Are we the only ones in the world who recognize Made in Germany, or even think that Made in Germany represents reassurance and reliability to a certain extent? In fact, many other countries fully affirmed Made in Germany, and even sought after some German products, much earlier than us.
But Made in Germany is not inherently beautiful. Looking through the black history of Made in Germany, let's talk about how Made in Germany repented from adversity, improved quality step by step, and was recognized.
Some German-made brands
01: Germany's "industrial development" is later than that of Britain and France.
Everyone knows that Britain was the birthplace of the first industrial revolution. Hargreaves' invention of the Jenny spinning machine in 1765 marked the beginning of the British Industrial Revolution, which took nearly a hundred years, that is, the 60s of the 18th century to the 40s of the 19th century.
But Germany came into contact with and followed the Industrial Revolution at least 80 years later than Britain. In the 30s and 40s of the 19th century, when Britain's first industrial revolution was nearing its end, Germany followed suit.
The reason is simple: until the 60s of the 19th century, Germany in the modern sense did not exist. Geographically, psychologically, economically and culturally, the unification of the German Empire was not achieved until 1871.
The mark of the beginning of the first industrial revolution: the Jenny spinning machine
Germany began to follow the first industrial revolution in the 30-40s of the 19th century, in fact, only some German regions adjacent to France, Belgium and other countries began to contact some industrial revolution production technology and related equipment. Most of the other confederations or regions of Germany were still agrarian.
Not only was there no "Made in Germany" in this period, but the true meaning of Germany was born. Even parts of Germany, which first came into contact with the first industrial revolution civilization, could only undertake low-end and primary processing production orders spilled over from Britain and France.
War of German unification in the 19th century
02: Germany is no longer missing out on the second industrial revolution.
With the trust and support of Kaiser Wilhelm I, based on artillery fire and iron blood, Prussian Chancellor Otto von Bismarck successfully unified the North German Confederation with Bavaria, as well as parts of the Austrian Empire, and established a unified German Empire in 1871.
History is very favored by Germany at this moment: it has completed its reunification and enjoyed the scientific and technological achievements of the first industrial revolution, and it is also at the beginning of the second industrial revolution. You must know that the second industrial revolution of the 60s and 70s of the 19th century is gaining momentum, and the trumpet of the electric age has just sounded.
Prussia after the unification of the 19th century
At this time, the newly reunified Germany was not only scrappy, but also extremely strong in learning ability and enterprising. Bismarck was not only an "iron-blooded prime minister" in the military, but also economically and technologically he gave full play to the coercion and unity of state capitalism, which saved Germany the time to make a late strike and catch up.
In the Franco-Prussian War before the unification of the German Empire (Prussia and France), using a large number of agricultural areas, industrial areas and war reparations obtained from France, Germany further accelerated the process of the Industrial Revolution, and by the end of the 70s, Germany quickly completed the first industrial revolution.
Franco-Prussian War of the 19th century
With the start of the second industrial revolution, Germany has comprehensively built roads, canals, ports, inland shipping and maritime transportation, which can fully absorb the advanced technology and machinery and equipment of Britain, France and the United States, and promote Germany to successfully complete the transformation from low-end light industry to heavy industry, especially military industry, at the end of the 19th century.
Actually, this is very important. Everyone knows that the important criteria for a country to complete industrialization are: to complete the heavy industry industrial chain, to be able to produce machinery and equipment that can be used for production, especially the military industry.
At the heart of the second industrial revolution: electrification
03: The passive upgrade made in Germany starts from the "cottage".
Through the previous understanding, we know that even in the late 19th century, although Germany completed two industrial revolutions, it entered the developed country in the modern sense. But Made in Germany at this time was destined to have two labels:
- (1) The precipitation time is not enough, and the product quality and quality are not high.
- (2) It belongs to a late-developing country and has insufficient original and innovation capabilities.
German factory at the end of the 19th century
As the United Kingdom, France and other European pioneer countries pay more and more attention to product quality and trade protection, as early as the mid-19th century, Germany has tasted the discrimination of Made in Germany: due to non-original brands, insufficient innovation ability, and stable product quality, Made in Germany has been discriminated against in Europe.
As a latecomer country, Germany saw and recognized this, so it simply abandoned the path of originality and innovation, and became the production center of low-end manufacturing and counterfeit products in Europe in order to make short-term profits.
German factory at the end of the 19th century
In the 19th century, famous European brands and products, including Italian leather shoes, British knives, French clothing, Czech firearms, etc., were not imitated by Germans. Although the quality of German cottage products at this time can only be regarded as barely passable, but the price is very friendly, unexpectedly set off a wave of German products in Europe, European civilians not only do not buy genuine products, but buy German-made copycat goods.
