Ehrich & Graetz

The Ehrich & Graetz metalworks was a factory established in 1866 in Berlin by Albert Graetz (1831–1901) and the tradesman Emil Ehrich (died 1887) under the name "Lampen-Fabrik Ehrich & Graetz OHG" (E&G). The logo of the firm was two seahorse-looking dragons with a sun between them, and the firm's initials of E&G.

Ehrich & Graetz factory
In the beginning kerosene lamps along with burners, as well as cookers for fluid (wood alcohol, paraffin), gaseous fuels (town gas, propane, and natural gas) were made in the Lampen-Fabrik Ehrich & Graetz OHG (E&G) factory. By 1897 the firm was controlled by Albert's sons Max and Adolf Graetz. The company grew rapidly, and in 1899 a factory complex was built in the Elsenstrasse in Berlin. At that time the company had establishments in the United States, France, the UK, and Bombay in British India. Around 1910-1916 Max Graetz developed the famous Petromax lantern. From around 1925 the factory also produced radios and other electrical appliances under the name Graetzor. In 1928 Fritz Graetz (son of Max) took over the management of the firm.

World War II
In the Second World War, just as in the First World War, the company was part of the war industry. With the use of forced laborers from Germany,France, Russia, and the Netherlands the company made huge gains in production. Some notable examples of the forced labourers were

•Ruth Arndt-Gumpel

• Elisabeth Freund (who would go on write down her experiences at the factory)

• Leopold Chones the leader of a Jewish resistance movement, Chug Chaluzi (Pioneer Circle)

• Stella Goldschlag.

Around 1942 the first letter "E" in the company logo was dropped leaving only the second letter "G." On the 27th of February 1943 the Jewish forced laborers were taken away by the SS in the so called" Fabrikaktion". At the end of April 1945 the factory was claimed by the Russian army.

At the end of 1945 the factory was running again, but only producing pots, pans, and other small metal work.

Volkseigener Betrieb
In 1949 the firm was seized by the communist regime, became a VEB (Volkseigener Betrieb) and in 1950 was named VEB Fernmeldewerk, Berlin Treptow (RFFT).

Graetz AG
In 1948 Erich, and Fritz Graetz founded a new company in Altena in the British occupation zone, known by the name Graetz AG, as a successor to the lost family company in Berlin. The new company produced mainly radios and televisions. However the Petromax, the paraffin pressure lamp invented and designed by Max Graetz, was also produced here in great numbers. In 1961 the company was sold to Standard Elektrik Lorenz (SEL) AG, and is owned since 1987 by the Finnish company Nokia.