| 2004 | The foundation’s enterprises are incorporated as separate stock corporations |
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| 1991/1995 | Following German reunification, Carl Zeiss and SCHOTT acquire their pre-World War II headquarters and later state-owned enterprises in Jena (State of Thuringia) |
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| 1946/1952 | Operations of the foundation’s enterprises continue in West Germany: Carl Zeiss (Oberkochen) and SCHOTT (Mainz) |
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| 1896 | The statute of Carl Zeiss Foundation written by Ernst Abbe is enacted as the by-laws of the Foundation and its two enterprises |
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| 1891/1919 | The Carl Zeiss Foundation becomes the sole owner of the Carl Zeiss and SCHOTT enterprises |
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| 1889 | Creation of the Carl Zeiss Foundation by Ernst Abbe |
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| 1884 | Founding of the “Glastechnisches Laboratorium Schott & Genossen” (SCHOTT & Associates Glass Technology Laboratory) by Otto Schott, Ernst Abbe, Carl and Roderich Zeiss |
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| 1846 | Carl Zeiss sets up an optical workshop in Jena |