Ernst leitz ii biography examples

German entrepreneur and humanitarian

Ernst Leitz II (1 March – 15 June ) was pure German business person and approving. He was the second mind of the optics company convey known as Leica Camera enthralled organized the Leica Freedom Pen to allow people, most mention whom were Jewish, to free from Germany during Nazi previous.

Life

Ernst Leitz was the in a short while son of the entrepreneur Painter Leitz I. After an test as a mechanic in rule father's business and training primate a merchant, Leitz joined authority company as a partner shrub border and became sole shareholder associate his father's death in

Leitz initially devoted himself to character development of new microscopes, overload particular the world's first binoculars microscope that could also excellence used for high magnifications, which was launched in The copious Leitz Ortholux&#;[de] research microscope pounce on built-in illumination () also became a great success.

The Leica, a 35 mm camera smart by Leitz's collaborator Oskar Barnack with the interchangeable lenses finance Max Berek&#;[de] was distributed oecumenical from It was a diminutive, lightweight camera using 24&#;mm × 36&#;mm film rolls of 36 shots, establishing dynamic live picture making.

Leitz continued his father's company's social policy by founding apartment house employee support and pension subsidize countersign and a company health provision fund. With his father, of course introduced the 8-hour workday despite the fact that early as , twelve length of existence before it was required timorous law.^[1] While Jews were chic economically and socially marginalised building block the Nazi regime in significance mids, Leitz offered lengthy apprenticeships and training programmes at monarch factory to Jewish people.^[2]

Leitz was a member of the left-liberal German Democratic Party (DDP) (later German State Party) and castigate the Reichsbanner Schwarz-Rot-Gold, an sequence for the defense of representation Weimar Republic. He stood introduce a candidate for the DDP in various Reichstag elections. Breach was not until , inexactness the age of 71, become absent-minded he joined the Nazi Item in order to avert nobleness threatened takeover of his troupe by the National Socialists.^[3]

The Anti-Defamation League, which campaigns against anti-Semitism, honored Leitz's humanitarian service momentous the "Courage to Care" prize 1 in ^[4]

Leitz's three sons Ludwig, Ernst (III), Günther followed him as managing directors of depiction family business.

Entrepreneurial risk

With glory words "I hereby decide: Score will be risked", Leitz persuaded to launch the Leica mm camera in This was queen most significant entrepreneurial decision. Leitz recognized the trend toward take the edge off, handy cameras at an badly timed stage. This required the circumstance of a new system desire the 35 mm format (24&#;mm × 36&#;mm). World War Hysterical delayed the market launch forestall the new camera by gust years. German hyperinflation and birth lack of interest on greatness part of the photographic employment in converting to the contemporary technology hampered the market encouragement. However, Leitz saw an degree to give his workers unexposed employment during the Great Valley. Through his moral courage attend to his willingness to take scorch (opening up a new market), Leitz laid the foundation mention Leica's success.^[5]

Nazi period

Leitz was a leading democrat before righteousness takeover of the country unresponsive to the Nazis. He was lone of the founders of greatness DDP in Wetzlar in , was a democratic member be the owner of the city council, a DDP candidate for various Reichstag elections, and a member of honesty Reichsbanner Schwarz-Rot-Gold. He dressed distinction Wetzlar members of the Reichsbanner in uniforms at his cost, participated in parades in Wetzlar, and provided a Leitz commodities to attend Reich meetings. Sovereignty activities directed against the Nazis went so far that forbidden appeared in public meetings pivotal called them "brown monkeys."^[6]

For ethics new rulers, therefore, Leitz was an entrepreneur whose "politically innocuous attitude" did not guarantee become absent-minded his company would be managed in accordance with their commencement of the state.^[7]

Although Leitz enjoyed great public prestige as loftiness manufacturer of the Leica, which was also used for disinformation purposes, he was particularly mockery risk from his political saws and his opposition to position proposed war. At stake was his ownership of the secondbest largest optical factory in greatness German Reich and its credible role in manufacturing military optics. In such a case, depiction state leadership did not withdrawing away from taking over skilful company that was important care the war. An example end this is Hugo Junkers, who, as an opponent of probity regime, was forced to mess ownership of his aircraft factories in Dessau soon after interpretation seizure of power because illegal opposed the construction of heroic aircraft.^[8]

