I'm going to tell you about report from Germany on its microeconomics I've listened to (http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p004v8xg). This podcast examines German partition and reunification as seen through the lens of one of the country’s most prestigious companies, Carl Zeiss.
The company was founded in 1846 and built a global reputation for producing high quality microscopes, scientific instruments, cameras and lenses. Originally based in Jena in eastern Germany, the company was split at the end of the Second World War. Like Germany itself, Carl Zeiss was divided after 1945 and the history of the two Zeiss factories, both specializing in optical technologies, mirrors post-war political, social and technological separation and subsequent re-unification. Both parts of the Carl Zeiss company initially struggled to maintain contact. But the bitterness and mistrust of the Cold War soon created deep political, economic and social divisions and the two parts of the company became bitter international rivals, arguing about who owned the Carl Zeiss trademark on the world market. But 20 years ago, the Berlin Wall came down and while Germany reunified, Carl Zeiss in Oberkocken was determined that it too, should be reunited with Carl Zeiss in the East.
Now over 100 years old, Zeiss continues to be associated with expensive and high-quality optical lenses. Zeiss lenses are generally thought to be elegant and well-constructed, yielding high-quality images. Even old lens designs demonstrate engineering elegance.
As for my self-judgement I want to say that in this podcast I found difficult the fact that the voice of Tim Whewell was unintelligible. So, I couldn’t understand thoroughly everything. However as the spirit of the speech remained clear for me I think that I managed the task.
The company was founded in 1846 and built a global reputation for producing high quality microscopes, scientific instruments, cameras and lenses. Originally based in Jena in eastern Germany, the company was split at the end of the Second World War. Like Germany itself, Carl Zeiss was divided after 1945 and the history of the two Zeiss factories, both specializing in optical technologies, mirrors post-war political, social and technological separation and subsequent re-unification. Both parts of the Carl Zeiss company initially struggled to maintain contact. But the bitterness and mistrust of the Cold War soon created deep political, economic and social divisions and the two parts of the company became bitter international rivals, arguing about who owned the Carl Zeiss trademark on the world market. But 20 years ago, the Berlin Wall came down and while Germany reunified, Carl Zeiss in Oberkocken was determined that it too, should be reunited with Carl Zeiss in the East.
Now over 100 years old, Zeiss continues to be associated with expensive and high-quality optical lenses. Zeiss lenses are generally thought to be elegant and well-constructed, yielding high-quality images. Even old lens designs demonstrate engineering elegance.
As for my self-judgement I want to say that in this podcast I found difficult the fact that the voice of Tim Whewell was unintelligible. So, I couldn’t understand thoroughly everything. However as the spirit of the speech remained clear for me I think that I managed the task.
