1935 on 1923, but who's the writer?

[Roland Zwiers]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

On 1 January 1935 appeared the first issue of of the magazine Leica News and Technique.
This magazine was published by E. LEITZ (London) for the British market.

Now the writer of the opening article does not mention his name.
But the writer states:

"The writer himself knows Mr. Barnack personally and had an opportunity of witnessing from the earliest stages the manufacturing of the first Leica series".

On page 2 he adds:

"I remember in 1923 how Mr. Barnack was still experimenting and how a number of mechanics in his department at the works used to assemble a certain portion of the Leica (...)"

Now these quotes closely resemble quotes by Dr. Paul Wolff in other publications.
So I am tempted to assume that Dr. Paul Wolff is the writer of this opning article.

However, on page 3 the writer refers to Dr. Wolff as another person.

'It is as Dr. Wolff, a famous Leica user, says (...)"

Page 3 also refers to an exhibition in London by Dr. Wolff with over 200 big enlargements.

So my question is:

Who can be the writer of this opening article?
Eye-witness accounts on the Null-Serie are very scarce!
Each new witness would be of great importance!

Of course, it is possible that Dr Wolff is still the author, but that he somehow did not want to publish his name.
E.G. because the article was already making free publicity for his London exhibition?

I will include scans of this article in the next slides.
Here I have already a question:
Is this periodical digitally available?
My collection is not at all complete. 

Roland

 

 

 

 

 

[Advertisement]

The Leica Q3 is available for pre-order at B&H Photo Video and Adorama

[Roland Zwiers]

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

[Roland Zwiers]

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

[Roland Zwiers]

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

[SpotmaticSP]

A good possibility is that the writer could be Curt Emmermann. And that the article was originally written in German. Maybe a German version of the same text exists?

[Roland Zwiers]

SpotmaticSP,

Thank you for your reply.

As far as I know, Curt Emmermann received his Leica in February 1925.
Alan has a brochure published by Leitz with positive comments (in German: Gutachtungen) by very early Leica users.
Curt Emmermann figures in this brochure and is explicit about February 1925.

Now the second article in Die Leica of 1931 (the first article was by Oskar Barnack) is written by Curt Emmermann himself.
He relates that before March 1925 Leitz had sent him a Leica with accessories for free, an offer that he could not refuse.
Emmermann relates that at that time he knew Leitz only as a microscope manufacturer. 

So I would say Emmermann cannot be the author.
Had he personally known Oskar Barnack in 1923 already, then he would certainly have referred to this in his 1931 article in Die Leica.

Roland

 

 

[Pyrogallol]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

21 hours ago, Roland Zwiers said:

On 1 January 1935 appeared the first issue of of the magazine Leica News and Technique.
This magazine was published by E. LEITZ (London) for the British market.

Now the writer of the opening article does not mention his name.
But the writer states:

"The writer himself knows Mr. Barnack personally and had an opportunity of witnessing from the earliest stages the manufacturing of the first Leica series".

On page 2 he adds:

"I remember in 1923 how Mr. Barnack was still experimenting and how a number of mechanics in his department at the works used to assemble a certain portion of the Leica (...)"

Now these quotes closely resemble quotes by Dr. Paul Wolff in other publications.
So I am tempted to assume that Dr. Paul Wolff is the writer of this opning article.

However, on page 3 the writer refers to Dr. Wolff as another person.

'It is as Dr. Wolff, a famous Leica user, says (...)"

Page 3 also refers to an exhibition in London by Dr. Wolff with over 200 big enlargements.

So my question is:

Who can be the writer of this opening article?
Eye-witness accounts on the Null-Serie are very scarce!
Each new witness would be of great importance!

Of course, it is possible that Dr Wolff is still the author, but that he somehow did not want to publish his name.
E.G. because the article was already making free publicity for his London exhibition?

I will include scans of this article in the next slides.
Here I have already a question:
Is this periodical digitally available?
My collection is not at all complete. 

Roland

 

 

 

 

 

I have a bound volume of Leica News and Technique. I think it is only missing the final edition from the summer of 1939.

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

[Roland Zwiers]

Pyrogallol,

Thank you so much for this reply.

In my collection I am missing 1935/2,3 and 1938/31.

AFAICS 1939 issue 39 (so May-June 1939) is the last pre-war issue. So in combination we may be complete!

Could we exchange scans?

Roland

[alan mcfall]

I have a complete set in the original LN & T binders, 5 binders one for each year 1935-39. Some very good information and helpful to date products and leitz thinking before the war.