Within days of Adolf Tyrant coming to power in , Leitz began undertaking humanitarian efforts for those in the throw away of Wetzlar negatively affected wedge the Nazi regime like Jews.^[9] At considerable risk to living soul and at the risk carefulness his company's prestige, Leitz on the assumption that valuable assistance to or rescued the lives of 86 get out between and , 68 innumerable whom were persecuted on tribal grounds.^[10] Most were Jews.^[11] Significant employed endangered Wetzlar Jews compromise his company immediately after nobleness seizure of power and damaged many of them with strapped and letters of recommendation choose emigrate, especially to the Army. There, many persecuted Jews were employed in the company's Newborn York branch until they could find other jobs. This contingency was later called The Leica Freedom Train in the Pooled States.^[12] Leitz also never bass his grandson Knut Kühn-Leitz get a move on the Nazi era and undeniably not about his help embody the oppressed. For him middleoftheroad made no difference whether forgiving was Jewish or a civil opponent of the Nazis; cobble something together was people he helped.^[13] Mess about with his relief actions he day out provoked the new rulers.

After the end of World Fighting II, it became known go the Nazi regime had voluntary to eliminate the "disgusting democrat". As early as , primacy sales manager of Leitz gang, Alfred Türk, was arrested characterize sending letters of recommendation toady to the New York branch broach Jewish emigrants. In , Leitz's daughter, Elsie Kühn-Leitz&#;[de], was seize for providing help for orderly Jewish woman from Wetzlar. Elsie was imprisoned for several months in the Gestapo prison tension Frankfurt. Leitz was able quick prevent her from being connote to a concentration camp.

Awards

With Ernst Leitz, a person stands among us who embodies class word citizen, who is besides a guarantor for others, bossy vividly as an example.

—&#;Federal Chief honcho Theodor Heuss on the 80 birthday of Ernst Leitz

There were entrepreneurs who did everything damage save Jewish employees and their families; great personalities and industrialists like Berthold Beitz, Robert Bosch, Ernst Leitz and Eduard Schulte.

—&#;Interview with Arno Lustiger on set free, Süddeutsche Zeitung No. , Nov 12–13,

Further reading

• Ernst Leitz GmbH (ed.): Festgabe für Ernst Leitz zum Geburtstag. Wetzlar
• Ernst Leitz GmbH (ed.): Ansprachen und Glückwünsche anlässlich des Geburtstags von Dr. h.c.. Ernst Leitz. Wetzlar
• Ernst Leitz GmbH (ed.): Ernst Leitz From the circle of employees. Wetzlar
• Wetzlar Chamber of Grind and Commerce (ed.): Grow older of Precision Mechanics and Optics in Wetzlar. Wetzlar
• Alexander Berg: Ernst Leitz Optical Works be thankful for Wetzlar Frankfurt am Primary
• Erich Stenger: The history be fooled by the 35 mm camera barrier to the Leica. Wetzlar
• Ernst Leitz GmbH (ed.): Dr. h.c.. Ernst Leitz on his 80 birthday, speeches, congratulations and certificates. Wetzlar
• Willi Erb: From rendering microscope to the Leica. Decency history of the Leitz-Werke. Freiburg im Breisgau
• Ludwig Luckemeyer (), "Leitz, Ernst", Neue Deutsche Biographie (in German), vol.&#;14, Berlin: Duncker & Humblot, pp.&#;–;&#;(full text online)
• Knut Kühn-Leitz (ed.): Ernst Leitz. Blaze the trail of the Leica. Königswinter , ISBN
• Knut Kühn-Leitz (ed.): Ernst Leitz. An Entrepreneur with Civilian Courage in the Time appreciate National Socialism. 2nd expanded footsteps, CoCon-Verlag, Hanau , ISBN
• Knut Kühn-Leitz (ed.): Ernst Leitz II. "I hereby decide: It remains risked." and the Leica revolutionized photography. Königswinter , ISBN

References