectors were an important commercial pillar of the company . The D-series (D20, D25, D35, D40, D46) with cable remote control and fold-out magazine holder (design: Dieter Rams ) deserves special mention . The projection lenses were not manufactured in-house, but obtained from companies such as Wilhelm Will (Wetzlar) (“Maginon”) or Rodenstock (“Splendar”).

Film cameras

See: Braun Nizo

Electronics article area

Flash units
Up to 1970 the flash units belonged to the electronics article area, but were then assigned to the photo article area.

Music chests / music cabinets

Music
cabinet from 1958 model "HM 6-81"
Music chest "PK-G5", 1957/1958

The appearance of the Braun music cabinets was primarily shaped by Herbert Hirche , the Stuttgart Academy of Fine Arts, Hans Gugelot , the Thun workshops and the Krefeld art school. The Braun music cabinets designed by Herbert Hirche were among the top Braun products. Among other things, they were part of the furnishing of the model apartments at the Berlin Interbau from 1957, but also of the jazz cellar in Frankfurt .

In the 1960s, the change from design furniture to design-oriented device took place, so Braun also left the clay furniture sector. The cases veneered in maple, rosewood or walnut have been replaced over the years by compact aluminum cases and later plastic cases.

HM 6
In 1957 Herbert Hirche designed the music cabinet "HM 6", it consists of the tube radio "RC 62", 1958 of the stereo tube radio "RC 7" or "RC 8" and the Telefunken record changer "TW 501 Ron 2". The housing made of teak or natural walnut has a matching wooden base and no steel frame. The stereo amplifier has an output of 2 × 6 watts, the receiver is designed for the wave ranges long wave, medium wave, short wave and VHF. It is equipped with two concert speakers and one mid-high speaker. In 1958 the "HM 6-81" cost 1,030 DM.
PK-G
In 1955, Hans Gugelot designed the “PK-G” music cabinet, which consists of a wooden case made of maple and is equipped with the “RC 60” tube radio chassis and a “PC 3” record player, as well as the “PK-G2”, such as the PK- G, which has a large record cabinet in the lower part. The turntable is protected from dust by a sliding glass plate. 1956 followed the "PK-G3" with RC61, the "PK-G4", 1960 the "PK-G5" and 1961 the last model of the "PK-G51", a stereo combination with RC 82B.

Radio-phono combinations

A combination of radio and record player, model " Phonosuper SK 61 "
from 1962
Phonosuper SK 4
The "Phonosuper SK 4" from 1956 consists of a tube radio and a record player in a fully enclosed metal and wood housing with an acrylic glass cover , which is why it is known colloquially as the "Snow White's coffin". This radio-phono combination was designed by Hans Gugelot and Dieter Rams .
PK 1
The "PK 1" model was designed by the Thun workshops in Jettingen for Braun and appeared in 1956. The walnut case was kept in the so-called "workshop style". The radio-phono combination consists of the radio chassis RC 60, the turntable PC3 and has three loudspeakers. Possible type designations are: RC60, RC61, RC55UK or RC56AUK.
combi
The radio-phono combination "combi" designed by Wilhelm Wagenfeld is part of the suitcase receiver and therefore has the option of battery or mains operation. The housing made of shockproof plastic in light gray tones had red buttons and weighs only 4.4 kg. When the device was presented by Braun in 1955, it was particularly characterized by its unusual design. The tubular box receiver cost 223 DM without batteries. It has a receiver for medium wave and long wave and a built-in ferrite rod antenna. The turntable with a special motor is designed for 17 cm long-playing records with 45 revolutions per minute. What was special was that the device has a removable shoulder strap, a holder for six 17 cm records in the lid, an automatic economy circuit for phono operation and an automatic pushbutton.

