History:

• Translation variants of "Volksempfaenger": Volksempfanger, People´s radio, People´s set, nazi radio, 3rd reich era radio, KDF radio, Strenght-through-joy receiver.
  
• Translation variants of "DKE. Deutscher Kleinempfaenger": German Small Receiver, German Little Radio, Goebbels Snout. DKE means Deutscher Kleinempfaenger.
• Gemeinschaftsempfaenger = joint production receivers
  
• The Volksempfangers were built by 28 manufacturers with brand name or "Gemeinschaftserzeugnis" (Joint production of different manufacturers).

Joint production projects.
The joint production receivers were the result of the political intention of the German government in the years 1933-1945. These by the joint production companies produced receivers were inexpensive in relation to other sets with brand names. Besides the more below listed single companies also these manufacturers produced such sets:

• The Rundfunktechnische Erzeugergemeinschaft (radio engineering production group) was expressly founded for the production of Volksempfangers.
• The Radio-Union was a special case. It is contentious whether actually these models belonged to the Volksempfanger family . Already in 1939, the radio union models appear no more in catalogs. To the Radio-Union belongend the companies Brandt, Braun, Emud (Maestling), Radio-Funkwerkstaetten Berlin, Rundfunktechnische Erzeugergemeinschaft, Schaleko, Wega. Probably production was only in 1936 and 1937. The radio union models therefore were already from the number of pieces in comparison to the Volksempfangers a rarity and are very interesting for collectors.
• Olympiakoffer (Olympia portable). Not all intended joint production projects really became such projects. The Olympiakoffer 36 (only by Schaleko) and the Olympiakoffer 37 (only by Nora) are examples therefore.
• Übersee-Gemeinschaftsempfänger Stuttgart (Overseas joint production receiver, world receiver). Produced by Blaupunkt, distributed over the export organisations also of other German manufacturers.

The "Volksempfangers" were the most produced radio set models in Germany between 1933 and 1945. But today these sets have a quite high worth for collectors. The construction of the "Volksempfanger" was controlled by the Seibt company, located in Berlin, directed by Otto Griessing. The DKE receiver was designed under leadership of Lorenz, directed by engineer Stapelfeld.

VE301 means (V)olks(e)mpfaenger and 301 01/30/1933 the day of seizure of power by the German chancellor A dolf H itler. These Volksempfangers were an important part of the propaganda campaign of the 'D rittes R eich'.

In 1933 a German workman earned approx. 120 - 150 RM (Reichsmark) per month net income. A loaf of bread did cost 0.30 - 0.40 RM, an egg 0.11 RM, a quart of milk 0.20 - 0.25 RM, a quart of beer 0.70 RM, two pounds of potatoes 0.06 RM. Therefore a volksempfanger (price 79.00 RM) was very expensive for normal workmen in that year and not easily affordable. The volksempfanger did cost more than a half month's wages. However the higher standard radios were much more expensive. It was not before 1938 with the appearance of the DKE radio that the former political regime could achieve it's aim to offer economical radio sets for the masses. The DKE was offered for a price of 35.00 RM. The income per month for a worker was also in 1938 somewhat higher: Approx. 125 - 165 RM.

(Click of warning sign for enlarging)

During WW II it was prohibited and a criminal offence to receive 'foreign enemy broadcast stations' (even death penalty). Warning signs (appendage) (thanks to the 'Deutsches Rundfunk-Museum Berlin' for the providing of this warning signs) on the tuning knobs made people remember these circumstances (translation of this warning sign: Remember. The reception of foreign radio stations is a crime against the national security of our people. It is punished with serveral years of penitentiary by order of our leader.). So it was to many people their undoing when during house searches a Volksempfanger or other radio set was discovered, where the owner had forgotten to retune the set after listening to an 'enemy' radio station.

Until 1937, approx. 2.6 million Volksempfangers were sold. Here some production data 1939-1943:

Technical hints:

When you want to buy a Volksempfanger: Pay attention to agreement of the manufacturers label on the chassis and the back panel. There are many "people receivers" where there is disagreement on this count.

Receiver performance. It is maintained again and again that the people receivers could only receive the local broadcast station and that they were very insensitive. That´s not right. Reception of European stations (receiver location Germany) was often possible during night. Even today the receiver performes quite well. Here a test certificate of the German periodical "Funktechnik", 1938.

