 | | About the book
Addressing the 150th anniversary of Carl Zeiss on November 19, 1996, Helmut Kohl stated that "Carl Zeiss represents all the problems, but also the opportunities associated with German reunification."
The partition of Germany created two new companies out of the one, world-famous Zeiss-Works in Jena: the state-owned enterprise in Jena, East Germany; and Carl Zeiss West Germany in Oberkochen. What followed was anything but a peaceful coexistence. The two, competing firms fought many court battles over the rights to the prestigious name and trademark.
Following the confrontation, the two "adversaries" coexisted. The reunification that came next was no less painful than the initial separation. The western company assumed control of the core business of optics. “If we can’t do it,” explained Zeiss’ President and CEO Jobst Herrmann in 1992, “then no one can.” His optimism, as with Helmut Kohl’s “blooming landscape” in eastern Germany, was premature. The company spiraled into the most difficult crisis it had ever faced: existence. Reorganization demanded massive job-cuts in both the east and west. Solidarity between the two brothers in Jena and Oberkochen was tested as never before.
Armin Hermann’s book And Still Brothers - the German-German History of Carl Zeiss is neither a Carl Zeiss publication, nor is it that of an employee. It is one historian’s account of one of the most famous companies in the world. Its contents are solely the conclusion of the author, and his knowledge in science and technology.
As our customers have requested, we are proud to present information about our past online. Prof. Hermann was generous enough to summarize the most important points of his book for us, and allow us to present them to you on our website.
This article can also be found in DAMALS,  www.damals.de, the magazine for culture and history.
If, however, you would rather read off-line, you can download the  complete article here.
| |  About the book
The author
Introduction
Cooperation
Confrontation
Coexistence
Reunification
complete article to download
(pdf-document, 13 pages, 426 kB)
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