Mr. Heinrich Janke- Ernst Leitz Wetzlar

[Guest Posto 6]

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Apologies for posting in English (I do not speak German, unfortunately), but I have just opened a thread in the English part of the forum where I am trying to find out information on Mr. Heinrich Janke's role at Leitz. In case anyone has anything to contribute, I would be most grateful for any information- although it would perhaps be easiest to centralize all exchanges on the English thread if this is not too inconvenient.

 

Thanks and best regards,

 

Posto 6

[DDM]

Heinrich Janke kann man als Designer,

Formgestallter und Künstler bezeichnen.

 

Er fertigte Holzmodelle von Cameras, bekam für das Leica M4-Design

einen Preis und arbeitet eng mit „Ludi“ zusammen.

 

In der angewandten Kunst, schuf er wunderschöne Skulpturen,

wir selbst haben einen wunderschönen Metallabguss zu eigen.

 

Herr Janke wirkte auch beim neuen Design der Mikroskope,

der Veränderung der rund-ovalen Standfüsse,

hin zur eckigeren Gestaltung.

 

Ein künstlerisches Universaltalent, mit gestaltendem Einfluss auf das Leitz-Design.

 

Da ich mich, wie schon von vielen Forenten bemerkt,

schon in der deutschen Schrift blamiere,

werde ich dies, durch und im Englischen nicht noch verstärken.

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[Guest]

About Heinrich Janke in: Osterloh, 50 Years Leica M, Königswinter 2004, p. 53:

Advancing the film an widing the schutter... The two designers Heinrich Janke and Ans Kurt Uellenberg had dicovered that a hinged and slightly thicker "thumb rest" made of medeled material provides a greater contact surface, along with a bit more comfort

P. 68 shows a design study by Heinrich Janke of a never build M6 using parts of the R4.

P. 77 shos a wooden model designed by H. Janke of a never build M (?) with selenium exposure meter.

And the most important part p. 93 s.:

When the first functional prototypes of the Leica M3 became available in the early fifties, their shape had already been established to a large extent by the designers. As a sculptor, Dr. Ludwig Leitz believed that its final appearance should be determined by a stylist who can think "three-di-mensionally," like a sculptor. He also discussed this aspect with Willi Stein, head of the Photo Design Department, and with Adolf Gross, head of the Styling Department at Leitz. The latter suggested asking his former professor of sculpting for help in finding a qualified young man for this task. When Dr. Leitz subsequently visited Professor Scheuernstuhl at a college in Hannover, he met Heinrich Janke in a studio, where Janke was preparing a bust to be cast in bronze. That subject was of particular interest to Dr. Leitz, so he spent a good deal of time in an animated discussion with master student Janke about the latter's work. Janke still remembers Dr. Leitz asking him whether he knew about the Leitz company and whether he would be interested in moving to Wetzlar in order to work in a creative capacity at his company. Even though Janke showed interest in such a job, they parted company without a firm commitment. Janke had already forgotten the encounter when he was called to the telephone a few months later. The Leitz Personnel Department wanted to know when he was finally coming to Wetzlar, where he was already expected.

str.


PS: DDM, was da, während ich geschrebien habe, inzwischen auf Deutsch steht, ist ja viel aussagereicher und schöner als das hier gezeigte Buchwissen!