We all have at least one oil lamp at home, as a reminder of the old times, when candles and oil lamps were the only source of light on dark nights. We are almost certain that the oil lamp in your family, which has been around for decades, belongs to one of the most famous oil lamp makers in our region – Karl Rudolf Ditmar. We present to you the story of him and his successful business journey.
Karl R. Ditmar
Moderator lamp.
Karl Rudolf Ditmar was born in 1818 in Prezlau, Brandenburg. Little is known about his early life, but it is known that in 1839, he moved to Vienna as an apprentice plumber. His work required several business trips, during one of which he encountered a moderator lamp. His fascination with it and its functionality sparked an interest in the lighting technology of the time. This curiosity led him to open his own store, where he began selling oil lamps and cups in 1840. During his time trading, he realized there was a high demand for lamp repairs, so opening his own workshop for repairs seemed like the only logical step in his business journey. During this period, he learned a great deal about how lamps worked, and his brother Friedrich joined him in this endeavor. Together, they decided to try their hand at production. For this purpose, they were granted a state license to manufacture goods made from painted tin and zinc, which laid the legal foundation for Vienna’s first lamp factory.
The company, which was then called “Gebrüder Ditmar” (Ditmar Brothers), moved from Vienna to the suburbs. The house the brothers purchased for the business served as both their factory and living space, reflecting their dedication to the enterprise. During this time, the brothers succeeded in developing their own moderator lamp, the very lamp that initially inspired Karl to embark on his business journey. This new lamp stood out from previous versions, primarily due to its reliability and affordability, making it a commercial hit and bringing the brothers international success. This success allowed them to expand their business. However, shortly after this prosperous period, Friedrich passed away, leaving Karl to rename the company to “R. Ditmar Lamp and Metal Products Factory.”
The Ditmar brand further solidifies its position in the global market, and the improvement of the moderator lamp created by the brothers proves so successful that it remains nearly unrivaled for decades. This success greatly increases Ditmar’s wealth, which he uses to purchase a range of properties. As his company grows stronger and his personal influence increases, he decides to enter politics. Soon, he is appointed to several prestigious positions, including trade counselor, imperial guardian, court supplier, and member of the exhibition commission for the World Exhibition in Vienna. These titles enhance his reputation as a manufacturer and, through his various roles, he is able to decisively influence economic and industrial development.
Despite holding numerous political positions, Ditmar continues to oversee his own production. He opens manufacturing plants in Warsaw and Milan, and also acquires a factory in Znojmo, Czech Republic, which specializes in making lamp stands. He also establishes branches in other cities such as Prague, Budapest, Berlin, Graz, Rome, Trieste, Paris, Lyon, and Bombay. In the following years, his business expands to North Africa, the Far East, and South America.
Since all components for the lamps are produced in one facility, Ditmar’s company continues to ensure that the final product is well-made and affordable, which, of course, brings success to the newly established branches.
Despite the many successes the company achieves, the working conditions for employees do not change. High readiness for work is expected from them, but with unchanged wages, cracks begin to appear in the otherwise successful company. Workers from the Ditmar factory and another Vienna-based lamp factory, “Gebrüder Brünner,” unite and start striking for higher wages. While the Brünner company shows a willingness to cooperate with the workers, the Ditmar factory strongly resists the pressure from the workers. The strike causes quite a stir, with 1,100 Viennese participating, including 700 workers from the Ditmar factory and the rest from the Brünner factory. Despite the pressure from the strike, both owners agree to negotiations, though the outcome is still unknown. What is certain is that work in the factories resumed afterward.
After these more turbulent years for the company, Karl Rudolf Ditmar gradually starts to withdraw from the business, and the business is taken over by his son Gerhard and son-in-law Hans Rint. Karl dies soon after his retirement, but this does not mark the end of the Ditmar company.
Brünner brothers
After the death of his father, Gerhard becomes the director of the family business and focuses primarily on international trade. He supplies glassware, porcelain, enamel, and later paper and textiles. However, to expand even further on the global market, he needed a good partner, and interestingly, he found one in “Gebrüder Brünner,” the company whose workers had once united with his for the strike years ago. The partnership between the two companies is quite logical. Both companies were primarily involved in the production of lamps, although “Gebrüder Brünner” had a much smaller turnover than Ditmar, both companies pursued the same sales strategy and were equally interested in opening new branches and expanding production facilities. As a result, the companies merged into a joint-stock company based on favorable investment opportunities. The company was established in 1907, with Alexander Brünner taking the position of director.
The production of this now merged company expanded beyond lamps and included petroleum stoves for heating and cooking. Later, they extended their product range to gas stoves and irons. The official name the company adopted at that time was “Lamp and Metal Products Factory R. Ditmar, Brünner Brothers A.G.”
Factory owned by Ditmar and Brünner.
The war, however, did not spare the company, as their export business began to collapse, and the connections they previously had were severed. Due to the poor position the factory found itself in, the Ditmar and Brünner families were forced to sell their shares. This marked the end of the family business and the loss of international trade, threatening the future of the once successful company. The fact was that, by the end of the war and afterward, there was a very low demand for their products. As a result, they began producing cheap items, such as articles made of grey cast iron for printing, pressing, and drawing works. They also offered various types of lighting, including electric, gas, and carbide lamps. However, a significant flaw emerged—producing competitive lighting fixtures required updating the technical systems, which would have required a massive capital investment that the company did not have at that time. This led to the sale of many properties so they could keep up with industry trends..
The post-war inflation also meant that the Austrian metalworking industry mostly produced for export, as their prices were lower than those of foreign competitors. To maintain this position even after the currency stabilizing, they reduced labor costs, which worsened the situation for workers. This measure logically led to strikes, and a strike occurred among the toolmakers at the Ditmar Brünner company. The company responded appropriately at the time, and the strike tendencies were alleviated.
The company was once again on the path of economic recovery, which workers took advantage of by demanding higher wages and going on strike. Despite the high unemployment at the time and the upcoming economic crisis, the workers remained united and did not give in to the pressures from the company. The strike ended with a promise to increase the hourly wage rate.
Political pressure on businesses grew when the government, in 1932, introduced censorship, eliminated the right to strike, and banned free trade unions. The measures taken by the government were also reflected in the company’s policies.
During this time, the company’s business began to decline, although it still had positive operational results and full employment. The production program at the time included gas protection equipment, film and projection equipment, and electrolytic condensers for radios that the company manufactured itself.
In 1938, the Austrian government confiscated the company as part of the Anschluss and renamed it Ostmark-Ceramic A.G. It was later nationalized in 1945. In 1947, a descendant of the original owners, who had emigrated to the United States, reclaimed the company and renamed it ÖSPAG (Österreichische Sanitär-, Keramik- und Porzellan-Industrie AG). In 1967, the company was acquired by Keramik Holding Laufen, which is now part of the ROCA group.
Thus, the journey of the once-famous and economically strong family business, which left a strong mark on the lives of many people in our region, came to an end. The company, which brought light to homes and became synonymous with kerosene lamps, will forever have a place in applied history.
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