#50251 Available
Volksempfänger VE 301W
Category:
€ 174,00
The German Volksempfänger VE 301W (also known as the "people's receiver") was a mass-produced, low-cost radio receiver developed by the Nazi regime in 1933 as a primary tool for propaganda. Initiated at the request of the Reich Minister of Propaganda, Joseph Goebbels, the radio was intended to make the reception of Nazi-controlled broadcasts universally available to the German public. The widespread availability was a deliberate ploy to control information and subject the population to the will of the Nazi leadership.
Model Number Significance: The model number, VE 301, refers to the date Adolf Hitler assumed power as German Chancellor: January 30th, 1933.
The radios were built to a common, simple design by architect Walter Maria Kersting and engineered by Otto Griessing. They were typically housed in a Bakelite casing.
Crucially, the radios were technically limited to primarily receive medium-wave signals from German and Austrian stations, making it difficult to tune in to foreign "enemy" broadcasts.
The radio was mass-produced by around 28 different manufacturers, including major companies like Philips, Siemens, and Telefunken. Listening to foreign stations was a criminal offense, punishable by severe penalties, including fines, imprisonment in concentration camps, or even death. Despite its intended purpose as a tool for indoctrination, some brave citizens found ways to modify them (e.g., with external antennae) to listen to Allied broadcasts, turning the device into a potential tool for resistance.
This item:
It's a big one: 28 x 40 CM. is equiped with it's original cord and bakelite plug, works on 110/220 Volt (I did not test this device, that is up to you if you like). The bakelite housing is in a good conditioin, no cracks or chips. It is well maker marked and labeled by Roland Brandt. The bulbs are original factory installed. Unfortunatly the back panel is missing, However: this would make a nice display item (and off course price accordingly)