173:
357:, the 20-mm Oerlikon gun was the main export product to the Axis powers. WO's business with the Axis countries - Germany, Italy and Romania - reached a total of 543.4 million Swiss francs in the years 1940 to 1944 (adjusted for inflation today, about 2 billion Fr. ) and comprised the delivery of 7,013 20-mm guns, 14,758,489 rounds of ammunition, 12,520 spare barrels and 40,092 magazines. What was ordered and produced in 1943 and 1944, however, was partly not delivered due to the development of the authorisation practice and the war situation. What was delivered, meanwhile, was described by the German
463:
345:. After the conquest of France and complete fascist encirclement, Switzerland had been put under pressure by Nazi Germany to deliver all war material produced for foreign countries to the Axis powers. From WO's point of view, these partly entered into the supply contracts with England and France, which could no longer be fulfilled, in the deals that were now starting.
233:
armaments industry of their own. France and
England imported practically no armaments in the 1920s; only the industrialised countries Japan, the Netherlands and the USA had larger import shares of between 2.5 and 5 per cent of world imports. It was not until around the mid-1930s that the large markets of the future opponents of the
307:. Emil G. Bührle's diversification strategy was to reduce risk by investing in the civil sector on the one hand and in building up the Pilatus Aircraft Works on the other. The Pilatus factories did not achieve any significant production during the war as a result of the difficult general conditions. Until the
368:
and as a result of open claims from incomplete contracts (Germany, Italy) against all former warring parties. In the catastrophic situation for WO and its employees caused by the arms export ban since autumn 1944, it was Emil G. Bührle personally who kept WO and its staff afloat for around five years
474:
and the end of the Cold War forced the decision to focus on technology, consumer goods and customer service. In 1994, Oerlikon-Bührle acquired the
Leybold Group, which was active in vacuum technology, and merged it with Balzers to form Balzers & Leybold, the leading thin-film technology company.
323:
After Bührle became Swiss in 1937, the German authorities, as part of their autarky policy, deliberately ousted him from his participation in the Berlin Ikaria-Gesellschaft until 1939. At the outbreak of war, both Italy and
Germany had already had their own efficient producers of 20 mm guns for
240:
In the 1920s and 1930s, WO's war material business was in line with Swiss foreign and security policy. This policy relied on an exportable Swiss armaments industry as a basis for supplying its own army and also promoted the successful armaments sector for reasons of job creation. Until 1938, there
432:
Between 1963 and 1968, the group violated the
Federal Council's export bans on war material by supplying weapons to the countries involved in conflicts: Nigeria, South Africa, Malaysia, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Lebanon. Oerlikon-Bührle obtained the necessary export licences by submitting
232:
The main sales countries in the fiercely contested market dominated by the armaments industries of France, Great
Britain and the USA with world market shares of between 77 percent (1924) and 65 percent (1929) were initially mainly non-European non-industrialised countries that had no
436:
In 1970, Dieter Bührle and three co-defendants were sentenced to conditional prison terms of between 8 and 18 months and a fine of 200,000 Swiss francs. The damage to the group remained minor, however, because although the
Federal Council withdrew Bührle's war material production licence, it
444:
had to admit that the authorities had had information about illegal arms exports for months. As a political consequence, a popular initiative to ban the export of war material was submitted in 1969, which was narrowly rejected in 1972 with 49.8% of the votes in favour, but also with a clear
340:
in accordance with
Federal Council policy and under pressure from the Swiss trade delegation. Researchers agree that the Swiss government's request to E. G. Bührle to supply Germany - later denied by Federal Councillor Kobelt - was a violation of the
296:). In the 1930s, the company rose to become the largest private arms manufacturer in Switzerland, employing over 2,000 people in 1939. From the end of the decade WO held an important position in the Swiss economy as an employer of subcontractors.
261:, the WO supplied machine guns in 1935 until shortly before the arms export ban came into force. Later, too, weapons were allegedly smuggled by E. G. Bührle's WO into the country attacked by Italy. In Switzerland, Bührle represented Abyssinia as
277:, the company mainly supplied smaller states such as the Baltic states, Czechoslovakia and Greece. Real large orders and deliveries were made to France, Great Britain and the Netherlands as a result of the massive rearmament in 1938.
311:
in June 1940, the main customers of WO were the Allied countries - led by Great
Britain and France. These countries placed orders in Oerlikon for almost 250 million Swiss francs. For their fulfilment, even urgent needs of the
268:
The company achieved its breakthrough in 1929 with a large order for over 100 cannons in China. In Europe, where market access with the major powers remained difficult until the forced rearmament in the wake of the
224:. It was exported almost all over the world even before the war. In the context of the rearmament of the 1930s, Bührle continued to push the weapons sector and made his company the leading Swiss armaments company.
