| Pioneer of the First Hour |
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Due to his good connections, he found an assistant position with the newly formed company RADIONE immediately after graduation. This first position determined the path from age 19 on.
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Eng. Franz Zehetner
(1907 -1986)
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As an assistant, he was resposible for splicing and positioning cables. It was not exactly the career this ambitious technician had hoped for, but it meant a steady position at a time of little job security. But soon people at work began to take notice of their young colleague and increased his resposibilities: he was permitted to solder during the assembly of appliances. |
First Experiences Abroad One day Zehetner was called in to see his boss, Engineer Eltz, who asked him whether he possessed a passport. As he didn't, he was given 2 days off to acquire one. He then accompanied his boss to the Czech Republic to repair the Duke of Liechtenstein's radio. It's hard to imagine nowadays, but this was the custom in those times. Shortly thereafter, he found himself abroad once more, this time with member of the board Mr. Zerdik, with whom he soon became friends. They visited customers in Poland, making repairs again. As a result of his thorough technical knowledge and motivation, Eng. Zehetner was soon sent on business trips alone. When Mr. Zerdik went independent, the young technician joined him in the new company. During high periods they produced up to 150 radios a day in two shifts - at that time an admirable accomplishment. However, they not only manufactured machines sold under their name but also ones sold under the name of Horniphon and Philips. When Zerdik threw the towel in 1936, Eng. Zehetner took over the Repair Company. |
| The Founding of the Company "Radiobau ZEHETNER" |
On
August 2nd, 1938 the situation was this: he took over a radio store
himself on the Lerchenfelderstraße 18, in the 8th district of
Vienna, following the death of the owner. In order to be closer to
his store, he made a spur-of the-moment decision to move in on the first
floor of the building. |
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Although
at first he dealt simply with "the production and repair of radio equipment,
limited to construction from preassembled parts", by December 2nd, 1939,
he had broadened his services to a "Dealership of radios, dicta-phones
and components, electronic materials, records, bicycles and illumination." |
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In
WWII he was drafted to Germany as a "technician". After it was discovered
with considerable dismay that he was not captable of repairing motor vehicles,
he received a crash course in auto mechanics and was allowed to make all
manner of vehicles left behind during the march on Russia road-ready.
He was able to survive the chaos of war with merely minor frostbite. |
| After WWII | |
As there was huge demand
but virtually no supply for radios, Eng. Zehetner began producing radio-construction
kits and completed radios from old military
scraps. |
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| This
idea was worth its weight in gold: "The appliances were ripped out of
our hands like hot rolls, we simply couldn't keep up with production"
(original quote). |
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| Following the first post-war trade shows Zehetner appliances were popular items, drawing in not only the sensationalists, but also providing considerable profits.
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| Construction
kit Phonetta-Volkssuper |
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After
four versions of the "VOLKSSUPER",
the "PHONETTA", the "Zehetner-VS"
, the "PHONETTA-SUPER"
and the "PHONETTA K49", production
on the so-called "Gem series" commenced. These were upright appliances with sonorous names such as "ONYX", "RUBIN" (Ruby), "SMARAGD" (Emerald), "BRILLANT" (Diamond), "SAPHIR" (Sapphir) and "OPAL", the letter versions already equipped with the "magic eye". |
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Vienna
Trade Show 1947 |
| The Rise | |
Innovation
was always a theme of particular importance to Eng. Zehetner. When the
first wave of demand was satisfied, he turned his attention to new types
of appliances, perpetually remaining his firms' chief inventor. And so
he developed portable battery appliances, so-called "suitcase-receivers"
or "portables", realizing that portable
devices find a ready market in times of increased leisure -, as is still
the case today. These battery-driven appliances were the company's biggest
hit in the early '50s. |
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The
workshop at the Lerchenfelderstraße 18 |
On March 24th, 1953, he expanded his concessions with a "radio mechanics trade". Also in 1953, the company introduced the first combination-appliance on the market, a portable with a built-in record player, the "FROHSINN Junior". |
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The introduction of the FM-radio in Austria (1953) opened a market niche, which the company was able to fill immediately: For every appliance not equipped with FM reception possibility, he delivered FM reception devices - from add-on assemby to base, which could simply be plugged into the appliances' record-player: the Zehetner ULTRA. |
| The Firm at its' Peak | |
During
the firms' most successful years, Eng. Zehetner employed approximately
thirty co-workers who could barely fulfill the demand. The appliances
were highly popular, even the prominent motor-sports journalist Dr.