Before you carry out the following hints, read carefully these Safety notes .
Time and again I am being asked whether DKEs an VE301s can be operated without connection to ground and what can be done when no good ground connection is available in the room. Most of the simple receivers don't work well without an antenna and a connection to ground (I don't mean reception of the local station). When you want to receive distant stations in the evening or at night with your DKE or VE, an outside wire antenna with a length of about 10 to 20 meters is optimum (but just how many people are being able to install that?). Don't forget to disconnect this type of antenna in case of a thunderstorm. Alternatively an inside wire antenna with a length of 5 to 10 meters will also work. Mount this wire antenna (even hookup wire will do) best freehanging in the room. Don't disregard the connection to earth. Best is the cold water pipe or possibly a connection to the central heating, when metal parts thereof can be reached. But be careful! In particular AC/DC sets are liable to electric shock. Don't use a powerline antenna (neutral conductor)! Test for zero potential between house-ground and the earth (ground) connection of the radio set before you switch on. For this you need an AC-volt-meter. Be careful even when testing! Without risk is the use of a 'counter' antenna as a substitute ground. To do this connect 5 to 10 meters of insolated wire to the earth connection of the set and lay this on the floor of the room or directly along the walls and possibly in the opposite direction of the antenna wire.

Why squeal the VE301s and DKE38 and other single tuned regenerative receivers when you operate the knobs? Because this type of TRF sets where the decay factor of the tuned circuit may be reduced by introducing feedback. The more feedback, the more selective and receptive the receiver becomes until it is too much and the circuit starts oscillation, the receiver becomes a transmitter. This oscillation manifests itself by sqealing loudly. By the way, you interfere in this manner with the radio reception of your neighborhood when there too are listeners in the medium wave or long wave band. Therefore advance the regeneration to only just before squealing starts.

When you have just bought a VE301 check before first operation in the

• VE301G, whether the 4nF capacitor near the earth (ground) connection has a short circuit,
• VE301GW, whether the 4nF capacitor near earth (ground) and at the cold side of the resonance circuit the 5nFcapacitor has a short circuit,
• VE301GWdyn, whether the 5nF capacitor at the cold side of the resonance circuit has a short circuit.

Additonal information and replacement parts:

• Schematics for your "Volksempfanger"
• Instruction manuals with English translation,
• Advertising of accessories made by the company Membra.
• Dial lamps for Volksempfangers
• Grill cloth for Volksempfangers

List of all models:

Systematics of Volksempfangers:

• VE = Volksempfanger
• 301 = Date 1933/01/30. Seizure of power of the former goverment.
• W = AC (Alternating current)
• G = DC ( Direct current)
• GW = AC/DC
• B = Battery
• n = new version
• dyn = dynamic speaker ( electrodynamic or permanent magnetic dynamic)

VE 301 W

VE 301 G

Back side view

Close up

Hint: Use of the VE301G (DC model) on AC power

VE Hensi 10

VE301G
reproduction

Back side view

VE 301 B

VE 301 B2

VE 301 GW

VE 301 Wn

Back side view

Close up

VE 301 Dyn
(VE 301W dyn, VE301Wn Dyn)

VE 301 Dyn GW. (VE301 GW Dyn)

DKE 38 GW

"Deutscher Klein- Empfaenger", "Goebbels snout"

Close up back side . (Photo by Trevor Woods)

Regenerative single circuit receiver.
MW (b.c.), LW. Automatic band change while turning tuning knob.
AC/DC. 220V, 150V, 110V.
Reed speaker
Low price receiver. 35 DM (German mark) ~ $ 8.00 US !
Some models were built also after WW II, see DKE 50.

SW adapter for DKE38.
More information about this adapter you find here.
(These information are only available on my CD-ROM 2)

Article of periodical 'Funkschau' (# 33, 1938, page 257) about the new model.Sorry, but only in German.

Some manufacturers of this set used own model names, like Blaupunkt '2GW145'

An interesting modification by a private person (substitution of the tube VCL11 with military tube types RV12P2000). Photo by Livio BALLARINI - Italy

Another modification by a private person (substitution of the tube VCL11 with military tube types RV12P2000 in origional sockets). Photo by Lorito Eleja

DKE

Ungarischer Klein- Empfaenger, Hungarian DKE

Made in Hungary by Nepradio (Orion?).

Close up back side . (later modified)

Regenerative single circuit receiver.
MW (b.c.), LW. Automatic band change while turning tuning knob.
AC/DC. 220V, 150V, 110V.
Reed speaker.

(Photos by Hughes, Peter. VK2MLG.)

DKE 38 GW / 2

DKE 38 B

DKE 50

(Photo new)

DO 36
Deutscher Olympia-Koffer

DO 37
Deutscher Olympia-Koffer

DAF 1011 ,
Arbeitsfront-Empfaenger

Single tuned receiver , made by the Radio-Union, a joint production group, founded in 1935. This union was interested in production of low price sets with better technical data as the VE series.