Compact devices (control devices)

Scale and keys of the radio-record player combination "Studio 1" from 1958
Studio 1
The design of the compact device “Studio 1” by Hans Gugelot and Herbert Lindinger lasted from 1956 to 1957 and series production began in January 1958. The mono control unit (radio chassis 62/5) and the four-speed record player “PC 3” designed by Wilhelm Wagenfeld were Integrated in a 610 mm wide, 235 mm deep and 300 mm high housing made of gray polyester . Since “Studio 1” did not have its own loudspeaker, it was only offered together with the Braun loudspeaker “L3” designed by Gerhard Lander. This combination of compact device and loudspeaker almost fulfilled hi-fi quality. Braun also presented “Studio 1” in April 1958 at the world exhibition in Brussels in the German library. At the beginning of 1958 this system was offered for DM 1080, and in January 1959 the sales price of both parts fell to DM 960.
The radio chassis contains a newly developed low-frequency part that contains the electron tubes EC80, ECC83, 2 × EL84 and the rectifier SSF B300C130. Its frequency range is 20 to 50,000 Hz ± 2dB. The control range for highs and lows has been expanded and the power amplifier delivers around 15 watts of music power. The tube radio has a long wave, medium wave, short wave and VHF reception range as well as the four operating modes radio, phono, tape and reserve, which can be selected via push buttons.
The record player chassis, a four-speed Braun PC3, has a crystal scanning system with a frequency range from 30 to 18,000 hearts. A two-stage noise filter can be switched on during operation, as well as a pre-equalizer that adjusts to the various cutting characteristics of the records.
The Braun loudspeaker "L3", a two-way loudspeaker system with 15 watts of power consisting of a 300 mm bass-midrange driver and four dynamic tweeters, was developed by Gerhard Lander in a long series of tests. The case, a kind of sideboard , made of walnut veneer with a steel frame and a white formica veneer top has the external dimensions of 1000 mm wide, 710 mm high and 480 mm deep and weighs around 40 kg. The inside was lined with low-noise material and right angles were largely avoided in order to prevent resonance points from standing waves. The four 100 mm tweeters are mounted as compartments below the formica plate in order to enlarge the radiation angle. Due to the 30 cm loudspeaker mounted in the front and a right-angled trapezoidal opening on the right side, the L3 has a kind of bass reflex housing .
studio
Dieter Rams designed the first “Atelier” model in 1957, the compact device made of black and white metal had no built-in loudspeaker and was still a mono tube radio with a “PC 3” turntable. As early as 1958, one of the first Braun stereo devices appeared with the “Atelier 1” control device. With the radio chassis “RC7” and the stereo record player “PC 3SV”. The studio could be supplemented with the Braun loudspeaker box "L 1".
TC 20
The flat compact system "TC 20" appeared in 1963, the housing is made of metal and plastic and has a cover made of Plexiglas. Dieter Rams designed this transistor device in the colors graphite and white. The "TC 20" is a stereo device for playing stereo records, but can only play stereo broadcasts after installing the TD 20 adapter. The "P2" turntable chassis, which was new at that time, was installed, with an adjustable counterweight and a "Elac KST107" scanning system. The control unit receives VHF, medium and long wave and has separate controls for highs and lows as well as a balance control.

Table radios

SK 1
The SK 1 or Kleinsuper SK 1 is a tube radio that was developed by Fritz Eichler and Arthur Braun.
TS-G
Was available in natural maple or walnut. Designed in 1955 by Hans Gugelot.
G 11
The tube radio G 11 was designed by Hans Gugelot in 1955 and has a metal shutter on the front above the radio dial, the housing is maple and the radio chassis RC60 was used. In 1955 the table radio cost 310 DM. The tube radio "G 11" and the record player "G 12", both in maple, were the first components of an add-on series. In 1956 the Braun television set "FS-G" followed suiting these devices.
TS 1
Was available in natural walnut or elm. Designed by the Thun workshops, 1955.
RT 20
Was available with a white metal front, beech veneer housing or graphite-colored front with a pear wood veneer. Published in 1961, designed by Dieter Rams.

