The history of ZEISS mirrors German history and all of its highs and lows. Since it was founded as a business in 1846, it has been transformed into a large, research-oriented enterprise that distributes a host of optical products across the world.

World War I, the global financial crisis and World War II were years of ups and downs. Just like Germany, the company was split in two in the aftermath of World War II. After German reunification, the companies merged once more and suffered a real crisis, and the company as we know it today emerged from these ashes.

People experienced all of it, and created it too. Here you can get a first look at the company’s fascinating history.