But the price of the set was not realy cheap: 106.5 RM for the set and for the tubes 30.75 RM with total of 137.50 RM.

In the wholesale cataloque of 1936 this set is stored in section 'joint production receivers.' Details about this you will find here.

RU3WF

Radio-Union. b.c. band, low frequency band , reed speaker.
Price 137,50 RM

Product advertising of 1937

Übersee-Empfänger "Stuttgart"

AF3, ACH1, AF3, ABC1, AL4, AZ1

Oversea receicver, world receiver. Superhet with tuned rf preamplifier stage. 2 * sw, b.c. band. Band width control, 'shadow pointer' for field strength indication. 7 circuits.
Manufacturer: Blaupunkt.

This export set was produced by Blaupunkt for German citizens, living abroad in other countries or continents (overseas). It was a joint production set, because the distribution was managed by many other German companies. In Germany this set was not offered.

The set is almost the same as the 5W77 by Blaupunkt. Photo of the chassis, found in a periodical 'Radio Mentor' of 1937.

Der vergleichbare 5W77 von Blaupunkt.

The 'Volks'-tv set was offered for 650 RM .

Accessories for VE301 and DKE

Rejector circuits, selector circuits, antenna switches, RF components, etc.

Accessories for VE301 and DKE

Active RF components

Cewrolet, Long distance aperiodic preamplifier adapter including of a mains transformer, Wilhelm Matthias (Berlin) , 1935.
This adapter was plugged in the tube socket of the REN904 and then the RENS1294 and REN904 were plugged in on top of it. Optionally you could also remove a jumper for adding an external resonant circuit ( for example a wave trap) for better selectivity.

Accessories for VE301 and DKE, DAF 1011

Audio frequency adapters and components

Accessories for VE301 and DKE

Dials , dial light, power supply, miscelleaneous.

06/24/2008. Manufacturers of Volksempfangers and DKEs and DAFs (Sorted in alphabetic order)
24.06.2008. Hersteller von Volksempfängern und DKEs und DAFs (alphabetisch geordnet)

These radio sets were made my different manufacturers. All in WDRI (Wirtschaftsstelle der deutschen Rundfunkindustrie) united manufactures had to produce these sets. The following list shows the German and Austrian (in those days called Ostmark) manufacturers and companies in occupied countries. The manufacturer was in most cases noted on the back cover or on the chassis of the sets. Today (2007) I think all manufacturer / model variants are cleared.

Diese Geräte wurden von verschiedenen Herstellern gebaut. Alle im "WDRI" (Wirtschaftsstelle der deutschen Rundfunkindustrie) zusammengefassten Firmen konnten (mussten?) Volksempfänger herstellen. Die folgende Liste zeigt die deutschen und österreichischen (damals "Ostmark") Mitglieder der WDRI und Hersteller aus damals besetzten Gebieten. Der jeweilige Hersteller ist meistens auf der Rückwand oder dem Chassis vermerkt. Diese Liste ist nun schon seit 1999 online. Es sind viele Hersteller geklärt. Bitte prüfen Sie doch mal Ihre Geräte, ob Sie eins finden, dass hier noch mit ??? gelistet ist. Heute, 2008 kann die kleine Nachforschungsarbeit als fast abgeschlossen gelten.

• (b) = also in brown / auch in braun
• (xx) = Likely only produced by Schaleco / Wahrscheinlich nur von Schaleko produziert.
• (xxx) = Likely only produced by Nora / Wahrscheinlich nur von Nora produziert.
• (xxxx) = Likely not produced by this company / Wahrscheinlich nicht von dieser Firma produziert.
• (**) = Email: Hallo, eine kleine Info für Ihre Homepage, die ich heute von Experten der Antik-Radio-Werkstatt an der Villinger Volkshochschule erhalten habe (Villingen ist der Stammsitz des früheren Unternehmens S(chwarzwälder) A(pparate) B(au) A(nstalt). Es gibt DAF 1011 – Geräte von SABA. SABA hat allerdings niemals derartige Geräte hergestellt. Es wurden aber von SABA damals ca. 1100 Geräte diesen Typs von einem anderen Radio-Hersteller gekauft und mit dem SABA-Logo gekennzeichnet. Bei SABA selbst wurden u.a. Geräte vom Typ VE 301 hergestellt. Grüße Stefan Assfalg