HiFi devices

In 1962, Braun started its high-fidelity program and explained in a well-designed brochure what the “stereo” and the “hi-fi” are all about. As early as 1962, the gradual transition from electric tube technology to transistor technology and the conversion from wood and metal components to plastic parts took place. With these changes, a new chapter began in the history of Braun consumer electronics. So not only the technology changed, but also the design. Radio-phono combinations disappeared, compact devices became compact systems and stand-alone devices became the standard. (Note: Phono devices include turntables , tape recorders or cassette decks , among others )

Studio 2
In 1959, a hi-fi stereo system consisting of individual components was brought onto the market under the name “studio 2”. The individual audio devices were still based on tube technology and were classified by Braun in the hi-fi range. This product line consists of the "CS 11" model, a control unit with a record player, the "CV 11" tube amplifier and the "CE 11" radio receiver. Other models in 1961 were the tube amplifiers "CSV 13" and "CSV 60", the turntables "PCS 4", "PCS 5" and "PC 5" as well as the tube radio receiver "CET 16", which was powered by the amplifiers CSV 13 and CSV 60 was powered. In 1962 the record player "PCS 45" followed and in 1965 the first hi-fi stereo tape recorder, the "TG 60". The “L 40”, “L 45”, “L 60” loudspeaker boxes and the “LE 1” loudspeaker unit were offered to match.
Audio series
In 1962 the first model from the audio series, the "audio 1", was the first Braun compact hi-fi system to use transistor technology. This stereo system consists of the control unit (receiver) “TC 40” and the record player “PC 45” and has no built-in loudspeaker, the price at the time was 1,090.00 DM. In 1964, the “audio 2”, consisting of the control unit “TS 45” and the record player “PS 400”, both in a chassis with a plexiglass cover. The compact system was presented to specialist dealers by Braun in 1965 under the name HiFi control unit audio 2 . In 1968, its successor was the "audio 250" model.
The control device "TS 40" and "TS 45", hence the receiver from the compact device "audio 1" or "audio 2", was also offered as a single component and can be used with the loudspeakers "L 450", the tape recorder "TG 60" , the “PS 400” turntable and the “FS 600” television set can be added to form a complete hi-fi stereo system. The components "TS 45", "TG 60" and "L 450" are also intended for wall mounting.
Braun compact system: model audio 310 (1971)
The Braun “audio” models
model Type Record player Publishing year
audio 1 M TC40 PC45 1962
audio 1 TC40 PC45 1963
audio 2 TC45 PS400 1964
audio 2 TC45 / 1 PS400 1965
audio 2 TC45 / 2 PS400 1966
audio 2 TC45 / 3 PS410 1967
audio 250 TC45 / 4 PS410 1968
audio 300 PS410 1969
audio 308 PS350 1973, 8 ° inclination
audio 308S PS450 1975
audio 310 PS430 1971
audio 400 PS450 1973
audio 400S PS450 1975
cockpit series
In 1970 the new compact system series “cockpit” appears. Braun uses new materials and processing techniques for this in order to reduce production costs. The new design of the plastic housing and the low price should now appeal to a young consumer group.
In 1970 only two models were offered for the time being: "cockpit 250S", turntable with speeds 33 and 45 and a radio receiver for VHF, medium wave (MW) and long wave (LW) and the "Cockpit 250SK" with record player and radio receiver for VHF, MW and short wave (KW) instead of long wave. These models were available in black / light gray or black / red.
In 1971 the "cockpit 250W" appears, like the 250S but with a turntable, speeds 16, 33, 45 and 78, which can be operated as an automatic player, permanent player or changer. As well as the "cockpit 250WK", like the cockpit 250W but with a shortwave receiver.
In 1972 the last two models in the cockpit series appeared: the improved "cockpit 260S" and the "cockpit 260SK", both with the Braun P250X turntable.
Audio system
In 1977 the compact systems "Audio-System C4000", "Audio-System P4000", "Audio-System PC4000" appeared.
CSV and CE
In 1963, Braun launched the first transistor amplifier as a single component, the "CSV 10" model, thereby introducing a new generation of hi-fi stereo amplifiers, but also switching from classic control devices or radio-phono combinations to individual modules and compact systems . Other hi-fi components based on transistor technology were the stereo amplifier "CSV 250" from 1966 and the "CSV 300" model from 1970. New radio receivers (tuners) in transistor technology were also offered as individual components; in 1966 the "CE 500" model appeared "And 1967 the tuner" CE 250 ".
Studio 1000
Control of the TG 1000
The new Braun HiFi product line was introduced in 1965 under the name “Studio 1000”, which consists of the components “CE 1000” radio receiver, “CSV 1000” amplifier, “PS 1000” record player and “L 1000” loudspeaker; it can be supplemented by the “TG 1000” tape recorder and the “ T 1000 ” world receiver . In 1970 production was stopped. The components of the so-called System 1000 were the only top products from Braun on the hi-fi market at that time, but no successor system was developed, which led to a loss of market share in the entertainment sector.
