Re: A room for everybody

[dlevy@worldy.com]

I dunno, there seems to be a lot of Leitz stuff available today marked with
war time contract numbers and insignia. Whether there was sympathy of not
there seems to have been a profitable relationship. It is understandable
that production would decrease as the war turned against Germany. If the
metel had to be allocated to cameras or munitions, cameras most likely would
come in second place.

Is it possible that management became less enamored with the government when
it realized the inevitable outcome of the war. Germany already had
experienced the results of a loss and it was well known that there would be
not terms of surrender in WWII. Also, was there concern that there was more
than ample evidence of there involvement in supplying 'instruments of war'
by contracting to sell cameras to the government.

Does anyone have information regarding the contract sales from Zeiss Ikon
and F&H as well as Leica to the government during the war years? Such as
numbers of camera units used by the services, etc.?

Could be interesting, though it is political.

As to the relationships cut off, it goes without saying that for almost all
comapnies during that period there were adjustments and personal
relationships were affected. 



At 08:56 AM 6/24/96 +0200, you wrote:
>Leitz, a German company, continued producing cameras and lenses during the
>Nazi years. No doubt. There was not much sympathy though with Leitz
>management for the Nazi's. Several stories are circulating on this matter
>(and if LUG members are interested, I'll send another message on this
>subject). The position of Leitz management is understandable once one looks
>at the decreasing production levels during the war years. The company almost
>collapsed. 
>
>Leitz also gave Leica's to German Jews to help them financially in getting
>out of the country. Many personal relations of Leica managers, specially
>with friends in the USA and in the UK were cut off. This was an important
>issue as Haus Friedwart in Wetzlar, where Ernst Leitz II lived, was a place
>were not only business relations but also many artists of those days stayed.
>After the war, the denazification process at Leitz was rapid
>
>All in all, I don't think that the fact that the Neurenberg crowd
>photographed with Leica's meant that the Leitz Wetzlar people were close to
>these sicko's.
>
>Gerard Captijn,
>Geneva, Switzerland.
>__________________________________________________
>INTERNET PROVIDER: GROUPE VTX
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>MAIL TO: info@vtx.ch
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>
Brian Levy, J.D.
Agincourt Ont.
dlevy@worldy.com