Max Reisch took them with him on his adventurous journeys.
As the premises on Lerchenfelderstraße 18 were no longer big enough
to accomodate them, the workshops were expanded and the office relocated
to a small street-front office on the Neudeggergasse 1-3, in the same
house right around the corner. |
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With
the "FROHSINN"
line, the UB60,
UB61,
UB62,
the "TOURIST",
the "JUNIOR"
and the "PICCOLO"
and the following appliances "ALLROUND",
"JUNIOR 56"
and the "PICCOLO
56", the company was at its' peak. Eng. Zehetner was entered into the volume "Who is Who in Austria" |
| Frohsinn
UB 60 |
| The Decline | |
However,
by the end of the fifties, a development became apparent which
led to the end of the companies production of radios: The new technologies
evolving through factory line production and beginning competition in
the East (Japan) diminished further chances. |
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The last highlights were
the beautiful "DARLING",
the "BRILLANT"
and finally the "BAMBI",
which had to be renamed "CHERI" due to the Disney character
bearing the same name. Also worth mentioning are the "Piccolo
Fulltransistor-Autosuper", which could be used both
as a battery receiver as well as an auto-receiver for 6 or 12 Volt. |
|
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Eng. Zehetner, who always gambled on intelligent products, developed a special test-clip for the service industry, the "Zehetner Universal Test-Clip" which also sold well. Demand was so high that production could not fulfill it. Zehetners sons and colleagues' family members had to work extra shifts, even on Sundays. However,
he made a decisive mistake in not patenting the device, whose potential
he barely grasped. The test-clips were copied in Germany (by Hirschmann)
and underbid. The clips were delivered to Switzerland, France and the
USA. |
| The 60's |
In
the 60's radio-receivers lost popularity, but home
entertainment systems were produced, which the company
made to customer specification. This came to an end in the 70's, when
it became fashionable to simply compile individual HiFi components. |
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What remained was the production of test-clips, which came in three versions and various colors. Foreign sales were good as well, informative print material was delivered in English and French as well. The two improved versions of the clips were patented in 1968, and in addition to the test-clips, the repair service and radio dealership flourished. |
Eng.
Zehetner (left) with his right hand man Eng. Walter Jauernik |
But also servicing radios and TVs
became problematic. The clients were usually elderly, possessing well-used
appliances. Repairs should be as cost-efficient as possible, and services
such as pick-up and delivery of appliances free. Clients welcomed advice
when it came to buying new appliances, but then purchased at discount. |
| The End | |
At
the age of 68, Eng. Zehetner incorporated his firm and turned it over
to his senior colleagues, Eng.
Walter JAUERNIK (who began as an apprentice with the company
and was known as its "heart and soul") and Mrs.
Paula SCHARL (deceased). He remained director in name only,
enjoying retirement, though still young at heart and without profits.
On the contrary: he supported his beloved company with his private fortune. |
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Vienna
Trade Show 1952 |
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The company, which was once ranked among the biggest
in the industry, was close to the end. Besides the not-utilized chance
of the test-clip, holding fast to small business practices - dealership,
production and repair services - proved catastrophic. He didn't stand
a chance in stiff competition, and it probably would have been better
if he had concentrated solely on dealership.
Eng. Zehetner was on the Board of Directors for the "Landesgremium Wien for the trade with radio- and electronic equipment" from April 30th, 1970 to May 28th, 1985. 1986
he dissolved his company debt-free. |
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1984
in front of his beloved shop
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©
2001
Mag. Kurt Zehetner
Eng. Franz Zehetner Jun.