Late Ebbe Peedersen's photos of the early 1950s
I have to apologise for having spelled Ebbe's family name wrongly, as can be noticed at the far end of this page; it should be correctly: Ebbe Pedersen
But, as Google and other data storage enthusiasts have stored this web-information widely, I have decided to leave all as it currently is.
Denmark was occupied by the Germans from April 1940 up to May 1945
Because it lays eccentrically of the major European War Theatres; it was not so often being bombed by Allied Forces as was their German homeland. When the war ended Schleswig-Holstein and Denmark were packed with all sorts of German military ordnance materials. Of which a huge part was electrical equipment (radio - radar- telephone - etc - etc)
I have met late Ebbe Peedersen for the first time in 1975 (he died in April 2009). He was far older than I was and he had collected since the early beginning. Thus just after the Germans had surrendered in May 1945. One may trust that those days were a real "Mecca" for (young) collectors. For about a decade some of the German military equipment was used by the Danish armed forces. I myself was shocked by the very poor state of their equipment. Most of the German equipment was of very high quality and in a pretty good condition in May 1945.
Imagine - coming in the basement of his mother's apartment (BirkerØd); together with a German friend. A long corridor with storage rooms. He opened a door - and one could not enter the room, as the opening was already piled-up with apparatus! He had first to take a device out and sort it along the walls of the long, though rather dim illuminated, corridor. Slowly he was digging himself into the narrow space. What rare was encountered? Straight from (brief) memory: Torn Fu g in nice condition (we still have it); Wanz g2 (Wellenanzeiger) (given on loan to U995); DF module (Vorsatz) to T9K39 Main; EO281; DR38/FR38A; Lo10UK39 (Marine Fritz); mint Torn Eb with attached battery-box; mint AE1020 with attached battery-box; Lo6K39 / Lo6L39; MS 5; EBG; 20WSd; Leitstrahlempfänger (Kapsch 27.2 - 33.3 MHz); MZG2; FuG16; Antenna to EZ6; telephone test equipment; earphones; microphones of all sorts; PNG2; UKWEd1; all sorts of power supplies; boxes with several thousand bits and pieces. Rare connectors and cables of all sorts (Stecker); several thousand valves and auxiliary devices. Many many aircraft instruments and pieces, rotary convertors, moving coil instruments; and ... . However, when I went home from HillerØd my car was packed until the (van) roof, even de passenger seat and leg-space was used as storage space. One cannot appreciate how happy we were in those days!
During one of our many conversations, he gave me an envelope with photos from those early days. As they sometimes are of quite reasonable quality, I have decided to load a series onto our website. Some have, nevertheless, been skipped.
These pictures were printed on quite "hard" photo-paper. I have done my best to reproduce the best quality possible.
15 WSa
The version '15WSa' is rather rare. The type plate gives production year 1942. The main difference is that 15WSb was meant also for Hellschreiber operation. Whether some other modifications or even simplifications were commenced I cannot say. Generally speaking, most apparatus produced before say 1943 are having the best component quality possible. In 1943 they started with accepting lower quality components. For instance, most blocking capacitors were first of the 'ceramic sealed-off' type, later simplified products were used by quasi closed types , where the contacts were mounted on pertinax strips. This type of sealing was commonly used in Britain and in the US too. They all suffer from long term defects, at least having kinds of electrical leakage, owing to hygroscopic effects of the dielectric wax. This phenomenon did not bother in the German pre-1943 (sealed-off) components. Even today, they measure electrically like was in 1942.
