Rudolf Fuess

Established in Berlin in 1865, the firm of Rudolf Fuess quickly rose to prominence as an optical instrument maker. Five years after it was started, it needed to move to larger quarters, and in 1892, the firm relocated its headquarters to a Berlin suburb, Steglitz, in order to have room for further expansion.

Rudolf Fuess (1838-1917) was the key player in his workshop, being both manager, director, designer, and engineer all in one. For the early history of the company, see the constituent record for Rudolf Fuess.

In 1913, Fuess transferred the business to his son Paul. In 1932, the company opened an American office in New York City under the name of R. Fuess, Inc. In 1936, another branch was opened in Potsdam. This branch principally made aviation instruments.

In the 1930s, the Fuess company was famous for precision instruments in seven departments:

1) instruments to measure air pressure, temperature, and humidity; testing apparatus; open air housings.

2) instruments to measure wind, rainfall, evaporation, radiation, and sight.

3) thermo-control instruments for the measurement of flow, pressure, and vacuum.

4) microscopes and instruments for general optical observation and material research.

5) spectroscopic apparatus, goniometers, refractometers, and crystallo-optical apparatus.

6) apparatus for measuring water levels and quantities.

7) apparatus made to order.

At the height of its operations, the R. Fuess company had 3000 employees. Work came to a standstill, however, with the defeat of Germany in World War II and the partition of the country. Production resumed in 1948 or 1949. Although the firm was able to mark its 100th anniversary, its product--precision mechanical-optical apparatus--could not compete with the newer electronic optical apparatus. The firm was dissoved in 1976, and the factory demolished the same year.