Der "Transistor" als technisches und kulturelles Phanomen: Die Transistorisierung der Radio- und Fernsehempfanger in der deutschen Rundfunkindustrie 1955 bis 1965 (review)

Abstract

The main title of this book may raise expectations that are too broad, particularly among non-German readers. It is the subtitle that defines the actual historical, geographical, and technological scope: a study of the shift from vacuum tubes to transistors in the design of audio and video receivers in Germany between 1955 and 1965. This story is told both as it relates to the products of German manufacturers of radio and television receivers and to the industrial development of new semiconductor components. There is also some attention to the behavior of consumers. "Transistor" was not just the technical term for a new electronic component; as embodied in a small device that could be taken anywhere, it also exemplified the values of a new generation that looked to America for its cultural cues. The portable radio was a harbinger in a strategic mass market.