0 Typewriter Galleries » Hunter: Rainer Fredrich
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1 Points, Typewriter Hunter

Born in 1959, I started an apprenticeship as a mechanic at Adlerwerke in Frankfurt am Main in 1976 after finishing school. During this time, I gained a deeper understanding of many types of metalworking, such as drilling, turning, milling, grinding, and so on. The apprenticeship was very diverse because many different departments within the company were tasked with various responsibilities for the production of typewriters. There was also a toolmaking department, a hardening shop, and an electroplating shop. Most of the components for the typewriters, as well as the necessary tools, were manufactured by the company itself.

During my apprenticeship, I also came into contact with the production of typewriters. At that time, the Triumph/Adler "St.e." (Standard electric) model series, with its models 131 and 151, as well as the largely identical typewriters for the companies Imperial and Royal, were produced there. As far as I can remember, about 400 electric office typewriters were produced there daily, in addition to mechanical office typewriters.

After finishing my apprenticeship in 1980, I joined the German military (Bundeswehr). When I returned to the company in 1981, it was no longer the same. Classic typewriters were no longer selling as well and had become too expensive to produce. Electronic typewriters and computers were on the rise. Mismanagement had brought the company close to bankruptcy. The production of classic typewriters was stopped. The company was in a very bad state. There was talk of closing the production site in Frankfurt. Due to strong protests from the workforce and politicians, a closure was prevented. However, this was unfortunately accompanied by the layoffs of 1600 employees. At the end of 1981, I then joined the daisy wheel typewriter department, where I worked until I left the company in 1989. After that, I worked for an airline and did something completely different. Now I am retired.