I have an old scope that I need some help identifying. If someone could contact me via PM, I'll e-mail pics and someone can post them on this board for me. Thanks in advance.

Doc

Carl Zeiss of Jena was the optics factory in East Germany during the cold war.
They made lots cameras, basically mid 1940s technology they gave people over here a chance to use fairly good quality single lens reflex camers with interchangeable lens.
I believe that most of the spotting scopes, telescopes and binoculars were sold to the Eastern Bloc military.

Jim

They also made Binoculars.

Normally very good quality.

I have a pair of Binos Carl Zeiss Binos
from the 70's.

Were the pre-war Zeiss scopes made in Jena, too, and marked that way, by any chance?

The only Eastern Zeiss scopes I ever saw were the 4x32s sold to go on the CZ bolt-action dovetails in the 1960s. As I recall, they had the lateral adjustments in the rail mounts and the focus was in a turret in line with the elevation. Quite a neat looking unit with crackle-type finish, it had reticle movement, of course, usually with a post design.

I have two Carl Zeiss Jana 7x50 binoculars and a 8x56 scope (rail mount). All obtained in the '70's and '80's before the Wall fell in 1989. Easy to come by in those days. The hunting shop these came from was theh original Frankonia Jagd store in Berlin after unification.

The 8x56 scope resided and sometimes goes back on my BBF.

Yes, both the scope and binos are heavy, but durable. Mine have been all over the world and survived. For what they were (are) and where they came from, very good quality.

Sambarman, you have it correct in how the scope is adjusted for windage and both focus and vertical adjustments are two knobs on top. A bit rough for "target" shooting, but well within minute of Roe/Boar!

Don

quote:

Originally posted by sambarman338:
Were the pre-war Zeiss scopes made in Jena, too, and marked that way, by any chance?

Yes. Carl Zeiss was founded in 1846, IIRC, in Jena. When the Russkies took over at the end of WWII and created the East German puppet state the Zeiss factory in Jena was captured too, of course. It and much of its staff were put to work for the "State".

The "Brain Drain" from East Germany to West Germany, which resulted in the Berlin Wall being put up to stop the escape of fleeing skilled professionals in all fields (including optics), resulted in many of the Zeiss staff escaping and the production of Zeiss Optics in Berlin (again IIRC) as their source for the Western market.

I'd have to go back and re-read my history, but it seems to my fuzzy remaining brain that Carl Zeiss was a local hero after the War for keeping the Russians from moving both the factory and its workers to Russia (as happened with so many other industrial German "assets".

If it ends up really mattering, I will go back and get more details and either confirm or correct what I have written in this post.


Edited to add:


The first part of my above post is correct, but the major part of the firm was rescued from the Ruskies by the U.S. Army and although it was relocated to West Germany,it was not relocated to Berlin but a small town. Many of the most senior staff aND ALL OF THE ZEISS JENA ORIIGINAL EQUIPMENT WERE TAKEN TO RUSSIA to help the Russkies start Zeiss manufacture in Russia for Russian use. Because of Zeiss family intercession and dealings with the Russians, almost all the staff were back in Jena in 5-to-7 years after being sent to
Russia.

You can read a brief official history here:


http://www.zeisshistorica.org/companies.html

I have a couple of Carl Zeiss Jena Bino's, like said heavy but durable, glass is just fine.

Jena has an interesting history. Docter Optic also had a role and relationship with Carl Zeiss Jena. I use a Dr Scope on a 375H&H and have couple of their Dr Optic Red Dot sights on rifles for drive hunts, good stuff.

DOCTER OPTIC HISTORY
1991: Acquisition of VEB Carl Zeiss Jena locations in Saalfeld and Schleiz, Germany.

DOCTER OPTICS

quote:

Originally posted by Nevadan:
. . . The hunting shop these came from was the original Frankonia Jagd store in Berlin after unification. . . .

Hey Don, I been in that East Berlin hunting shop, thru Checkpoint Charlie on BOT in '85 to be exact, Waidmannsheil, Dom.