Siemens History

Nearly 30 years after German reunification, Siemens maintains a presence in 14 cities in the eastern part of the country, where some 5,600 of its employees work at seven branch offices and at 13 manufacturing and development locations. Siemens is an important economic engine in Germany’s eastern region. This impact stems partly from the company’s development and manufacturing operations, sales and service organizations, and training programs. While the impact of Siemens’ strategic realignment on the development of the locations that the company acquired in East Germany has caused conflict, it has also opened the door to new opportunities – a fact well illustrated by the Görlitz turbine factory, whose roots go back to the founding year of the Telegraphen-Bauanstalt von Siemens & Halske.

“There’s no building more beautiful than the monumental glass and reinforced-concrete hall that Peter Behrens designed for the turbine factory on Huttenstrasse,” wrote author Franz Hessel in the 1920s. The building that was completed 110 years ago is still captivating today, in large part because it continues to serve its original purpose: the production of turbines.

Meeting the world’s energy needs adequately and efficiently across borders while contributing to understanding between peoples – that was the big idea behind the World Power Conference (today, the World Energy Congress), which was held for the first time ever in 1924. Siemens has been a part of this event from the very beginning and has even served twice as its organizer. Over the years, the company has regularly delivered ideas and solutions to address the most pressing energy-related issues of the times, and it continues to do so today.