The turntable "PS 1000" was a very complex sub-chassis construction, the inner housing (sub-chassis), which is movably built into the outer housing by means of springs or rubber dampers, supports the turntable with bearings and the tonearm. As with professional recording studio equipment, the heavy belt-driven turntable is braked when it is switched off. The 10-inch tonearm is reminiscent of the products of the leading English supplier SME and was equipped with an anti-skating device in 1969. The price was DM 1,200.00 (1967)
The "PS 500" with a 9-inch tonearm appeared around the same time, although it no longer had certain refinements from its big brother. It was offered at a much lower price, although the suspension of the sub-chassis now received highly effective hydraulic damping. The "TG 1000" tape recorder , which was available in a two-track and a four-track version, had a 3-motor drive, push-button operation for the relays, photoelectric tape tension control and butterfly tape heads. In 1971 the tape recorder development team moved from Braun to ASC Electronic-Autenrieth KG, whereupon the production of the "TG 1000" went to the Uher company in Munich for a short time .
Direction series
Studio 250
In 1969 Braun offered the amplifier “CSV 250/1” and the tuner “CE 251” under the name “Studio 250”. The range also included the "PS 420" and "PS 600" turntables.
Studio 500
In 1969, the “Studio 500” included the tuner “CE 501”, the turntable “PS 500” and the amplifier “CSV 500”, this has channel-separated tone controls and a continuously adjustable aurally accurate volume control (loudness).
Studio 1020 - Quadrofonie
The 1972 brought out product line "Studio 1020" led to strong interest from specialist dealers as well as end users, as the building blocks of this system for four-channel reproduction by the quadraphonic process CD4 (discrete quadraphonic) or SQ (matrix quadraphonic) is designed.
The "PSQ 500" turntable with the "CD-4 demodulator" is intended for playing CD-4 records. This combination makes it possible to reproduce discrete or real quadrofonies .
The SQ decoder in the “CSQ 1020” makes it possible to play back quadrofonic recordings on so-called “quadruple records”, which are based on the SQ system. The SQ system is part of the technical process of matrix quadrofonics , but was also marketed by Braun as real quadrofonies.
The audio components of the "Studio 1020":
  • Tuner preamplifier "CES 1020"
  • Tuner "CE 1020"
  • Quadro preamplifier "CSQ 1020" with SQ decoder
  • "CD-4 Quadro Demodulator"
  • Turntable "PSQ 500"
  • Active loudspeaker "LV 720" or "LV 1020"
  • Quadro cable remote control "QF 1020"
Studio system
The “Studio System” is a product line that appeared in 1978 and was in line with the trend towards super-flat hi-fi components at the time; it is also known as “studio integral”.
The studio system with three integral components consists of the RA 1 receiver (RA 1 analog), RS 1 receiver (RS 1 synthesizer) and the "PC1 integral", a cassette deck with a turntable. Whereby the receiver RA 1 is a combination of the tuner “T 301” and the amplifier “A 301”. In 1979 the "PC1A integral" followed.
Studio line
The 1979 model series consisted of individual hi-fi components such as amplifiers, record players, radio receivers and cassette recorders. This device series, Studio 301, 501 and 701, is also known as the slimline series. The model series called “Studio 301” consists of the amplifier A 301, the cassette deck “C 301” and the tuner “T 301”. The “Studio 501” from “A 501”, “T 501” (TS 501 from 1980) and “P 501”.
Atelier line
The Braun Atelier series designed or designed by Dieter Rams, not to be confused with the compact device model “Atelier”, was presented for the first time in 1979 and is a hi-fi system with the simple design typical of the time and consisting of individual elements. In 1990 production was stopped and the last edition of the device series was released. A comparable device concept was continued by the NAD company in the following years. As is common practice with Braun, NAD also used colored design elements (control buttons), preferably in green, to set accents and unique selling points.
speaker
In addition to the Braun LE 1 electrostatic loudspeaker , a license replica of the English company Quad in Rams design, a whole range of conventional loudspeaker boxes with dynamic loudspeakers has been developed. Because of the only 500 licenses purchased, only 500 pairs of loudspeakers could be produced from the Braun LE 1 panel heater.
With each new speaker unit, it was possible to get more bass out of smaller boxes. A big step forward was the introduction of the dome tweeters and mid-range speakers, which made it affordable to develop loudspeaker boxes with a fairly linear frequency. These dome speakers were then built into all Braun boxes and led to a new sound. Other manufacturers such as Heco , Canton and Acron followed this trend, which led to the so-called “Taunussound”, with powerful bass and clean highs.