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

[Roland Zwiers]

Alan,

This is one of those treasure troves!
What about the pre-war American Leica magazine Leica Photography
I am collecting this as well, but this magazine is even more difficult to find.
Especially the earliest numbers.

Fortunately, Die Leica has a good facsimile edition.
This is extremely valuable for understanding the Curt Emmermann approach to Leica photography.
That is, in addition to his manuals.

Roland

[Giuliobigazzi]

Could the writer have been Alfred Boch? I know he was involved around the time  Barnak was developing the first Leica. 

[willeica]

I am going to mention 2 names based on something I was told recently. I believe that Max Wiedling was appointed as General Manager for Leitz in London in 1928. In addition, I believe that Dr Ludwig Leitz spent some time as a trainee in London in the 1920s. My money is on Wiedling https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maximilian_Wiedling who ran the British Leitz operation up to WWII.

Translation below:

"Wiedling completed a commercial apprenticeship at the precision optics manufacturer Leitz in Wetzlar. In 1928, he moved to the management of the subsidiary in London and was appointed Managing Director there in 1931. With the outbreak of the Second World War, he left Great Britain and joined the Leitz branch in Vienna. After returning to Germany, he became a member of the board of directors of Ernst Leitz GmbH and, in 1950, managing director of the subsidiary W. & H. Seibert GmbH. Alongside his professional activities, he was active in the self-governance of the regional economy. From August 1945 to 1965, he served as President of the Wetzlar Chamber of Industry and Commerce. His term began with difficult negotiations with the American occupation authorities. Through his mediation, many companies were soon able to resume operations. In 1966, he was appointed Honorary President of the Wetzlar Chamber of Industry and Commerce. In the same year, he received the Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany."

William 

 

[alan mcfall]

16 minutes ago, Roland Zwiers said:

Alan,

This is one of those treasure troves!
What about the pre-war American Leica magazine Leica Photography
I am collecting this as well, but this magazine is even more difficult to find.
Especially the earliest numbers.

Fortunately, Die Leica has a good facsimile edition.
This is extremely valuable for understanding the Curt Emmermann approach to Leica photography.
That is, in addition to his manuals.

Roland

I have several complete sets ( Dec. 1932 to Sept. 1939) of both prewar and post war (1948-1977) Leica Photography, but with some copies, especially of the earliest (1933) editions. Also, a complete set of Leica Fotografie, 1949 to present, nearly 550 issues in period correct Leica binders, must weigh a ton.

I addition, many surplus random issues of these magazines, if you need a specific ones(s), PM me.

[beoon]

Roland / William / Alan

There are a few people that could be the author that were in London between 1928-1935, but lets consider their attributes

Max Wiedling, a Wetzlar man was sent by the factory to London in August 1928, in 1931 Mr Ogilvy retired and Max Wiedling became MD.

Ludwig Leitz arrived in London in the Autumn of 1928 to assist temporarily with the running of the London branch.

Heinrich Stockler lived in London in 1929 and there he met Ludwig Leitz, Stockler had to leave London due to his Visa expiring.

Alfred Boch also visited London during this period from a Technical sales perspective

Emil G Keller. was an apprentice in Mortimer Street in 1935

Conrad Barnack visited London and was friends with Emil Keller

I have the complete set of Leica News and Technique and we cannot be definitive about who wrote the article.

My guess is Max Wiedling, but its only a guess

Alan

 

[willeica]

2 hours ago, beoon said:

Roland / William / Alan

There are a few people that could be the author that were in London between 1928-1935, but lets consider their attributes

Max Wiedling, a Wetzlar man was sent by the factory to London in August 1928, in 1931 Mr Ogilvy retired and Max Wiedling became MD.

Ludwig Leitz arrived in London in the Autumn of 1928 to assist temporarily with the running of the London branch.

Heinrich Stockler lived in London in 1929 and there he met Ludwig Leitz, Stockler had to leave London due to his Visa expiring.

Alfred Boch also visited London during this period from a Technical sales perspective

Emil G Keller. was an apprentice in Mortimer Street in 1935

Conrad Barnack visited London and was friends with Emil Keller

I have the complete set of Leica News and Technique and we cannot be definitive about who wrote the article.

My guess is Max Wiedling, but its only a guess

Alan

 

Thanks Alan, Yes there were other suspects, but Max Wiedling is No 1 on the list. He did not use his own name, but the references to things which happened in Wetzlar seem to point to him. He was also there over the extended period during which the publication was produced. No doubt there was a team effort which went into producing this, but Wiedling was likely to have given final approval for each issue. Having articles with a designated author was not that uncommon back then. However, this would usually point to something that had 'company approval'. 

William