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Thanks for support about the manufacturers of Volksempfangers and Deutscher Kleinempfänger (DKE) and other information on this page to:
Vielen Dank für die Mithilfe bei der Ermittlung der Hersteller von Volksempfängern und DKEs und andere Informationen auf dieser Seite an:

(sorted by sur name / Sortiert nach Nachnamen)

• Ray Anderson, Stassfurt (DKE)
• Stefan Assfalg, Ingelen (VE301), Information about Saba DAF1011
• Stefan Baden, TeKaDe (VE301 brown)
• Livio Ballarini, modification photo of DKE
• Uwe Blum, DL2ABL. Radio-Funk-Werkstätten GmbH Berlin (VE301)
• Berthold Bosch, DK6YY. Minerva (DKE)
• Christoph Butterer, Dietz & Ritter (DKE)
• Petra Conrads- Patan, Eumig (DKE)
• Lorne Clark , (DKE by Blaupunkt, Horny, Schaub)
• Dennis Daly, Kapsch (VE301)
• Michele Denber, Schaleco (DKE), DAF-1011 (Koerting)
• Erich Dorninger, Minerva (DKE)
• Robert Düring, Brandt (DKE)
• Lorito Eleja, photo of DKE38 modification.
• Bernd Felbemair, DeRuFa Warschau (DKE)
• William Gordon , Eumig (DKE)
• Kurt Graf, Eumig (VE301)
• Holger Hapke, Lorenz (DKE)
• Harald Hecher, IKA (DKE)
• Ludwig H. Hildebrandt. Seibt (DKE)
• Peter Hughes, Nepradio (DKE) and brown VE by "Radio und Funkwerkstätten"
• Timm Jacobi, Valvo Radioröhren GmbH (DKE)
• Marcel Klipstein, Modifycation VE301dyn
• Rüdiger Lenze, Sachsenwerk (DKE)
• Wolfgang Michael TeDeWe (DKE )
  
• Wolfgang Östreicher, Valvo (VE301)
• S. Päsler, Horny (VE301)
• Peter Qüsted, Dietz & Ritter / Körting (VE301)
  
• Norbert Pfeil, Kapsch (DKE)
• J. Ralf, Koch & Sterzel (VE301)
• Selyem Tóth Sándor [***] http://www.zalaszam.hu/radio
• Johann Scharf, DKE brown, Radio Funk-Werkstätten
• Bernd Schmitz, Owin seit 1936 Konkurs, deshalb keine DKEs möglich. Owin since 1936 not more in business, so no DKE's produced.
• Jörg Seidel, TeKaDe (VE301)
• Jörg Sickert, Lumophon (DKE)
• Bob Smith, Siemens and Stassfurt (DAF1011)
• Rainer Steinführ, äG (VE301) (DKE), Braun (VE301) (DKE), Blaupunkt (VE301), Brandt (VE301), Detewe (VE301), Edly (DKE), Emud (VE301, DKE), Grätz (VE301), Hagenuck (VE301, DKE), Hensi (VE301 remake), Lange (VE301), Löwe (VE301), Lorenz (VE301), Mende (VE301, DKE), Nora (VE301, DKE, Olympiakoffer 37), Minerva (VE301), Nepradio (VE301), Owin (VE301), Philips (VE301) (b), Radio-Funk-Werkstätten GmbH Berlin (DKE), Radione (VE301, DKE), Reico (VE301), Reiners (VE301), Rundfunktechnische Erzeugergemeinschaft GmbH (VE301, DKE), Rundfunktechnische Werke (DKE), Saba (VE301, DKE), Sachsenwerk (VE301), Schaleco (VE301, Olympiakoffer 36), Schaub (VE301), Seibt (VE301), Siemens (VE301, DKE), Stassfurt (VE301), Tefag (VE301) (DKE), TeKaDe (DKE), Telefunken (VE301, DKE, DAF1011), Wega (VE301), Zerdik (VE301, DKE).
• Karl Tiefenbacher, IKA (DKE). Ing. Nikolaus Elz (VE301). Radiofabrik Ingelen (VE301). Lumophon (VE301).
• Alain Van Houte, Ingelen. (DKE)
• Henk van Veen, Deutsche Rundfunkempfängerfabrik Warschau (DKE)
• B L Wahlman, Sweden, ((b) Lorenz DKE, Telefunken DKE)
• Heribert Weiermann, . Wega (DKE)
• Jürgen Vogt, Grätz (DKE)
• Peter Wedel, Lumophon (VE301)
• B. Welke, Loewe (DKE)
• Trevor Woods, Philips (DKE)
• R. Young (brown VE by Mende)