Pictures - audio and phono devices from Braun

New Products

Brown calculator

In 1962, Braun intensified its activities for the introduction of new products, the company wanted to expand its product range and expand the existing range in all four article areas. A separate department was introduced for this purpose, the task of which was to show the management board new development potential and to initiate the necessary measures to integrate new products into the existing processes. Not only related products, but also completely new products such as fan heaters, dishwashers, wall clocks or an electrostatic air filter (Air-Control) have been added to the range. Board member Hagen Gross, who was also responsible for the “household items” division until 1967, was responsible for the “New Products” division.

Lighters

Table lighter

Table lighter T3

A new Braun product in 1966 was the TFG 1 permanent table lighter , which was not only sold in Germany but also in other European countries. The electromagnetically ignited table lighter "permanent" was designed by Reinhold Weiss and established a new product line in the Braun range. The TFG 1 (table lighter gas) is a 7.5 cm × 3.3 cm × 11.5 cm small table lighter made of stainless steel with leather cover on the side panels.

In 1969 the second Braun table lighter appeared, the TFG 2, T2 "Cylindric". The table lighter in round shape with magnetic or piezo ignition is 8.6 cm high and has a diameter of 5.4 cm. In 1968, Braun AG applied for a patent for this. The developers were Claus Christian Cobarg, H.Schindler and Dieter Rams.

Other table lighters were the “T3” models from 1970, the T4 “Studio” from 1974, the “domino” from 1976 and the “domino set”, a table lighter with three ashtrays. The "domino" was the successor to the T3 and was produced, among other things, in the new Braun plant in Carlow, Ireland, which was built in 1975.

The "energetic" table lighter from Braun is not only the company's rarest lighter, but also the most technically innovative. The round table lighter with solar cells on the top, produced in 1974 in a small series of around 25 pieces, is a model variant of the "Cylindric".

Pocket lighter

On May 1, 1971, Braun AG acquired the company Gebrüder Köllisch AG from Nuremberg with the brand “Consul”, a manufacturer of cosmetic packaging materials and lighters that were marketed under the name Consul from 1952 onwards. The Köllisch Brothers AG became the independent company "Consul GmbH", part of the Braun Group.