30WSa with on top a MWE c receiver. Left, power convertor U30 and on the right EUa4; on top of all L.Spr.b (Lautsprechgerät type b, a vibrator driven loudspeaker-amplifier at 12 V) We actually look at the rear panel of the loudspeaker apparatus
Both sets were meant for longer distance tank communications between a command vehicle and command centres. The MWEc receiver may be regarded one of the best of its kind. A superb very compact receiver with double tuneable quartz filters. (please see also: Exhibits new)
80WSa, in between power convertor U80 (U80 = Umformer 80 watt)
Please notice my comments above, this set was also used for command communications
The occupying German forces were lavishly equipped with communication equipment. Of which line communications played a major role, as it was versatile and by its 'redundancy' nature able to cope with all sorts of disruptions
Philips car-phone type FR38A (DR38A = Draagbaar = mobile; F means Fest or stationary = Fixed, R stands for 'radio') (they might have omitted the symbol 'V', as this stood for 'vliegtuig' = aircraft instead of 'vast', which would have been appropriate). The central copper cylinder is the so-called 'Kolster' coil. A device having a rather high Q-factor (Q >1000) and was the adjustable frequency source, of course, together with the oscillator valve TE05/10, which was particularly designed for this purpose. (see also Exihisbits new) They apparently must have had at least two identical sets
Philips DR42, a mobile set for 'artillery observers' operating at about 200 MHz. It is, in my perception, a rather crude maybe 'primitive' set (see also: Exihisbits new)
Philips DR78, a shortwave set. It used D1F the most poor valve type ever! When you find 10 samples, you are a rather lucky man when a single one is yet functioning. It is not the valve itself, but I guess it is due to the combination of its Zn-puller and the way they are being connected (tight) together. The set is for second or third class communications. We also have a complete set on display. Generally speaking - as producer is given Philips Berlin, I have been told that this was only a trading office at 'Kurfürstendamm' in Berlin. This kind of equipment was mainly produced in Holland and/or sometimes in France. The DRxx sets were typically designed by NSF in Hilversum (Nederlandsche Seintoestellen Fabriek a full Philips branch since early 1930s). This company had no relation with the German NSF company (Nürnberg Schrauben Fabrik, owned by AEG) (Exihisbits new)
In my introduction I spoke of Ebbe Peedersen's 'Mecca' days. What you see was the regular storage of a Danish dump store early 1950s. What was very important is the fact that the artefacts were generally of very good quality, as amateurs hardly have had the chance touching it. Nowadays one encounters sometimes real horrors!!
Freya or Seetakt high tension (HT) power supply, cabinet opened (see inserts below). The cabinet door can be closed resisting water. Please notice also our display version
The pulled-out modules of the HT power supply above. On the left the 8 kV high tension transformer module. On the right, the unit with the HT rectifiers VH3. This way of construction is typically for Gema products
I suppose, that its purpose is telex related. The glass bulbs are most common in German telex technologies. Also known as SL (Sicherungsleucht?), which is then acting as a barrater. Its function is to limit the line (supply) current which was single or two times 60 V. Lorenz systems operated on single line current, whereas Siemens operated in double current mode (2 x 60 V = + 60 and - 60 V), the latter was less sensible to line distortion. I recently found in the Steeg-Liste 1958 that it concerns: Fernschreib-Vermittlung T39/40 Handvermittlung Portabel
I don't know what the exact purpose of both top frames are. The module down right is called: Springschreibanschlussgerät. Also known as Fernschreibanschlussgerät (telex) (FSA38), it incorporated a power supply. This latter unit is a very versatile interface, as it allows all sorts of telex line operations (configurations). For instance, single line current input and double current output or inverse. It allowed also single tone telex communication over telephone-lines, using 1500 Hz signals
In the centre we see a portable 10 telex lines exchange unit, probably for field operation. It has an internal single current line power supply (1 x 60 V). The two open telex units might either be Lorenz type T34 or T36Lo. We still have such a field exchange cabinet, which might even be this set. The Steeg-Liste 1958 provides: (24) Fernschreib-Vermittlung T39a
Funksprech f, a transceiver about 21 MHz mainly used in 'half-tracks'
