Radio Factories and Radio Production in Hungary

 

In 1917-18 the production of military radio transceiver (KLERA) started at the Telefongyár (Telephone Factory) with using electron tubes produced by Egyesült Izzó; but from 1925 radios produced in Izzó and in the manufacturing co-operation were put into circulation under TUNGSRAM brand.

Manufacturing sets for non-military purpose started at Telefongyár in 1923 and till the middle of the 1930s sets were made on the basis of Telefunken licence. From the 1950s the factory also produced military telecommunicational sets again.

The Hungarian interest of PHILIPS started manufacturing radios in 1931 and beside ORION it was one of the most significant manufacturer until the end of World War II.

The Magyar Wolframlámpagyár (The Hungarian Wolfram Lamp Factory) appeared under ORION brand and began manufacturing in 1925 and it meant a determining productive capacity from the beginning of the 1930s. In the 30s it exported sets under Tungsram brand.

Orion.gif (3465 bytes)

The Standard Villamossági RT (interests of ITT in Hungary) which was formed from a department of Egyesült Izzó, was a determinant firm too. It did wage labour to more firms (EKA, Philips, Telefunken).

Siemens has been present on the home market only from 1941 but till the end of the war it produced sets in great amount. Until 1950 these sets were put into circulation with VIKERT brand on them.

A képre katttintva megtekintheti a készülék belsejét

It's important to mention the Néprádió (Public Radio) campaign, which was carried out by the collaboration of four factories (ORION, Philips, Telefunken and Standard)

On the basis of prior assessment of demands more than 120 thousand of sets were claimed, but only 45 thousand pieces were made because printing sets wasn't a good deal. In great amount public radios were manufactured again from 1950.

Most of the factories closed down or were transformed, or they changed their outline on the well-known political grounds. As a significant factory the Vadásztölténygyár, later as Videoton, can be mentioned from 1955
Beside the mentioned plants in the Golden Age at least 30 smaller or bigger factories, smaller enterprises were present on the market, some of them only for 1 or 2 years, but their radios can be found at the collectors. The most well-known ones were the following:

Süss Nándor RT. 1926-1932
EKA (Engel Károly, a cég 1926-tól) 1934-1947
ERICSSON Magyar Villamossági RT 1924-1926
Astra Villamossági és Rádió Művek 1929-1931
Vatea 1930-1933
Rikert Rádió 1930-1932
BAPO (Barta és Társa) 1926-1938
Belgráder Rádió 1930-1941
B.J. (Bodnár Jenő) 1931-1938
Reich Rádió (Reich Miklós) 1930-1932
SZIKSZ Rádió 1931-1933
Rádiócentrum (Miklós Dezső) 1933-1936
Rotand (Rotter Lóránd) 1933-1938
Phöbus Villamos Művek 1934-1938
AMRAD (Hidy és Társa) 1935-1936
ECHO (Vörös Rezső, Lamoth Emil) 1938-1948
Fénycső K.SZ. 1956-1957
Beloiannisz (BHG) 1955-1956
Finommechanikai Vállalat (Székesfehérvár) 1960-1966
Fővárosi Finommechanikai Vállalat 1956-1957
Perfekt Rádió 1936-1937
Urner és Berkovits 1926-1927
RÁVA (Rádiótechnikai Vállalat) 1950-?

I found an interesting document in the company brochure of „Tungsram”. On two separate photos you can clearly see that they are assembling and checking the equipment We 3B, that was manufactured between 1924-26. Unfortunately the editor added the text to one of them saying it shows telephone assembly, which is obviously erroneous. Next to the We 3B you can clearly see the antenna and the funnel speaker.

The Tungsram We 3B radio from 1924-26

The assembly and final check of the We 3B

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