The first electromagnetic pocket lighter F1 “Mactron” (MKF) was launched as early as 1971 and produced by Consul GmbH. The inventors were Gerhard Steueragel, Claus Christian Cobarg and Dieter Rams. The metallic housing with two black contact surfaces on the side with a nub structure has the dimensions 70 mm × 33 mm × 14 mm. The refill nozzle is on the side of the lighter and not on the underside, as is usually the case. In 1971 the fully automatic pocket lighter “mach 2” was also launched, designed by Dieter Rams and Florian Seiffert. It has a piezo ignition and a stainless steel housing.

Other gas lighters with piezo ignition were the "electric" from 1972, the "weekend" and "centric" from 1974, the "dino" from 1975, however, with a friction wheel. The "linear" from 1976 is identical to the F1, but has a piezo ignition and the refill nozzle is located on the bottom of the lighter. In 1976 the “duo” appeared, in 1977 the “contour” and in 1980 the “Dymatic”.

Lectron

Exemplary structure of the electronics experiment system "Lectron"

At the end of 1967 Braun took over the “Egger Lectron” electronics experiment system from Egger-Bahn GmbH in Munich and offered it in a new look under the name “Braun Lectron”. With this unusual product, Erwin Braun and the then sales director Georg Hohm wanted to introduce children and young people to the “Braun” brand. After the takeover, the experiment kits as well as the packaging and instruction books were adapted by Dieter Rams to Braun's design at the time. The range of such boxes was greatly expanded in the following years and also tailored to special fields.

The complex processing of the components corresponded to the high price of the system, so that it was hardly used in private households. For schools and training centers, however, the ease of use and the ability to read the circuit diagram directly from the adjacent modules was a great advantage. During this time, among other things, the “ Book Laboratory” Was ist Elektronik (Most Beautiful German Youth Book 1969) and an expansion kit “Computer Technology” were brought onto the market. The Lectron book laboratory consisted of an instruction book with illustrations by the draftsman Jules Stauber for the purpose of visual comprehension of the experiments and an associated construction kit.

All elements and boxes (without manuals and cardboard) were produced for all licensees at Deutsche Lectron GmbH in Munich until 1972. In 1972, Braun's Lectron department was outsourced to an independent company, Lectron GmbH, under the direction of Braun engineer Manfred Walter, which also took over production from Deutsche Lectron GmbH and relocated it to Frankfurt. The product name was now Lectron .

Braun Nizo

Super 8 film camera
model "Braun Nizo 800"

Like other radio equipment manufacturers, Braun manufactured electronic flash units and the Hobby model appeared as early as 1952. So it made sense to expand the photo equipment sector with the purchase of the Munich-based company “Niezoldi & Krämer” (founded in 1925) in 1962. Niezoldi & Krämer produced high-quality cine-film cameras, which were, however, made entirely by hand, which led to the bankruptcy of the company. Thus, the Braun AG main shareholder and the company Niezoldi & Krämer GmbH as a subsidiary were integrated into the Braun Group, whereby the “Nizo” brand was retained.

With the takeover, the design team with Dieter Rams as chief designer, Richard Fischer and Robert Oberheim also had the opportunity to give the Nizo cameras an unmistakable appearance, which was noticeable in 1963 on the “Nizo FA3” model. The introduction of the Super 8 film cassette developed by Kodak in 1965 determined the development of the Nizo film cameras. From 1966 onwards, sales increased for the first time thanks to the Super 8 cameras.

However, the Braun Nizo cameras, which were only produced in small numbers, only had a significant market share in the Super 8 upper class segment. The Super 8 camera market stagnated as early as 1976 and sales slumped. 1980 Niezoldi & Krämer GmbH and the Braun flash unit production are sold to Eugen Bauer GmbH in Stuttgart, a subsidiary of Robert Bosch GmbH . Bosch-Bauer was the market leader in Germany for Super 8 film cameras and film projectors. In the same year, the last Nizo Super 8 cameras appeared. They belonged to the Integral series, which was characterized by a fully electronic control.

