December 27, 2025, 1:23 pm | Read time: 5 minutes
What would Samsung, Sony, or Apple be without German inventiveness? Nonexistent. German engineers made significant pioneering contributions in the early days of communication and broadcasting technology at the beginning of the 20th century. MyHOMEBOOK explains the role Telefunken played in this article.
The PAL system and thus the beginning of color television in West Germany are primarily associated with one name: Telefunken. When then-Foreign Minister Willy Brandt pressed a red button on August 25, 1967, and colorful images flickered into West German living rooms for the first time, Telefunken no longer existed as an independent brand. How did that happen?
The History of Telefunken
The rise of Telefunken occurred during the German Empire. These were turbulent times. The countries surrounding Germany were hostile to each other. By the end of the 19th century, Europe resembled a powder keg.
A new, fast technology promised the rapid transmission of messages in the event of war. The so-called spark telegraphy made it possible. The radio age was ushered in after Heinrich Hertz discovered electromagnetic radiation in 1886, the basis for radio waves. However, there were no receiving devices yet.
At this time, two German electrical companies were advancing research in radio technology. One group, led by Adolf Slaby and Georg Graf von Arco, worked for the Allgemeine Elektricitäts-Gesellschaft, or AEG for short. Another group, under the leadership of Karl Ferdinand Braun, conducted research at Siemens & Halske. AEG was responsible for the radio equipment of the Imperial Navy. Siemens, on the other hand, was a pioneer in radio technology for the German Army.
Telefunken Emerges at the Emperor’s Request
Emperor Wilhelm II was not at all pleased with the situation of having two competing rivals. Allegedly, the German emperor desired a merger of both companies. Thus, on May 27, 1903, the Gesellschaft für drahtlose Telegraphie m.b.H., System Telefunken, was founded in Berlin. The newly established company chose the short telegram address “Telefunken” as its trademark.
The importance of radio technology grew enormously in the following years. The sinking of the Titanic in 1912 boosted the business in maritime radio technology. Telefunken was already one of the leading companies in this field. Unfortunately, Telefunken’s technology for transmitting messages by radio also played a significant role in World War I.
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First Radios and Televisions from Telefunken
After the end of World War I and the fall of the German Empire, radio technology spread into the private sector. With the start of radio broadcasting in 1923, the company changed its name to Telefunken, Gesellschaft für drahtlose Telegraphie. The focus was now on developing radio devices. By the end of 1923, Telefunken itself began regularly broadcasting radio programs.
At the same time, Telefunken was researching the first television sets. At the Radio Exhibition in Berlin in 1928, Telefunken presented a first model. Two years later, a Telefunken engineer succeeded in broadcasting flicker-free images over the few television sets using a new process.
After Adolf Hitler’s rise to power, the Nazis quickly recognized the potential of television. In the so-called German Standard Television Receiver E 1, technology from Telefunken was also included in 1939.
Interestingly, in 1932, Telefunken founded a subsidiary named Telefunken-Platte G.m.b.H., making it one of the largest German companies in the emerging record industry at the time. The company continued under the name Teldec from 1950 and was sold to the American media conglomerate Time Warner in 1987. During World War II, Telefunken was one of the most important companies in radio technology for the German military, on land, at sea, and in the air.
Made by Telefunken: The PAL Color Television System
After the war, Telefunken focused on producing radios and televisions. The company established new locations in Ulm and Backnang for this purpose.
From the 1950s, Telefunken did not just produce televisions. The company thought on a larger scale: developing a color television system for Germany and the world. For this, Telefunken established its own television research laboratory. Walter Bruch took over the leadership. In 1962, Telefunken’s electrical engineers achieved a significant technical breakthrough. The PAL system was born, paving the way for color television in West Germany.
However, it took another five years before colorful images could be seen on German TV sets. In the meantime, the inventor of German color television almost disappeared from the scene unnoticed. From 1967, AEG took over the marketing rights of Telefunken.
This marked the unspectacular end of Telefunken as an independent company. However, due to the brand’s strong reputation, Telefunken reappeared on the scene from the 2010s. The Turkish electronics company Vestel, in particular, continues to use the powerful name for selling televisions and household appliances in Germany.
Asian countries now play a leading role in the field of electrical engineering. However, it was German engineers and companies like Telefunken that made significant pioneering contributions in radio and broadcasting technology.