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420:. The Zenit sounding rocket, first launched in 1967, was also a product of its involvement in space. In 1973, Oerlikon-Bührle Holding AG was created and listed on the
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and has since traded as
Allreal Generalunternehmung AG. In January 2000, the Oerlikon-Bührle group was renamed Unaxis, and in September 2006 it was renamed again to
923:
433:
applications indicating false countries of destination. This practice became public in 1968 after media reported on
Oerlikon cannons in the Nigerian civil war.
806:
Schweizer Rüstungsindustrie und Kriegsmaterialhandel zur Zeit des Nationalsozialismus. Corporate Strategies - Market Development - Political Surveillance
204:, transferred from Magdeburg to Oerlikon as an authorised signatory in 1924, expanded weapons manufacturing into the company's main business with the
896:
Swiss Armaments Industry and War Material Trade at the Time of National Socialism. Corporate strategies - market development - political surveillance
280:
From 1936 onwards, business was done with Switzerland. In France, Germany, Italy, Japan and England there were attempts at cooperation (1932/33 with
866:
417:
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were basically neither domestic nor international legal restrictions on the business of the Swiss armaments industry and thus on the WO.
409:
was developed. In 1957, business development in the direction of vacuum technology and a first production plant for process systems in
172:
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Between Entrepreneurship, Politics and Survival. Emil G. Bührle and the Machine Tool Factory Oerlikon, Bührle & Co. 1924-1945.
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In 1980, the Oerlikon-Bührle Group employed around 37,000 people, the highest number in the group's history. In 1991, failures in
478:
In 1999, the group focused on selected technology sectors and sold the defence division Oerlikon Contraves Defence to the German
308:
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Oerlikon-Contraves had been active in space since 1964; the company was involved in the development of the European satellite
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Schweizer Kanonen für Nigeria: Die Bührle-Affäre rückt 1968 die Ausfuhr von Kriegsmaterial ins politischen Scheinwerfer
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and the sale of various core divisions, in particular the armaments division Oerlikon Contraves Defence to the German
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501:. The space division became legally independent as Contraves Space. Oerlikon-Bührle Immobilien AG was sold to
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288:, Italy), licensing (1936 to Germany and Japan, 1939 to the UK) and company investments (1934 to 1939 in the
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381:. The company specialised in the production of thin films and thus founded the core technology of today's
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As an indirect counter-proposal, more restrictive arms export legislation came into force in 1973.
257:. Reports were published in the media about deliveries of Oerlikon weapons to Republican Spain. To
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From 1944 onwards, the WO found itself in a difficult position as a result of blacklists by the
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809:
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A Place in Space: The History of Swiss Participation in European Space Programmes, 1960-1987.
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for 20 mm Oerlikon guns had to be postponed out of consideration for the policy of the
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In the course of the affair resulting from the media reports, Federal President
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336:). It was not until the summer of 1940 that WO also supplied 20-mm guns to the
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385:, which was temporarily also called Unaxis. Oerlikon-Contraves developed the
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258:
816:. - Independent Commission of Experts (TOB) Switzerland - Second World War.
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AG. At the same time, Contraves Space was renamed Oerlikon Space. In 2009,
208:
in the economically difficult 1920s and became the main shareholder of the
89:
16:
1906–1999 Swiss defence company based in Oerlikon, Zurich, now restructured
661:
Patrick Kupper, Institute of History, ETH Zurich (2002). H-Soz-u-Kult for
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Patrick Kupper, Institute of History, ETH Zurich (2002). H-Soz-u-Kult for
765:
378:
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254:
808:. Chronos, Zurich 2002 (= Publications of the TOB, vol. 11).
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were opened up for imports in the wake of the general rearmament.
171:
510:
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sounding rocket. In the field of anti-tank guided weapons, the
749:
253:, which broke out in 1936, was circumvented by exporting via
212:(WO) in 1929. The Oerlikon gun, initially also offered as an
615:
D. Haller: Between entrepreneurship, politics and survival
292:
mbH in Berlin; manufacturer of the 20 mm machine gun
668:
D. Haller: Zwischen Unternehmertum, Politik und Überleben
424:. Three years later, the group integrated Balzers AG.
730:
Verlag Beauchesne, 2008, ISBN 2701015324, p. 136
663:
Clio-online-Historisches Fachinformationssystem e.V.
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Clio-online-Historisches Fachinformationssystem e.V.
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in 1923, thus saving it from bankruptcy. The German
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32:
24:
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801:Verlag Huber, Frauenfeld 2002, ISBN 3-7193-1277-1.
591:Switzerland as seen by the Third Reich, 1933-1945.
216:, became an export hit, especially as an aircraft
160:, the holding company was merged into the present
132:Werkzeugmaschinenfabrik Oerlikon, Bührle & Co.
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190:Schweizerische Werkzeugmaschinenfabrik Oerlikon
176:20-mm-Oerlikon anti-aircraft gun in use by the
377:In 1946, the Gerätebauanstalt was founded in
8:
698:: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (
645:: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (
437:reassigned it to the Oerlikon-Bührle Group.