In 1982 production was stopped, the plant in Munich was closed and around 500 employees were laid off.

An overview lists a total of 64 different models, whose production periods range from 1965 to 1985. Different names have been used, starting with S8, S1, S36, S480 and ending with model names such as “Nizo Professional” (type: 800P) or “Nizo Spezial 136”. Cameras with sound recording were initially provided with four digits with the addition “Sound” (Nizo 2056 sound), the last model series “Integral” was only supplemented with numbers.

Awards and exhibitions (selection)

  • 1957: Gran Premio Prize for the entire program, XI. Triennale, Milan; Prize at the Interbau in Berlin
  • 1958: The New York Museum of Modern Art takes Braun appliances in its permanent collection, and there are 16 cameras at the World Exhibition in Brussels as outstanding examples of German production showcased
  • 1960: Gran Premio Prize for the entire program, XII. Triennial, Milan
  • 1962: Compasso d'Oro award in Milan
  • 1963: an exhibition at the Louvre in Paris
  • 1964: an exhibition at documenta 3 , Kassel and the gold medal for audio 1 (compact stereo system) at XIII. Triennial, Milan
  • 1965: a traveling exhibition of the entire program in Tokyo
  • 1967: Exhibition at the World's Fair, Montreal
  • 1968: Exhibition at Interbytmash, Moscow - Braun booth, for its exemplary design
  • 1968: Exhibitions at the Yugoslav Biennale in Ljubljana. Gold medal for the Braun Lectron
  • 1969: The Musée des Arts décoratifs (Paris) shows Braun design
  • 1974: Awards for audio 400 (compact stereo system), regie 308 (receiver), L 308 (loudspeaker) at the Vienna HiFi fair; Two design prizes for audio 400, Hifi-Messe Milan
  • 1976: shape - not compliant. an exhibition at the Institute for New Technical Form , Darmstadt
  • 1990: Exhibition More or Less: Braun Design in Comparison in the Museum of Art and Commerce in Hamburg

Braun Prize

In 1967 the "Braun Prize for Technical Design" was launched as Germany's first international design promotion award. The price donated by Braun in the amount of DM 25,000 at the time was first awarded in 1968. Masanori Umeda received it for a system of movable living elements and Florian Seiffert for the design of a 16 mm film camera.

The Braun Prize is intended to promote the work of product designers and product ideas for technical consumer goods and to make the competence and creativity of budding industrial designers known to the public and to establish contact with companies or potential clients. The Braun Prize was awarded every two years until 2009, after which it has been awarded every three years.

Braun Collection

An excerpt from the premises of the Braun Collection, as of 2014.

On the initiative of the Förderkreis BraunSammlung e. V. the official Braun collection was opened in 2005. The Westerbach Center was chosen as the location, which is located directly at the Kronberg Süd S-Bahn station and at the same time adjoins the Braun main factory. In 2014 the move from the ground floor to the first floor took place with a significantly larger exhibition area, an event room and a museum archive (Braun Archive). The exhibition concept and interior have been completely renewed.

The permanent exhibition shows products from the company's history since 1921. The Braun collection includes around 300 exhibits and shows the development of Braun design from its beginnings to the present.

documentation

  • Simply the Best: The Braun Design Story , 45th min. From 2011. Dieter Oeckl (Oecklfilm) realized it with the support of Hessischer Rundfunk (HR) at his own risk, as he explained in a 2014 cinema screening with a panel discussion.