Germany was considered a British imitator and copyist, and the British, though angry, also admitted that Germany copied well: from the shoddy plagiarism at the beginning, to the vividness of later imitation in terms of appearance.
There is only one thing that cannot be imitated: product quality. There is another one that cannot be born: corporate branding.
Berlin, Germany, at the end of the 19th century
04: Made in Germany repents in front of the copycat label.
Although cottages can make German manufacturing profitable in Europe and parts of the world, even if it is a small profit, the long-term cottage is destined to pay a price. A seemingly small fuse appeared: British Sheffield knife cutlery sued the German copycat of its own products.
Since the 60s and 70s of the 19th century, the knife and scissors tableware produced by Sheffield, England, using new technology, are sold in the European market, and every time a new product is on the market, Germany will make a copycat that looks the same, the quality is not good, but the price is very touching: so low that people feel that they will suffer a little if they don't buy. After a long time, Sheffield couldn't help but sue everywhere, not only in Britain, but also in Germany and France.
The Ruhr industrial region of Germany at the end of the 19th century
This "little thing" also completely angered almost all British manufacturers who had long been dissatisfied with the German copycat, and soon rose to the national level. In 1887, the British Parliament passed a decree requiring that some imported goods must indicate the place of origin.
However, the Act paid special attention to Germany: all German products entering the UK must be marked "Made in Germany" to distinguish them from the high-quality and reliable "Made in England". For a while, other European countries followed suit, simply not giving German manufacturing and German manufacturers a way to live.
The Ruhr industrial region of Germany at the end of the 19th century
What is even more embarrassing to the German government and people is that Made in Germany has also become a variety of jokes:
- When British politicians give speeches and attack their political opponents, they say that "a certain policy or a decree is as untrustworthy as Made in Germany."
- When European companies encounter counterfeit goods, they always deride them as "Made in Germany", even though many products have nothing to do with Germany.
Fortunately, the German government woke up to the fact that if it continued in this way, it would not only lose the commodity market, but also return the German economy and industry to the pre-19th century.
Engraved gold-plated silver spoons produced in Germany at the end of the 19th century
05: Made in Germany without steaming steamed buns.
Starting from Bismarck, to Caprivi, Hohenlohe, Bernhard and other four successive German chancellors, they have transformed German manufacturing like a demon, and their transformation is a full-chain transformation.
- For example, starting with improving the training of manufacturing employees, then moving backwards to upgrading national vocational and academic education, and finally reforming to primary and secondary education in Germany.
- For example, because Germany is a latecomer country and does not have many global colonies like Britain and France, it is difficult for Germany to squeeze enough capital and raw materials from the outside world. This forces all German manufacturers to find partners with a win-win attitude on the one hand, and on the other hand, they are desperately trying to reduce costs, and they have to ensure that product quality cannot go the old way.
- For example, successive German chancellors at the time advocated finding help from Germany's military traditions and forcing uniform production styles that boosted morale. Such paramilitarization has been forcibly integrated into the production process, but it is just in line with the needs of modern manufacturing, not only improving production efficiency, but more importantly, reducing the defective rate, and no longer need to be ridiculed by customers such as Britain and France.
In the second half of the 19th century, many universities and secondary schools were built in Germany
At the end of the 19th century, Made in Germany finally got rid of the "Made in Germany" disliked by Europe, and its quality and reputation steadily improved. And because both the first and second industrial revolutions in Germany started relatively late, a large number of agricultural populations are still available in the simultaneous process of urbanization and industrialization.
Therefore, under the premise of ensuring quality, German manufacturing in the early 20th century still has a relative price advantage: that is, the "good quality and low price" that the people like to see.
Many universities in Germany were founded in the second half of the 19th century
Epilogue:
Although World War II destroyed some German factories and equipment, the genes and talents made in Germany were not greatly damaged. In the second half of the 20th century, the German economy recovered rapidly from the ruins of war and rose up, and once again won the recognition and affirmation of all countries in the world with its product quality and technological innovation.
At the end of the 19th century, the residential neighborhoods of the working class continued to concentrate
Looking back at the history of Made in Germany, we can only illustrate one thing: Made in Germany is not inherently beautiful, and German products are not inherently high-quality. If you want to achieve a good reputation in product quality and quality, there will be no quality nirvana without painfully correcting the past and making a painful determination.
This principle can be applied at any stage in any country.
There are no excuses or shortcuts for this kind of thing, because the market and word of mouth never indulge any company, any product.
At the end of the 19th century, a large number of city fairs were formed