Draft:Optical-mechanical workshop "Oscar Richter"

The Optical-mechanical workshop "Oscar Richter" (Оптико-механическая мастерская "Оскар Рихтеръ" Санкт-Петербург) was a company run by German entrepreneurs in Saint Petersburg from 1850-1918. It produced optical, mechanical, other physical, meteorological and mathematical instruments from material purchased in Russia and other European countries for sale in its spacious store in a central location in Saint Petersburg.

History
In 1850, the Saxon merchant Oscar Bernhard Richter (* April 15 1823 in Saalfeld; † January 17 1905 in Blasewitz near Dresden, first name sometimes spelled with a k: Os'k'ar Richter) founded a company that manufactured a variety of physical instruments. It was located on the corner of Admiralty Square-Nevsky Prospekt, Gref House, 4/1. In 1870, the company employed 20 workers and its annual production amounted to 80,000 roubles; in 1882, the company employed 65 workers and its annual production reached 250,000 roubles. In 1883 the company was transformed into a trading house on the basis of the rights of a general partnership. The owners of this company were Oscar Bernhard Richter and Ewald-Emilius Hartmann (1837-?). When Oscar retired, his son Emil Richard Richter (1868–1922) became co-owner of the company, which continued to exist until 1918.

Innovations
In 1870, the company took part in the All-Russian Manufactory Exhibition in St. Petersburg for the first time, exhibited an dynamo-electric machine, the Ledda system and an electric machine by Goltz and was awarded a bronze medal at the end of the exhibition. The next exhibition in which the company took part was the Polytechnic Exhibition in Moscow in 1872, for the results of which O. Richter was awarded the Grand Gold Medal "for devices presented in all fields of applied physics".

The company's participation in the All-Russian Industrial and Art Exhibition in Moscow in 1882 was also a great success. Various physical and mechanical instruments and tools were exhibited, including a centrifugal machine, an air pump, a sundial and magic lanterns.

In Nizhny Novgorod, the trading house took part in the All-Russia Exhibition 1896. According to the results of the exhibition, the trading house Oscar Richter Company was awarded a gold medal "For physical apparatus and magic lanterns and for the realization of new physical apparatus according to the instructions of teachers".



Company founder Oscar Bernhard Richter
Oscar Richter received his professional training (see adjacent illustration) from the Jena court and university mechanic Friedrich Körner (1778–1847), who had previously also been Carl Zeiß's master. "Coming from a humble background, he acquired a comprehensive education in his subject of mechanics and optics through diligence and perseverance. And not only in Germany at the time, but also with the brightest and most progressive masters in Paris, Prague, Vienna and London. Far-sighted as he was, he systematically studied French in particular, taking every opportunity to use the language. During his time in St. Petersburg, this knowledge was decisive for his business success, as the construction of the Russian railroad lines between St. Petersburg - Warsaw, Vilnius - Eydtkuhnen]] and Moscow - Nizhny Novgorod - Kazan was mainly realized by French engineers, who confidently ordered and purchased all optical-mechanical equipment from Richter. During his time in St.Petersburg, this knowledge was crucial for his business success, because the construction of the Russian railway lines between St.Petersburg - Warsaw, Vilna - Eydtkuhnen and Moscow - Nizhny Novgorod - Kazan were realized primarily by French engineers who confidently ordered and purchased all optical-mechanical devices from Richter."

From Richter's life in St. Petersburg
In March 1851, Richter wrote in a letter to District Court Assessor August Opitz in the Duchy of Saxony-Meinigen: "Public life is much less here than in Germany, so you have to stick more to private circles. In hospitality the Russian surpasses all nations; It is very easy to gain access to many families here, and the tone in such family circles is pleasant, unashamed and not as forced as in Germany. [...] The city's theaters are always very busy; the largest of these is the Italian Opera [...]. There is also a theater in which only Russian is played and one in which French is played alternately one evening and German on the other. The French actors are excellent, the German ones are mediocre, since the German language doesn't have much credit among the Russians, so it is used less for this theater."

Wealth and Charity
The company founder Oscar Richter, who made considerable wealth through his company, founded the villa Elbheim Johannstraße 1 in 1878 in Blasewitz (today Regerstraße 1 in Dresden) and lived there from then on. He invested remarkable amounts in Blasewitz as a patron. In the course of building a Protestant church in their home town, he and his wife financed land and inventory for the Heilig-Geist-Kirche, Dresden (former Blasewitz).

Family
The binding researcher Ilse Schunke was Richter's granddaughter.

Oscar Richter's family grave is located at the Johannisfriedhof in Dresden.