Volksempfänger radio, model VE 301w
Radio
1933 (manufactured)
1933 (manufactured)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
The Volksempfänger radio was the brainchild of Joseph Goebbels who realised 'the revolutionary impact of the invention of radio, which gave the spoken word true mass effectiveness'. It was expressly intended as a propaganda tool for the Nazi government and the model number - VE 301w - refers to the date of Hitler's assumption of power in January 1933. It sold for 76 Reichmarks, a third of the price of competitors. Walter Maria Kersting's simple design was made under license by 28 different manufacturers, and the radio was specifically manufactured to only receive medium-wave signals, thereby limiting the possibility of listening to stations from outside Germany.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Volksempfänger radio, model VE 301w (manufacturer's title) |
| Materials and techniques | Compression-moulded phenol-formaldehyde resin ('bakelite'), electrical circuits, linen, printed card |
| Brief description | Volksempfänger radio, model VE 301w, brown bakelite case with linen, designed by Walter Maria Kersting and manufactured by Statssfurter Rundfunk GmbH, Germany, 1933 |
| Physical description | Rectangular brown bakelite radio with circular loudspeaker covered in linen fabric in the centre of the upper part of the front, above three control knobs arranged horizontally along the bottom edge. A moulded arc around and over the central knob frames the tuning dial. Printed card backboard. |
| Dimensions |
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| Style | |
| Gallery label |
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| Summary | The Volksempfänger radio was the brainchild of Joseph Goebbels who realised 'the revolutionary impact of the invention of radio, which gave the spoken word true mass effectiveness'. It was expressly intended as a propaganda tool for the Nazi government and the model number - VE 301w - refers to the date of Hitler's assumption of power in January 1933. It sold for 76 Reichmarks, a third of the price of competitors. Walter Maria Kersting's simple design was made under license by 28 different manufacturers, and the radio was specifically manufactured to only receive medium-wave signals, thereby limiting the possibility of listening to stations from outside Germany. |
| Bibliographic reference | p.123
Hawes, Robert and Sassower, Gad. Bakelite Radios (Edison, New Jersey, 1996) |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | W.7-2005 |
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| Record created | July 8, 2005 |
| Record URL |
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