Siemens Historical Institute

Managing the present, shaping the future – with our own history as a foundation

The Siemens Historical Institute at a glance

New volume of LIFELINES series published: Sir William Siemens

The 170th anniversary of the first Siemens & Halske office in London has given rise to the publication of a biography about William Siemens, who was largely responsible for Siemens’ success in England. He also worked as an independent engineer and entrepreneur. His work embraced fields as diverse as the global telegraph system and innvations in metallurgy.

Download the booklet here

Introduction The only way to master the present and shape the future is to know one’s own past – that’s the understanding behind our work.

As part of a communications team that operates worldwide, we have the task of documenting the diverse history of our technology company, founded in Berlin in 1847, as well as researching that history and making it accessible to a broad audience. The Siemens Historical Institute bridges the gap between Siemens’ history and its present and future. We reveal the continuity in Siemens’ history, and frankly and transparently point out discontinuities and disruptions. In this way, we also help heighten the company’s profile.

What we offer We work with well-known partners from academia and in practical research to present the company’s economic, technical and social development, portraying it consistently with the highest scholarly standards. Our work therefore concentrates on three general areas of activity.

Our Archives

Procuring, documenting and transmitting knowledge about the technology company’s 170-year history: that’s our job. Find out more about our corporate archives, and experience history almost at first hand.

Our archives

Our Communications

Siemens has a long, successful history that serves as the focus for the Siemens Historical Institute’s publications and projects. We make sure that Siemens’ history stays alive and vivid, within the economic, political, social and technological setting of each era.

Find out more about our extensive holdings and services.

Our communications

Our Exhibitions

Siemens appears in historical and current-events exhibitions, showrooms and experiential environments all over the world. We support the company’s communications activities by either developing exhibitions on our own initiative or cooperating with other departments in conceiving and producing similar projects.

Our exhibitions

Our institute By constantly reflecting in the present the guidelines, values, principles and core ideas that have provided orientation to our company throughout its history, and by infusing them with life, we make an important contribution toward the company’s identity – both for Siemens employees and for the societies in which we operate as a business.

Siemens Historical Institute – committed to history

As part of a communications team that operates worldwide, we have the task of documenting the diverse history of our company as well as researching it and making it accessible to a broad target audience.

For the company’s 170th birthday, we took our Siemens History website online with new content, a new design, and new insights into various aspects of the Siemens story.

By constantly digitalizing important documents, we are contributing to preserving the company’s valuable history for posterity.

There are roughly one million historical images in our continuously expanding collections.

Our research topics are as diverse as history of Siemens itself. They include biographies, presentations of specific questions of corporate and technological history, general discussions, and complete chronicles of operations in particular countries.

Our library offers more than 12,000 volumes, which we are continually expanding with publications about the history of Siemens.

Our archive – foundation and basis of our success

We have the task of documenting and disseminating knowledge about the history and development of this technology company. The Siemens Historical Institute currently holds about 10,000 meters of shelf space filled with written sources – including business correspondence, minutes of meetings, and company reports, price lists, brochures, printed matter, employee and customer magazines, drawings, maps, and much more.

Our target groups In our work, we’re concerned to maintain a dialog with all of our target groups, whether with Siemens employees, our customers and partners, representatives of government, business and society or the general public.

Employees

Conveying our history builds a sense of identity and esteem. That gives rise to a feeling of community that makes us distinctive and unique. Positioning ourselves within the continuity of Siemens’ history builds ties to the company, heightens our own understanding of what we do and strengthens pride.

Customers

Customers are looking for partners whose histories are also persuasive arguments. In an era of constant change, reliability, quality, internationality and financial soundness are cornerstones of customer loyalty. Illustrating these features over a company’s history builds trust and enhances competitiveness.

Scholarship

Scholarship promotes progress. Our work provides stimuli, initiates research and permits a knowledgeable, critical analysis of the company’s eventful history. Maintaining a dialog with scholarship provides new insights and discoveries and sharpens our gaze for the times ahead.

Media

Media want a fast source of information about Siemens and its past. We deliver that with the right focus, with precise preparation and with a sound foundation of knowledge – and “just in time.” Maintaining a steady, intensive exchange with journalists, media representatives and multipliers gets our company heard emphatically in a fast-paced age.

The public

Stories draw an audience. We tell our story authentically and bring our history to life – whether in digital or analog form, through websites, social media, books or lectures. Establishing and maintaining a dialog is possible only for thought leaders who know and respect their own past.

Our team As experts in technical, business and social-history topics relating to the company, we serve as the internal and external contact people for all questions about the history of Siemens. We support the company’s communications and sales activities and help researchers and journalists in gathering information.

Head (act.) of Siemens Historical Institute

Frank Wittendorfer is the head of the archives and is in charge of its organization and operations. He ensures that the archives’ extensive holdings are filed in the best possible way and can be accessed for research anytime. He maintains a network within the company to make sure valuable documents find their way into the archive – including in digital form.

Film archive, communications

Ewald Blocher is in charge of the film archive. He makes sure that the archive’s rich holdings of film and video materials are available for research, continuously expanded, and gradually digitalized. In communications, he expertly handles historical print and online projects in collaboration with outside authors.