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Deutsche Grammophon GmbH

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Nowadays a German classical music company. The company and record factory Deutsche Grammophon GmbH, Deutsche Grammophon Gesellschaft mbH, Deutsche Grammophon Ges. mbH or [l=Deutsche Grammophon] was founded in Hannover. It operates or has operated famous labels such as [l=Deutsche Grammophon], [l=Grammophon], [l=Archiv Produktion], [l=Heliodor], and [l=Polydor]. [b]Do not enter as label, use [l=Deutsche Grammophon] or one of the other listed labels above.[/b] [b]Do not enter this label when [l=Deutsche Grammophon-Aktiengesellschaft] or Deutsche Grammophon A.G. appears as company[/b] Deutsche Grammophon GmbH was originally founded on 6th December 1898 by the brothers Joseph, Jacob and inventor [a=Emile Berliner] in Hanover as the German branch of [l=E. Berliner's Gramophone] Company. The record factory was placed into the J. Berliner - Telefonfabrik. The telephone factory was founded as early as 1881 when the U.S. citizen [a=Emile Berliner] visited Hanover. Because of Emil Berliner's innovations to the microphone, gramophone and the gramophone record, Deutsche Grammophon was designed to become a record plant. The client [l253617] for the British markets was founded earlier in the same year in England. In December 1900, it became a fully owned subsidiary of [l2375761], the successor to The Gramophone Co. Ltd. (which, in turn, was renamed The Gramophone Co. Ltd. in 1907). During the First World War, the German government took control of DGG and the UK parent was shut out without compensation (this came after the war but DGG would never again be a subsidiary of The Gramophone Co. Ltd.) From 1900 to 1937, the company generally traded as [l=Deutsche Grammophon-Aktiengesellschaft] (AG) and was lead from Berlin, but starting in 1917, during World War I, DG was part of [l48259]werke AG and was called [l=Polyphon]-[l=Grammophon]-Konzern. Polyphonwerke AG was also the early home of label [l1610]. The owner, Polyphonwerke AG, was merged with Deutsche Grammophon AG in 1932. Second history of the Deutsche Grammophon GmbH: 1937: The AG was liquidated and renamed again into Deutsche Grammophon GmbH. The financial owners were Deutsche Bank and [l=Telefunken] Gesellschaft. This meant that Telefunken Platte GmbH, which had been founded in 1932, acquired the production plant they needed. 1941: Deutsche Grammophon GmbH was sold to the Siemens & Halske AG electronics company. [l=Siemens Spezial] was started for classical records and [l=Siemens Polydor] for popular music. 1945: World War II totally ruined the factories and offices at Hanover. A small factory was relocated to Berlin, while the factory and headquarters in Hanover were being rebuilt. 1946: After decades of serving mainly as a record factory for the DG, the old leftover [l1610] by [l786827] became a label for popular music. In France, however, [l1610] was the only label instead of becoming [l7703]-label. No one was interested in buying anything that contained "Deutsche" in its name. 1949: For classical music DGG introduced for the first time a label under its own name, the [l=Deutsche Grammophon] Gesellschaft label. The previously used label, [l75886], was disbanded. In an agreement dated 5 July 1949, DGG gave an exclusive license to use the Nipper dog with gramophone long to the original owner [l=Electrola], the German branch of [l=EMI], effective 1 July 1951. 1954: The English subsidiary [l=Polydor Records Ltd.] was established in London. 1956: The administrative headquarter was relocated to Hamburg. French and Austrian subsidiaries [l=Polydor S.A.] Française and Polydor-Schallplatten-Gesellschaft mbH were established in Paris and Vienna respectively. 1958: The final label [l=Deutsche Grammophon] adopted the now-famous label design featuring a yellow cartouche bordered by a garland of tulips. 1959: Opening of the manufacturing plant "Werk II" in Langenhagen near Hanover. 1962: Siemens forms a joint venture with Netherlands based [l=Philips] to create the DGG/PPI Record Group. 1969: US and Indian subsidiaries [l264840] and [l269573] were established in New York City and Bombay respectively. 1971: [l=PolyGram] was established as a holding company for the DGG company [l=Polydor International] and the Philips company [l=Phonogram International]. 1987: Siemens sold most of their shares and Philips acquired a 90% ownership of the [l=PolyGram]; when the company went public, Philips' ownership was reduced to 75%. 1998: Seagram Company Ltd of Canada purchased PolyGram and merged it in January 1999 with Seagram-owned [l=MCA Music Entertainment]. Since then, Deutsche Grammophon has been integrated into the [l=Universal Music Group], becoming a key part of Universal Classics along with [l=Decca]. It also manages the classical output of American [l=Decca] and [l=Westminster] Records, both originally owned by [l=MCA Records]. 2000: Seagram sold [l=Universal Music Group] to the French media company Vivendi. Use [l=Deutsche Grammophon GmbH] (1938-present) where it appears as such, or a variation of that name (for instance Deutsche Grammophon Gesellschaft mbH.) Use [l=Deutsche Grammophon Hamburg] where it appears as Deutsche Grammophon, Hamburg or Deutsche Grammophon Gesellschaft, Hamburg, or a variation. Use [l=Deutsche Grammophon] where Deutsche Grammophon or Deutsche Grammophon Gesellschaft is used as label. Use [l=Deutsche Grammophon Gesellschaft] where the Deutsche Grammophon or Deutsche Grammophon Gesellschaft trademark is used for a company credit. Use [l=Deutsche Grammophon-Aktiengesellschaft] (1900-1937), where it appears as such, or a variation of that name (for instancel Deutsche Grammophon AG.) Use [l=Deutsche Grammophon G.M.B.H. Hannover] where it appears as such. Use [l=Deutsche Grammophon G.m.b.H. Berlin] where it appears as such (1945 - 1949). For lacquer cut & pressing roles, there is [l=Deutsche Grammophon Gesellschaft Pressing Plant] (1946-1972), this name will not appear on any record, but can be derived from the runouts.