literature

  • Hartmut Jatzke-Wigand, Jo Klatt (eds.): Design + Design Zero. How the Braun design came about. 3. Edition. Jo Klatt Design + Design Verlag, 2011, ISBN 978-3-9811106-4-7 ( designundtext.com [PDF; 76.5 MB ; accessed on June 28, 2020] final issue of the magazine).
  • Magazine Der Braunsammler. later Design + Design (Eds. Jo Klatt and Günter Staeffler), Hamburg.
  • Wolfgang Schmittel: Design, concept, realization: Braun, Citroen, Miller, Olivetti, Sony, Swissair. Zurich 1975.
  • More or less. Braun - design in comparison. Exhibition catalog. Museum of Arts and Crafts , Hamburg 1990.
  • Regine Scourtelis: Some like it pure. In: ZEITmagazin. 42, 1990, pp. 80-88.
  • Jo Klatt, Günter Staeffler: Braun + Design Collection. 40 years of Braun Design from 1955 to 1995. Hamburg 1995, ISBN 3-9803485-3-9 .
  • Hans Wichmann: Courage to set out. Erwin Braun 1921 to 1992. Munich 1998, ISBN 3-7913-2023-8 .
  • Bernd Polster: Brown. 50 years of product innovations. Dumont, Cologne 2005, ISBN 3-8321-7364-1 . (English edition 2009)
  • Less and more. The Design Ethos of Dieter Rams. Exhibition catalog. Design Museum , London 2009 (German edition 2010).
  • Bernd Polster: Kronberg Meets Cupertino. What Braun and Apple really have in common. In: Apple Design . Exhibition catalog. Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe , Hamburg 2011, pp. 64–75.

Web links

Commons : Braun  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. de.pg.com: Imprint
  2. a b [publication in the electronic Federal Gazette].
  3. Bernd Polster : Brown. 50 years of product innovations , Cologne 2005, ISBN 3-8321-7364-1 .
  4. taschenlampen-forum.de
  5. tugendhat.de
  6. Bernd Polster: Home design Germany. Die Klassiker , Cologne 2008, p. 461 u. 555.
  7. Jürgen Greubel - From product to furniture design . VS furniture. Retrieved February 8, 2013.
  8. a b Interview with Dieter Rams: Stern No. 19, April 30, 2008.
  9. Braun Clocks
  10. Press release of April 16, 2012 (PDF; 159 kB)
  11. Article on echo-online.de ( Memento from April 25, 2012 in the Internet Archive )
  12. 1991 about the Last Edition
  13. ^ "Stylish finish" , on spiegel.de, June 18, 1991
  14. Comeback of a legend: Braun Audio is back on unhyped.de September 3, 2019
  15. Braun Audio is back at hifi-journal.de, September 18, 2019
  16. Artur Braun : From engineering draft to product design: the development of the Braun kitchen appliances and the 'KM 3' kitchen machine . In: Hartmut Jatzke-Wigand, Jo Klatt (ed.): Design + Design. Design + design. Independent magazine for design collectors. How the Braun design came about. zero = final output. Hamburg 2011, ISBN 978-3-9811106-4-7 , pp. 55 .
  17. Overview of the Nizo cameras on www.super8data.com ( Memento of the original from February 17, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.  @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.super8data.com
  18. a b Braun Prize 2012-1968. In: braunprize.org. Retrieved June 27, 2020 .
  19. Braun Prize 1968. (PDF; 481 kB) In: braunprize.org. 1968, accessed June 27, 2020 (original press release from 1968).
  20. History of the Brown collection. In: foerderkreis-braunsammlung.de. Retrieved on June 27, 2020 (History chapter must be opened manually).
  21. Impressions “Reopening 2014”. In: foerderkreis-braunsammlung.de. Retrieved June 28, 2020 (series of photos).
  22. Braun Collection. In: braun.de. Retrieved June 28, 2020 .
  23. "Simply the Best - The BRAUN Design Story" in the Odeon - Foyer 06/14. In: nrwkino.de. June 6, 2014, accessed June 28, 2020 .


Coordinates: 50 ° 10 ′ 15 ″  N , 8 ° 31 ′ 45 ″  E