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919:Tool manufacturing companies of Switzerland
651:Short review from the book by Daniel Heller
466:Rheinmetall Air Defence in Oerlikon (2022)
18:
825:75 years ago: A wildcat strike at Bührle
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601:
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301:Pilatus-Flugzeugwerke (Pilatus Aircraft)
929:Manufacturing companies based in Zürich
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542:Ikaria Gesellschaft für Flugzeugzubehör
369:with the help of his personal fortune.
290:Ikaria Gesellschaft für Flugzeugzubehör
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638:
585:
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766:http://www.mkmk.ch/pdf/Le_Bourget.pdf
299:In 1939, Bührle and partners founded
284:, France), cooperation (1932/33 with
7:
924:Firearm manufacturers of Switzerland
867:Historical Dictionary of Switzerland
513:acquired Oerlikon Space and made it
198:Magdeburger Werkzeugmaschinenfabrik
768:Presentation of Contraves Space AG
14:
210:Werkzeugmaschinenfabrik Oerlikon
136:Werkzeugmaschinenfabrik Oerlikon
37:Werkzeugmaschinenfabrik Oerlikon
1:
458:After the end of the Cold War
196:, had been taken over by the
752:of 3 November 2014, page 8 (
428:"Bührle affair" of the 1960s
566:Switzerland in World War II
407:Oerlikon-Contraves Mosquito
395:RSC/D guided missile system
349:Supplies to the Axis Powers
945:
784: (archived 2014-07-14)
249:The export ban during the
399:RSE Kriens guided missile
387:SNORA and SURA-D missiles
192:(SWO), a spin-off of the
832:1 (2016). chapters 4-10.
532:Gerätebauanstalt Balzers
271:Anschluss von Österreich
194:Maschinenfabrik Oerlikon
485:Rheinmetall Air Defence
842: Thomas Gmür:
671:. Huber. p. 233.
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309:Capitulation of France
185:
553:Pilatus-Flugzeugwerke
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361:as "key deliveries".
188:Founded in 1906, the
182:USS Enterprise (CV-6)
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422:Swiss Stock Exchange
914:1906 establishments
726:Stephan Zellmeyer:
499:Texas Pacific Group
149:from 1906 to 1999.
21:
876:Always reinvented.
468:
391:RSA guided missile
206:20-mm Oerlikon gun
186:
898:. - Summary, 5 p.
830:Sozialarchiv Info
714:"ESA logout page"
548:Franz Brozincevic
480:Rheinmetall DeTec
251:Spanish Civil War
222:anti-aircraft gun
202:Emil Georg Bührle
164:in January 2000.
158:Rheinmetall DeTec
147:Oerlikon (Zürich)
143:armaments company
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107:Emil Georg Bührle
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782:Wayback Machine
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373:Post-war period
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66:in January 2000
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864:in the online
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682:. Retrieved
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134:, initially
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118:Oerlikon gun
81:Headquarters
62:Merged into
25:Company type
894:Peter Hug:
804:Peter Hug:
589:Jürg Fink:
544:mbH, Berlin
507:OC Oerlikon
383:OC Oerlikon
338:Axis powers
330:Rheinmetall
162:OC Oerlikon
130:(full name
95:Switzerland
75:OC Oerlikon
64:OC Oerlikon
33:Predecessor
908:Categories
572:References
515:RUAG Space
497:to the US
489:- and the
448:Ständemehr
413:followed.
314:Swiss Army
220:and light
184:(May 1943)
102:Key people
694:cite book
641:cite book
618:. Huber.
537:Contraves
259:Abyssinia
145:based in
71:Successor
28:Armaments
560:See also
482:- today
411:Trübbach
401:and the
273:and the
138:) was a
113:Products
86:Oerlikon
861:Italian
780:at the
684:27 June
665:(ed.).
631:27 June
612:(ed.).
555:, Stans
379:Balzers
324:years (
178:US Navy
168:History
51:Defunct
43:Founded
855:French
849:German
828:, in:
812:
754:online
675:
622:
418:ESRO-1
397:, the
393:, the
366:Allies
326:Mauser
286:Scotti
255:Mexico
152:After
116:20-mm
90:Zürich
527:Bally
495:Bally
472:ADATS
403:Zenit
334:Breda
305:Stans
294:MG FF
245:1930s
228:1920s
140:Swiss
879:In:
858:and
846:in
810:ISBN
700:link
686:2010
673:ISBN
647:link
633:2010
620:ISBN
511:RUAG
491:shoe
59:Fate
54:1999
46:1906
750:NZZ
353:In
303:in
180:on
910::
852:,
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748:,
735:^
696:}}
692:{{
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639:{{
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517:.
487:AG
451:.
389:,
332:,
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320:.
265:.
93:,
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649:)
635:.
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