On the left, a wireless remote controlling module N/R 075. Maybe meant for Goliath, the radio controlled tank. The three round black cylinders on the upper right-hand side are quartz crystals, made by Carl Zeiss Jena. This may have been the only company in the world that was capable of making quartz resonators in fundamental mode operations, for up to say 40 à 60 MHz! On the right a telephone line 'scrambler' type G3K (G III K). Also known as a speech inverter. Its level of security is quite limited as with some experience one might be able to understand some of its communication content (part of words or expressions like yes or no ..). As the Germans were aware of this fact, they put on its front panel "Achtung! Feind hört mit" (attention! enemy is listening)
Ha15K42 (Hagenuk 15 watt shortwave set, year of introduction 1942) It is a naval transceiver apparatus, having in its PA a LS50 power valve. This set is quite rare and yet more rare is its housing and most rare is the power supply, of which latter we only possess an empty box (the latter device maybe also originating from Ebbe Peedersen)
Korfu receiver (E351?). I cannot say whether its plug-in unit is meant for S- or X-band. We have also one in our collection (see also Exihisbits new). It is a rather rare set. Browsing through a box of photos, I found Ebbe Peedersen at a parking place near to Bremen transporting a repainted one meant for a German collector, about 1984. At least there where two Korfu's in Denmark. I guess that it might even have been more. Some sets were mentioned in the British Post Mortem exercise reports of 1945. The actual type number is curious. A documentation (manual) of September 1944 shows apparently the older type 812 a .... f. The confusion in the last months of the war might have caused this. To my knowledge, the Science Museum Store has one (have seen it myself in 1990 in Hayes), Mr. Beck has one and we have a Korfu set. I guess, that some other sets are existing though, maybe not exceeding 10 or maximally 15 sets that have survived
UKWE d1 receiver (left) and the transmitter 20WSd? on the right. The background mirror is allowing us to see the otherwise invisible panels. The UKWE d1 (Lorenz) is a beautiful receiver, based on FuG16/17 technology. The transmitter design might originate from the 1930s, but is also solid and sound (UKWE .. = Ultra Shortwave receiver ..). These sets also allowed ground to air communications (against FuG17)
A room pilled with WT40 cabinets (WT = Wechselstromtelegrafie 40 = year of system introduction, designed by Siemens & Halske which is also known as S&H). Like always, the interconnecting plugs (at the front panel) are most difficult to be find nowadays, especially the for supplying power ones. FSK multi-channel telex interface. As we have already seen, the Germans were equipped lavishly with line communication, of which telex (Fernschreiber) was an important way of communication. When possible, messages were sent (conveyed) by this means, as it allows that the receiving side does not necessarily have to be in door (present). Secondly, it gives' (leaves) a 'foot-print' and is thus easily to be filed (please see also: Exhibits new). In our Klooster exhibition WT40 is placed on top of their transport cases (next to Li-SN2)
The last photo is about an unknown transmitter device
Unknown transmitter set
Please regard, that I have not taken all Ebbe's photos, this is only a selection. It is also clear that in those early days the high value sets where not yet freely on the market, such as, for instance, Köln E52 - Schwabenland (Ln21012) - LWEa and KWEa - Lo6K39 and other gear. Although, the Korfu receiver is an exception, but who was interested in intercepting radar signals on 9 or 3 cm in those days? Radio dump seekers most likely were not among them.
The succession of the pictures was given by their alphabetic order. This is, of course, arbitrary as it depend on the (my) subject name giving.
In the 1980s Ebbe gave me a Xerox copy of a surplus list of the Steeg company of 1958
This latter company sold on behalf of the West-German government surplus materials, of which most were of the former Wehrmacht (their former armed forces). I regard this being a very important source of information, as it shows many interesting devices and aspects. The list also provides in most cases the quantity available. Even G-Schreiber T52d and Enigma were among them.
We would be very pleased to receive any feed back, particularly where we do not know the actual type designation Please consider also the Steeg catalogue list of 1958
Please type over this text
On 25 April 2011 JØrgen Fastner passed on to me Ebbe's death announcement in a local Danish newspaper.
We can see that Ebbe died at an age of roughly 73 years old on 17 April 2009
I guess, smoking might have done a great deal, sadly.
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