Technikatörténeti szemle 27. (2005-06)

Tanulmányok - Antal Ildikó: A Ganz Gyár Elektrotechnikai Osztályának alapítása és első évtizedei

ILDIKÓ ANTAL: FOUNDATION AND FIRST DECADES OF THE GANZ FACTORY'S DEPARTMENT OF ELECTROTECHNICS The factory founded by ABRAHAM GANZ, which was of importance on the world market as soon as before the Compromise [between Austria and Hungary, 1867], occupies a special place in Hungary's machine manufacture. After GANZ'S death the factory was turned into a share company under ANDRAS MECHWART's direction. It bore the name of Ganz & Co. Iron Foundry and Machine Factory. In 1878-at a time when heavy current driven machines and equipment were but scarcely manufactured even by foreign countries with a much more developed industry - MECHWART established the company's department of electrotechnics headed by KAROLY ZIPERNOWSKY. MECHWART directed the Ganz factory until 1899. During the 25 years while he was Director General, the factory developed into a company of worldwide reputation. The paper describes the history of the Ganz factory's Department of Electrotechnics from 1878 to 1899. This relatively short time was one of the most fertile periods in the factory's life as far as professional innovations and inventions are concerned. The data are based on archival documents, reports of contemporary newspapers and papers of professional journals.