Locations

Göttingen is first mentioned as “Gutingi” in a document of Emperor Otto I.

Receiving the town charter.

Opening of the Georg August University

The entrepreneur and precision mechanic Rudolf Winkel manufactures precision mechanical devices in rented rooms in Goethe-Allee in Göttingen.

The first larger Winkel microscopes are appraised by Professor Listing.

Winkel’s workshop moves to Düsterer Eichenweg 9 on the corner of Baurat-Gerber-Strasse.

The Winkels company expands rapidly. The eldest son Carl becomes head of the mechanical workshop. In 1890, Winkel employs 30 people.

The physicist and mathematician Ernst Abbe visits Winkel's workshop. Abbe has been a partner of Carl Zeiss in Jena since 1875.

After the death of Rudolf Winkel, his sons continue to run the company. In 1907, the factory is rebuilt on the current production site in Königsallee.

Carl Zeiss becomes the largest shareholder. The company becomes a GmbH (limited liability company), and the factory building is once again expanded. Winkel is the first company to introduce the 8-hour workday. Number of employees: 130.

The first "standard" microscope is delivered - one of the most successful microscope models.

Plant II (optical production) is set up in Carl-Zeiss-Straße.

On its 100th anniversary, R. Winkel GmbH becomes part of the Carl Zeiss Foundation. All employees now enjoy the social benefits.

After the reunification of East and West Germany, Göttingen becomes the business division for light microscopy with production, development, production marketing and sales.

The new 2500 square meter assembly hall in Königsallee is inaugurated with employees and personalities from politics and business.

The Axio Imager®, developed and produced entirely in Göttingen, is launched on the market and receives the R & D 100 Award.

The Celldiscoverer 7 ® appears, an automated microscope for live cell imaging.

Carl Zeiss CMP GmbH is created as part of the global ZEISS manufacturing network:
Targeted investments in infrastructure, machinery and technologies will ensure the site's long-term future viability - here at the commissioning of the cleanrooms in 2018.

The ZEISS Lattice-Light Sheet 7 wins the German Future Prize, whose lenses are also produced in Göttingen.

Jena first mentioned

Town charter received; many people make their living from wine growing.

University founded. Long known as "Salana", it was renamed Friedrich Schiller University in 1934.

University of Jena's golden age: Schiller, Fichte, Schelling and Hegel lecture here on occasion. Thanks to August Wilhelm Schlegel, his wife Caroline, Friedrich Schlegel, Ludwig Tieck, Clemens Brentano, and Friedrich von Hardenburg (Novalis), Jena becomes a center of romanticism.

Napoleon defeats the Prussian army in the battles of Jena und Auerstedt.

Carl Zeiss opens an "Optical Workshop" at Neugasse 7.

The workshop moves to Wagnergasse 32.

The workshop moves again, this time to its own premises on Johannisplatz.

Residence of Carl Zeiss and the first factory building on what would later become the premises of the main plant.

First building constructed on the South Plant premises.

Large parts of Jena are destroyed in air raids, including the Main Plant.

Acquisition of the Imperial Railway repair center, which eventually became the North Plant. Today it is known as the Saalepark Industrial Area.

In June 1969, the historical residential and business area around Eichplatz – which had survived World War II – is torn down to make room to construct what is now called the JenTower. Erected as a research center for Carl Zeiss, the building is transferred to the university prior to completion and today is owned by a private investor.

The factory in Göschwitz begins operations. Today this is the Göschwitz Industrial Area.

Dedication ceremony for Building 6/70, which provides nearly 100,000 m² of space and thus constitutes one of the largest industrial buildings in Europe.

Carl Zeiss Jena GmbH becomes a subsidiary of Carl Zeiss Oberkochen and moves into renovated Building 6/70 (today Building 70).

The buildings at Göschwitzer Strasse 51-52 are transferred to Carl Zeiss Meditec AG.

Dedication ceremony for the new research center in Building 70.

First mention of Oberkochen in Ellwangen Ledger.

Senior employees of Carl Zeiss are deported by American Occupation Forces to Heidenheim.

Opton Optische Werke Oberkochen GmbH is founded as a subsidiary of the Carl Zeiss Foundation. An empty factory building provided accommodation facilities in Oberkochen. The factory was expanded in the 1950s.

Renamed to Zeiss-Opton Optische Werke Oberkochen GmbH.

Headquarters of the Carl Zeiss Foundation moved to Heidenheim by the Baden-Württemberg government.

Renamed Carl Zeiss.

272 apartments were inaugurated in the Zeiss housing development area "Am Thierstein" in Oberkochen.

Construction of an administration building.

Construction of a planetarium dome 20 m in diameter.

Development area receives town status.

Construction of an assembly building for Industrial metrology (Building XXXII).

Factory expanded further.

Official inauguration of the plant of Carl Zeiss SMT AG, the world’s most advanced development and production center for lithography optics.

Construction of the facilities for Carl Zeiss Meditec AG begun.

First mention in the Lorsch Codex.

Wetzlar becomes an imperial city.

Wetzlar becomes the seat of the Imperial High Court, the highest court of the Holy Roman Empire in Germany; a century of economic growth ensues.

The company Engelbert & Hensoldt relocates to Wetzlar. It was founded in Sonneberg, Thuringia, in 1852, moving to Braunfels in 1861.

Besides working for Engelbert & Hensoldt, Moritz Hensoldt runs his own company.

Thanks to positive business developments, the existing space quickly becomes insufficient: Hensoldt acquires a workshop on Sophienstrasse and erects a factory one year later.

The company becomes a general partnership (OHG), operating under the name M. Hensoldt & Söhne.

Construction of new buildings on Sophienstrasse.

Due to the growing product range, the buildings on Sophienstrasse are too small: Construction of a factory on Gloëlstrasse begins, which is ready to be occupied one year later.

The OHG is converted to an AG (stock company).

During the worldwide depression, the company plunges into a crisis. The Carl Zeiss Foundation becomes the majority shareholder.

All field glasses of Carl Zeiss Oberkochen are manufactured in Wetzlar.

Renamed Carl Zeiss Sports Optics.