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Herr
Kommerzialrat Wilhelm Wohleber
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But
already soon, 1924, when the radio fever reached Europe,
he thought about
an extension of his enterprise and took up
simple radio sets and parts into
his program. These products were
partially bought in addition and
partially
produced also in the own
workshop. At that time the small
company was
called
"RADIOLA".
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The
products had different names, so for example: AERIOLA, AEROPHON,
RADIOGLOBE, RADIOLA
and RADIOPA. Everything that the heart of
the broadcast listener,
as well as the radio amateur handicraftsman
desired, was produced, from
the simple detector apparatus up to the most sensitive
8-tube-receiver. But
the problems with the brand name and the product names were
foreseeable (Radiola
was in the USA a name protected for RCA, also
in France existed a manufacturer
of the same name, Aeriola was the label name of
Westinghouse). Therefore
Wilhelm Wohleber had to find rapidly a new brand
name, in order to escape
possible complaints with large companies. From 1927 on, the enterprise
was called
"MINERVA",
although
in Germany the company Carl
Lochmann, Berlin, held the same name. The
company Minerva had became a fixed and all-side
well-known enterprise of the
Austrian radio industry and could constantly
extend the product range. During
the season 1929/30, 27 (!!!) different
receivers, attachments, mains connection
devices, as well as loudspeakers and record
players were offered to
the customers, when the company celebrated its
10-year anniversary!
The
following years brought the economic crisis to Europe,
also the radio industry
was involved. Minerva set three marks, in order to be able to
survive:
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From
1933 on, only high-quality superhetreceivers were produced, the manufacturing
of regenerativ receivers was deleted. Minerva attached increased attention
to the development of the export markets.: Minerva tried to gain both
in Central European countries a foothold, as well as to supply the middle
and far east. Minerva was represented on exhibitions in Europe, Africa
and even in China. Up to the year 1938 the export quota increased to40% of
the total production.
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The
third and most promising step was the license production. Due to
high protective
duties within Europe, an export was not quite easy. Minerva operated
therefore licenced productions in Italy (with AQUILA), inSwitzerland
(with TITAN), in Poland (with ELEKTRIT) and in France. This concept
was very successful and worked satisfactorily over decades.
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The
year 1938 brought a large cut into the development of the enterprise,
when Austria and its
whole industry were incorporated to the "German Reich".
During the following
war years, Minerva's resolution, to produce superhetreceivers
only, became unfaithful by the obligation for the production
of the DKE (Deutscher Kleinempfänger) and VE (Volksempfänger).
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Meanwhile
the enterprise was merged increased into the arms supporting industry,
civilian production was back-pushed. But the technical engineers
in the radio
laboratories were not inactive, because they had to develop each
year new models for the licensees. With
the year 1945 and the substantial bomb attacks on the capital Vienna,
as well as the
following invasion of the Soviet troops the final "out"
for this old
Viennese tradition enterprise seemed to be sealed. Main building
bombed, tube stocks
burned down, raw materials and machines kidnapped. Minerva
was at the end!
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The
new start! |
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Frau Elisabeth Wohleber |
Herr
Ing. Egon Mally |
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But
after one year and sifting all the still available inventories,
it succeeded
to untiring structure work of Minerva to bring the first radio,
manufactured in
series, on the market. Rapidly it went again uphill. The
further way of the enterprise was shaded by many problems and
setbacks! In
1950 died Wilhelm Wohleber at the age of 60, scarcely after
the 30-year company
anniversary. His place entered his wife Elizabeth, Ingenieur
Egon Mally stepped
to get director. Into
this time also fell the old trick of the largest European tube
manufacturer to
bring the company by maturity of outstanding accounts into
its possession.
But Minerva was able to settle the commitments and to refer
the sections of
other providers, necessary for production. The
enterprise flourished and Minerva became a leader in
technical development.
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